Study Term

Cultural Assimilation and Social Isolation

Courtney, Anthony, Punit, Amanda, and India

last week

Indian-American experiences
(Jared, Catherine, Torrin, Javier)

Exam 4 Review

1) Change
2) Security

Discussion Question: Week Thirteen Reading

In Wildwood by Junot Diaz we see how Lola changes from trying to be a model daughter for her mother to a "punk" due to her mother constant complaints. Do you think where Lola lives have any cultural influence to why she chose to be rebellious? That Lola's change was because she was in America, where examples of "punk" attitudes exist among her peers and the media? If the family had lived in Santo Domingo do you think Lola would have continued being the model daughter instead of becoming punk if the culture was to listen to her mother?

Claire, Eugene, Reem, Theodora

11/21/11

The family looked Indian but dressed as foreigners did, the children in stiff, brightly colored clothing and caps with translucent visors (pages 43-44).
How does Lahiri illustrates the cultural gap between Indians and Indians Americans?
(Jared, Catherine, Torrin, Javier)

Journal Entry for Monday Nov 21st

Compare and contrast the sense of community characterized within the stories; specifically the traditions of community from stories set in India Vs. the stories set in the United States. How do cultural traditions, like Halloween or Indian Temples, effect the stories characters sense of identity? How far ( if at all) do you think these traditions or sense of community and cultural identity blend the cultural barrier? If you believe they do, in what methods does Lahiri choose to communicate this? Finally, do you think that Lahiri wanted to develop the idea of what binds the sense of community and cultural assimilation or rather what disrupts it? Can you find any textual evidence to support your opinion?

Courtney, Punit, Anthony, Amanda, and India

Discussion Question: Week Twelve Reading

In Yezierska's "America and I" and Eaton's "In the Land of the Free" we see how immigrants dislike America because of the hardships that the characters face upon coming to America. How is Panna in "A Wife's Story" by Mukherjee view of America different than the characters in the other two stories? Does she seem to be facing any hardships? What are some things that makes her like (or dislike) American life?

Claire, Eugene, Reem, Theodora

Question #10 11/13/2011

In Sherman’s “Because My Father Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ At Woodstock,” the narrator comments several times throughout the novel about the loss of her own heritage. Her mother is seen as still embodying their Native American heritage as she can dance the traditional dances, but her father, in many ways, embodies the changes brought on by the assimilation of American culture. Which side does the narrator prefer? Her Native American heritage or the Americanized life of her father? Why would a culture that views itself as always being at war with American culture adopt so much of it?

Jared/ Torrin / Javier / Catherine

nov 7

“Your father doesn’t believe in joining the American society,” said my mother. “He wants to have his own society.” (page 3037).
"In the American Society", Gish Jen explains how the father wants his daughters to be part of his society which is a twist of the American society. How is the father unable to accept the American culture?

Jared/ Torrin / Javier / Catherine

Discussion Question: Novemeber 7 Reading

When reading "In the American Society" by Gist Jen we see how hard it was for the Ralph to let go of his Chinese culture and adopt an American lifestyle. The way he ran his business as a hierarchy and expected his employers to be subservient to him is how businesses were ran in China, but in America the employees refused to be treated that way. When Ralph tries to appease his wife by going to the country club's party, he is forced into assimilating by having to wear the American clothes and awkwardly tries to fit in with the people at the party. At one point a party goer taunts Ralph.
When it comes to immigrants trying to assimilate, is it their refusal to accept a new culture that hinders their ability to assimilate (like Ralph at the beginning of the story) or is it because of society's reluctance to accept immigrants into the America culture that prevent immigrants from assimilating (like how Ralph was treated at the party)?

Claire, Eugene, Reem, Theodora

Discussion Question: Week Ten Readings

In lecture, Professor Wilks discussed some of the women in "Esperanza's world." By telling these women's stories, we see how Esperanza is moving farther away from childhood and moving into her adolescence stage. Do you think that the stories about the guys in her life (Louie, Geraldo, and Sire) also show how Esperanza is moving away from childhood?

Claire, Eugene, Reem, Theodora

week 10

"In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting." (page 10)
The name Esperanza is a foreign name. She believes that her name sets her apart from others. How is this name related to Esperanza’s life? She lives in a latino neighborhood. She is assimilating two different cultures. How does this affect her integration into the american society?
Jarred/Elizabeth/Javier/Torrin

Post for 10-31-11

Using your own feeling for the text and the information we learned in lecture describe Eperanza's main influences, both people and other driving forces on her life, that you feel are important to her character and the overall impact of the novel. Why did you pick the aspects you did and how do they impact the character(s) of the novel?

