"Cultural identity is shaped by the values, way of life and the aspirations of the community that they live in." Discuss this statement, with close reference to 'The Shipping News' by E Annie Proulx.

The cultural identity of an individual is shaped by a range of factors, including the values, way of life and aspirations of the community in which they live. The Shipping News, by E Annie Proulx, provides an outstanding analysis of the way that cultural identity is shaped by such elements. Newfoundland residents are represented as individuals whose lives are very much shaped by their isolated coastal, 'sea dependent' existence. A dysfunctional middle aged man, rather …

…and aspirations of the community in which they live. The Shipping News, by E Annie Proulx, provides an outstanding analysis of the way that cultural identity is shaped by such elements. Newfoundland residents are represented as individuals whose lives are very much shaped by their isolated coastal, 'sea dependent' existence. A dysfunctional middle aged man, rather impersonally referred to as Quoyle. Finds a clear sense of cultural identity though the recovery of his ancestral home.