So in the week we discuss the novel I will show The Age of Innocence and ask students to consider the voice of the narrator, the concept of understood but unwritten rules, symbolism, and basic themes. Likewise when I discuss movies I might show the John Woo film Hard Boiled and ask students to discuss montage and other elements of film grammar. The question is designed to provoke students' thinking and it generally works. This approach is largely technical. The first two questions are left open ended.
Some students wish to define western culture as American culture.
Often this will involve a discussion of the impact of MacDonalds, Mickey Mouse, and Coca-Cola on say a country such as Indonesia, China, Singapore, or Australia. Some students regard different cultures as in constant interaction with no single culture dominating the other. Students have used the remark by John Travolta's character in Pulp Fiction , that in France the Whopper is different, to muse on the need for cultural interaction even in the burger business. So for instance chilli sauce is available in most MacDonald's outlets in Asia, but interestingly not in those in Sydney's Chinatown, which these days encompasses most of the city's central entertainment and dining area. I want students to think about their place in the world.