Rebirth

Hello Everyone,

It's so weird that this is our last blog post! I feel like we have online just started class. First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for your comments and the in depth discussion.

I thought that "Jasmine" was an excellent novel, and an excellent end to the course. I thought it was interesting and inspiring how Pujabi decided to come and reinvent herself in America. I feel as though everyone reaches a pivotal point in their life in which they decided to re-evaluate and rediscover who they are. Reinventing yourself is hard to begin with, but moving to a foreign country and trying to rediscover who you are would be very difficult. I admire Pujabi for that. What did you guys think?

The opening to the novel begins with phrase "lifetimes ago.." which I believe sets up a major theme to the novel (self recreation). Becoming someone else, evolving, discovering. The first phrase of the novel seems to indicate that the reader will be looking to the past at former self, and gaining insight into the transformation of the characters. "There are no harmless, compassionate ways to remake oneself." And, "I picked [Sam] up and held him. Truly I had been reborn." What do you guys think about that? Do you think that transformation is a big factor underlying the entire novel? Which characters did you love, which did you hate? Which do you think fit the idea of recreating self? Jasmine herself goes through multiple transformations while trying to survive in America. When did you relate to her best in the novel?

Here is another students interpretation of the novel, I thought it was kind of interesting.

Death Thoughts

Hello Everyone,

Today I’d like to talk about the short story “Beccah” in particular. I thought that this was a very interesting read. The characters all seem to have multiple layers to unravel. However, one thing I would have liked would be to hear more about the Father in the story. A flashback or perhaps some background story on he himself as a character as well as the relationship between the Father and the Mother. Towards the end of the short story, Mother states that she wished every day for the Father to die. But, why? Why did she wish death upon him? There must be something more to his character and their relationship that truly intrigues me as a reader. It doesn’t seem as though the speaker and her Father had a particularly bad relationship, and she even still to this day places offerings to the dead as a result of her Father’s death (as well as to protect her mother) “Please, God- please, spirits, and Induk- please, Daddy, whoever is listening: leave my mother alone” (p. 194).  What do you think the relationship was between the Mother and the Father?

The speaker of the story intrigues me the most perhaps, out of all the character. She seems to care deeply about her Mother, even refusing to call the police during her Mother’s episodes “Whenever the spirits called my mother to them, Auntie Reno insisted I dial her beeper, punching in 911 to let her know my mother had entered a trance” (p. 199). Instead of calling the police, the speaker called her Aunt in order to protect her Mother for fear of people thinking that she was crazy. So, the speaker seems to deeply care about her Mother, as well as how others view her Mother, so why then, on the last page of the short story does she state that all along she had been wishing for her Mother to die “And I think: It has taken me nearly thirty years, almost all of my life but finally the wishes I flung out in childhood have come true. My mother is dead” (p. 202). The only time that this is mentioned (the speaker’s ill intentions towards her Mother), is at the end of the short story. These characters are complicated. What do you guys think about the last paragraph of the short story? Did it confuse you? Any insight on it?

Also, what do you think about the Mother? Do you think she was really possessed by spirits, or in fact just crazy? Do you think she actually did kill the Father during one of her trances?

On one last note, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this quote “I’m teaching you something very important about life. Listen: Sickness, bad luck, death, these things are not accidents. This kind of stuff, people swish on you. Believe me, I know. And if you cannot bloc these wishes, all the death thoughts people send you collect, become arrows in your back. This is what causes wrinkles and make your shoulders fold inward” (p. 202). I thought that this quote was the most intriguing line in the short story.  So, if you have any thoughts, and reactions, or insight, let me know!

Hello Everyone,

Today I’d like to talk about the short story “Beccah” in particular. I thought that this was a very interesting read. The characters all seem to have multiple layers to unravel. However, one thing I would have liked would be to hear more about the Father in the story. A flashback or perhaps some background story on he himself as a character as well as the relationship between the Father and the Mother. Towards the end of the short story, Mother states that she wished every day for the Father to die. But, why? Why did she wish death upon him? There must be something more to his character and their relationship that truly intrigues me as a reader. It doesn’t seem as though the speaker and her Father had a particularly bad relationship, and she even still to this day places offerings to the dead as a result of her Father’s death (as well as to protect her mother) “Please, God- please, spirits, and Induk- please, Daddy, whoever is listening: leave my mother alone” (p. 194). What do you think the relationship was between the Mother and the Father?

The speaker of the story intrigues me the most perhaps, out of all the character. She seems to care deeply about her Mother, even refusing to call the police during her Mother’s episodes “Whenever the spirits called my mother to them, Auntie Reno insisted I dial her beeper, punching in 911 to let her know my mother had entered a trance” (p. 199). Instead of calling the police, the speaker called her Aunt in order to protect her Mother for fear of people thinking that she was crazy. So, the speaker seems to deeply care about her Mother, as well as how others view her Mother, so why then, on the last page of the short story does she state that all along she had been wishing for her Mother to die “And I think: It has taken me nearly thirty years, almost all of my life but finally the wishes I flung out in childhood have come true. My mother is dead” (p. 202). The only time that this is mentioned (the speaker’s ill intentions towards her Mother), is at the end of the short story. These characters are complicated. What do you guys think about the last paragraph of the short story? Did it confuse you? Any insight on it?