Punit, India, Courtney, Anthony, and Amanda

Discussion Question: Week Nine Readings

In Edith Eaton's "In the Land of the Free" the baby was taken away because the family couldn't provide that correct papers that the exclusion act required. The exclusion act was to keep Chinese Immigrants out because of the fear that they would ruin the"good order" of American society, but what harm could a baby do? When older generations come from China, they bring with them their traditions and culture and Americans were afraid of those things were ruining the American culture. But a baby doesn't have those traditions instilled in them yet, we even see at the end the baby is more American than Chinese since he is speaking English. Children that grow up in America tend to be more American than Chinese, so why would the exclusion act make it harder for immigrants to bring children into the country?

Claire, Eugene, Reem, Theodora

10-23-2011

In Sui Sin Far’s In the Land of the Free James Clancy takes advantage of Hom Hings and Lae Choo’s situation concerning Little One. How does this compare to Anzia Yezierska’s work America and I, in which the main character is taken advantage of by an American family who were from her same village. Also consider why James Clancy appears to hesitate when he is offered Lae Choo’s jewelry as oppose to money to help get Little One back, why does he do this, and does it in any way redeem him?

Jarred/Torrin/Javier/Catherine

In the following passage Zally wants that she and her daugther be either black or white.
“’No, no; - I thank God for it; I am glad you are not; but you will be lonely, lonely, all your poor life long. There is no place in this world for us poor women. I wish that we were either white or black!’ – and the tears, two ‘shining ones,’ stood in the poor quadroons eyes.” (Page 221)
What is Cable questioning here?
How is this related to the question of marry someone of a different race?
Jared / Torrin / Javier / Elizabeth

Discussion Question: Week Eight Readings

At the beginning Kate Chopin's Desiree's Baby, Armand seems to break stereotypical thinking by marrying a "nameless" girl into a prominent family. When Monsieur Valmonde wanted Armand to considered and find out Desiree's origin before Armand marries her, Armand states that he doesn't care about her origin. But once the baby is born and he sees that the baby is showing signs of African decent, we understand that Desiree's origin really does matter to him. Do you think when other people were telling him to be cautious of marrying her, they were afraid that she was of African decent? Or did they just want him to marry someone with a higher social status? Also when Armand states that he doesn't care about Desiree's origin, shouldn't that have included that he wouldn't care if she was of African decent? Why is it that when her origin includes being partially African, it bothers him so much?

Claire, Eugene, Reem, Theodora

In Desiree's Baby, where does Chopin use foreshadowing to reveal that Desiree is not in fact of African descent, but her husband is? Also, how does this unexpected plot twist an example of irony?

Amanda, Anthony, Courtney, India, Punit

If The Republic represented America and the different social classes, where would Rutherford stand? How do the barbaric issues of slavery and cannibalism compare and contrast? What does the Allmuseri god symbolize?

Kar-Fai/Jett/Ryan/Johnny

Question for 10/10

In Charles Johnson's Middle Passage, the author uses explicit language to describe the events in the story such as when Calhoun has to aid the crew in throwing an Almuseri man's body off the ship. What role does Johnson's graphic use of detail play in the novel and what sort of effect does it have on the reader?

Jared/Torrin/Javier/Catherine

Q for class on 10/10

Rutherford identifies himself in different ways to each group ( loyalists, Mutineers, and slaves) at separate times of the novel. He even goes as far as to physically and emotionally "unify" himself with each of these groups by spying for Falcon, accepting blood oaths with the Mutineers, or by helping to free the slaves by passing keys along in secret. Because Rutherford's character is able to identify with each group at almost the same time, what does this say about Rutherford’s identity? Do you believe that having multiple relationships with each group limits his identity or adds to it? Would Johnson have designed his character to be able to find an identity within each group for a particular reason?If so, what theme in the novel might be a good example of this? In what ways does Rutherford's character portray this issue or issues?

Courtney, Punit, Amanda, Anthony, India

Discussion Question: Week Six Readings

In 1852, when Fredrick Douglass gave his speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" slavery was still very much present in the United States. Most of the African-Americans were still slaves and did not gain freedom or independence because of America's "break-up" with Britain 76 years ago (in relation to Douglass' speech, not present day). As Douglass asks in his speech, why is he chosen to speak at a commemoration for the Declaration of Independence? The Declaration of Independence represents freedom, but most of the African-Americans living in the United States were far from being free. Douglass does not represent the population that reap the benefits from the United States being separated from Britain, so what makes him the right candidate to give a speech commemorating a document that does nothing for his race?