Also, what do you think about the Mother? Do you think she was really possessed by spirits, or in fact just crazy? Do you think she actually did kill the Father during one of her trances?

On one last note, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this quote “I’m teaching you something very important about life. Listen: Sickness, bad luck, death, these things are not accidents. This kind of stuff, people swish on you. Believe me, I know. And if you cannot bloc these wishes, all the death thoughts people send you collect, become arrows in your back. This is what causes wrinkles and make your shoulders fold inward” (p. 202). I thought that this quote was the most intriguing line in the short story. So, if you have any thoughts, and reactions, or insight, let me know!

Homebase

I found “Homebase” to be an intriguing novel. I think that it’s easy to relate to Rainsford as he is struggling to gain an identity (we all struggle to figure out who we are). Also, the use of flashbacks through dreams, and letters was an interesting aspect to the novel as well. It’s also easy to sympathize with Rainsford, everyone experiences loss during their lifetime. However, I could not imagine having both my Mother and Father dying at such a young age “I was left a father to myself after my father’s death” (p 6). Especially since in Asian culture children seem to hold their parents in such high regard (much more so than children brought up on American values). I imagine it would be extremely hard to hold onto Asian values as well as attempt to figure out a sense of identity all while leading a life in America. Do you think that Rainsford became interested in his family’s history upon his Mother’s death (since she died after the Father) as a means to hold onto his family? And, as a way to hold onto tradition in which would also link him to his family and allow him to feel less alone in the world? Rainsford always seems to give off a sense of loneliness “I came to live with my Uncle and Aunt at the Age of fifteen in a small town near the ocean in California, I cam to them as a son. Not their son, just a son. I came on an overcast day…” (p 42). In the aforementioned quote Wong gives insight into how Rainsford is really feeling- he’s lost, and feels a sense of abandonment. He came as a son, but he is not their son, he is a son without parents (making him feel almost like an outcast).

On page 83 Rainsford is told “This is your Country. Go out and make yourself at home”. I thought that this was an extremely powerful point in the novel. I feel as though at this point the Indian man is offering comfort to Rainsford who is lost in the world. He tells him that there is a place for him, just as the he has found his place in the Country. Everyone has a place. You just have to find it and make yourself feel at home. Everyone fits in somewhere. After Rainsford learns of Angel Island the Indian later says “an island is the saddest kind of land there is” (p 85). What do you think he means by this? Is he speaking of solely just Angel Island, and the ways in which the Chinese Immigrants were brought there after harsh travels and an attempt at a new life (only to be stopped at the very end of their journey, never making it to America)? Or does is mean something more?

How do you think Rainford’s life would have been different if he had not lost his parents? Do you think he would be as interested in learning about Chinese history if his parents had not passed away?

Through the Eyes of Natalie

For this week’s bog post, I decided to write a creative response to Gish Jen’s “Who’s Irish”. The narrator of the story seems to be troubled by the way in which her daughter, as well as her Husband (and his Irish family) lead their lives. She constantly reminded her daughter, Natalie of what people in China do, and how people in China raise their children. I decided to write some of the events from the story in Natalie’s point of view, instead of her Mother’s. Ready? Here we go:

In China people do this, In China people do that. That’s all I ever seem to hear leave the mouth of my Mother. Constantly reminding me of how I am not leading a proper Chinese lifestyle. It’s hard coming home after a long day at the bank to Mother’s constant nagging. After receiving my promotion to Vice President at the bank, it has become even harder to listen to her rambling. I’m tired. I’m always tired. Tired of hearing my Mother’s complaints. Tired of my husband, John, not having a job. Tired of trying to control my three year old daughter, Sophie.

Sophie, as my Mother would say, is a wild child. Or in her words “doesn’t act Chinese, because the Irish side had swallowed her whole”. Sophie refuses to wear clothes, constantly taking them off allowing her skin to catch the wind as she runs freely. Mother says it’s because of how she’s being raised, because of our “crazy” old babysitter Amy. Amy wore clothes Mother deemed as too small, and did useless things not suited for young women such as play guitar. It’s true, she did allow Sophie to get away with running around naked, but it’s not entirely her fault. Sophie’s just a different kind of child, one Mother can’t understand. That’s because my Mother is stuck in a cultural time warp. Leading her life with traditional Chinese values in a modern day American Suburbia. In short, the two don’t mix.

I have no support, no one to turn to. Mother doesn’t believe in the word supportive. It’s like a foreign language to her. I can’t depend on John (well, I can depend on him to go to the Gym), as he can’t seem to hold a job. I can’t depend on my Father, as he died years ago, leaving my Mother and I alone. I can’t depend my daughter (she’s only three, not to mention she in incapable of listening). I’m alone. Surrounded by bank statements, and memos, and board meetings. I need sleep. I need support. I need someone to lean on, to listen and understand.

After Amy quit babysitting Sophie, I had to ask Mother for help. She complained as usual. “Daughters shouldn’t depend on their Mothers. It should be the other way around” (except in broken English). But none the less, she did it (we can’t afford a babysitter anyway). As I mentioned before, Mother doesn’t understand this culture, she lives in the past. I didn’t want to leave Sophie with her, and I tried to tell her Sophie is hard to handle, and how it’s not ok to hit your child, and how yelling won’t help, and how we don’t live in China anymore-she doesn’t listen. She yells. She spanks. She attempts to instill all if these dated Chinese ideas on Sophie and myself. It doesn’t work, and she gets angry. There’s no reasoning with her. I come home from work only to find that Sophie hasn’t eaten all day as punishment from Mother. I can’t take it.

One day I came home from work, exhausted as usual to find Mother and Sophie not home. John said he’d been home for an hour and he had not seen them (he didn’t look for them either, typical). After looking everywhere, we headed to the park, where Mother would take Sophie in the afternoon if she were good that day. We found her there, poking into a hole in the playground, dirt everywhere. She had scared Sophie into a hole, and she was too scared to come out. She’s only three. You can’t spank a three year old like she does. Or yell at one with such harsh words. When John finally got her out she had bruises all over her body. I couldn’t look at Mother, I couldn’t believe she had taken things so far. What was she thinking? How could she do that to a child? How could she think like that? We walked home in silence. My mind racing, my heart pumping with anger in every beat. When we arrived home I told Mother she needed to leave. I couldn’t let her stay any long. Not after what happened.

She left. And I’m still alone, supporting myself, tired. I need help, but I have nowhere to turn, no one to lean on. I’m stuck here. Not going anywhere.

More than Meets the Eye

         In “American Born Chinese” Yang conveys through Jin the hardships of growing up in America as an Asian descendent. I personally thought that it was easy to relate to Jin’s character, and although he may not have been true to his culture, I don’t believe Jin should be faulted. Jin was simply attempting to create an identity for himself in which other American’s would accept. In that way, It’s easy to relate to Jin. Everyone struggles to fit in with society, to be accepted, to lead a normal life. In this case it seems particularly hard for Jin due to the fact that he is one of the few of his heritage where he and his family reside (only three in which I recall). If anyone is to fault, I believe it would be other Americans presented in the graphic novel. It was their preconceived ideas, notions, and stereotypes that caused Jin and other Asian Americans to feel as though they were outcasts.

         I thought the use of transformers was interesting while reading the graphic novel. Especially in the fact that Yang used a transformer (a monkey that is able to transform into a humanoid) as a reminder for the Monkey King’s eldest son (Wei-Chen), of who he really is, and of what he will always be- a monkey “Take this with you. It‘s a human child‘s toy that transforms from a monkey to humanoid form. Let it remind you of who you are“ (p.217). On the other hand, Yang makes use of the transformer in Jin’s case to foreshadow events to come, as well as depict Jin’s need to fit in with American society. Jin seems to love transformers for being able to hide who they really are, and seemingly fit in. Also, in this particular scene, the old women’s response to what Jin wanted to be when he grew up piqued my curiosity “It’s easy to become anything you wish… so long as you’re willing to forfeit your soul” (p. 27). I believe Yang uses this quote to convey the idea that Jin could become like a transformer, and fit in with American society. But, in order to do so, Jin would have to cut his ties to his own culture or “forfeit his soul”.
         Yang’s use of Chin-Kee in the graphic novel was interesting as well. Through Chin-Kee, Yang conveyed a plethora of negative Asian stereotypes (the very same stereotypes that caused Jin to be embarrassed of his culture, and choose to transform his identity into a more acceptable one to American society). From Chin-Kee’s name (Chink, a racial slur) to his speech “Harro Amellica” and even the Ricky Martin song he sings referencing pop culture (American Idol’s William Hung), Chin-Kee is comprised solely of negative racial stereotypes of the Asian culture. However, once again, I can’t stress enough on how I feel that Jin should not be faulted for his actions. Even the Monkey King (a deity, who is supposed to be free of human vices) felt ostracized upon returning from the God’s dinner party and smelling the monkey fur smell “He stayed awake for the rest of the night thinking of ways to get rid of it” (p. 20). Even the Monkey King longs to fit in, and attempted to change an aspect of himself to do so.
         I thought “American Born Chinese” was a great read. What did you think? Did you like Jin? Were you angry with him? Do you feel as though he should be faulted for his actions?

Here’s a video a found a Youtube that I thought was interesting. They interview Yang on there for a little as well as show some of the comic panels in color. :)

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Hi, how are you? I'm Brie. Here are a few things about me in an easy to read list format:
-I play video games (a lot), my gamertag is Shiro Fish. Xbox 360 FTW
-I also play guitar in a band called b00m! headshot.
-I work at a video game store.
-I don't eat meat, or fish, or chicken. In simple terms I'm a vegetarian.