Claire, Eugene, Reem, Theodora

Discussion Question 10-2-11

Charles Johnson wrote the novel Middle Passage in the year 1990. How does Johnson's contemporary moment influence the content of the novel? In what ways does Johnson use anachronism to link the injustices and inequalities of the antebellum south to those of 1990?

Amanda, Anthony, Courtney, India, and Punit

In Phillis Wheatley’s poem On Being Brought from Africa to America she talked about how thankful she is to have been brought to America and to have been taken from her “Pagan” land and taught Christian values. Compared to what we have read about other slave this seems strange. She doesn’t lament about being taken away from her family and her homeland or striped of the beliefs her people had followed for generations. Could this be due in part to the young age at which she was enslaved? Was she truly influenced by the proslavery talk around her? She doesn’t seem very resentful or too upset by her position as a slave, granted her slavery was much more relaxed then most.

Jared/Torrin/Javier/Catherine

Discussion Question #3

In Letters From an American Farmer, Crevecoeur witnesses slavery firsthand and is having trouble of grasping the concept because "the strange order of things" in Letter IX. Discuss the difficulty he has with the existence of slavery. Also analyze how slavery changed the social and political landscape of the North and South.

week 5

Crevecoeur in his letters compares Americans and Europeans. He also analyzed the question: What is to be an American? He believes that America is a progressive nation because of the diversity; “They are a mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes.” What is he trying to said by this? What was the purpose of these letters?

Discussion Question: Week 5 Readings

In Letters from an American Farmer, Crevecoeur writes that a person can call himself an American no matter what their lineage is. Past bloodlines doesn't make an American, loyalty towards the country is what matters (among other things). So why is it that when Crevecoeur wants to join the Indian community during the revolutionary war, he hopes that a young man who has shown interest in his daughter will come along? Does bloodlines not matter when it pertains to being an American, but when it comes to his family his thoughts are different? Or is it because when he is talking about intermarriages it was between English, Dutch, French, and etc. descendants , but when it comes to Indians, they are an inferior race and therefore he doesn't want to have intermarriages with them?

Claire, Eugene, Reem, Theodora

Arthur Miller's plot in The Crucible has often been been associated with McCarthyism and the "red scare" of the 1950s. What real life people could the fictional characters in the play have represented? Who were some of the judges linked with the McCarthy hearings and what were some of their rulings? Do Julius and Ethel Rosenberg represent Giles and Martha Corey?

Kar-Fai/Jett/Johnny/Ryan/Quinn

Week 2: Discussion Question

Theocracy combines both church andstate as one. What was the role this kind of government had in Salem in orderto cause the series of events that lead to the witchcraft trials? Slaves andservants such as Abigail Williams became powerful with the witchcraft trialsand other people with good reputations such as Mrs. Nurse became powerless. Whatexplains this switch of power? How could that be possible? How does Miller relate his play to McCarthyism?
Jared / Javier / Catherine / Torrin

Theocracy combines both church and state as one. What was the role this kind of government had in Salem in order to cause the series of events that lead to the witchcraft trials? Slaves and servants such as Abigail Williams became powerful with the witchcraft trial sand other people with good reputations such as Mrs. Nurse became powerless. What explains this switch of power? How could that be possible? How does Miller relate his play to McCarthyism?
Catherine / Jared / Javier / Torrin

Blog

In "The Crucible" I've noticed the immense amounts of irony in the play. For instance, the children held such power when Proctor is clearly a symbol of truth and common logic. Still his logic is refuted without consideration while the girls are taken so seriously. Also, it is ironic that Proctor, who cheated on his wife, is the symbol of truth. What does Arthur Miller hope to accomplish with this? Is he trying to cause the audience to realize something?

By Amanda McCoy, Courtney Jenkins, Punit Kapadia, and Anthony Jacques

Discussion Question: Week 2

Why didnt John Proctor's forgetting of the 10th amendment bring him under more suspicion from Hale?

Reem, Claire, Theodora, Eugene

Discussion Question: Week 1

When John Williams was able to find his captive daughter and talk with her, she expresses concern about "forgetting her catechism" and that she was having to say prayers that she didn’t understand. In the end, Eunice never left the Mohawk tribe, eventually adapting to their lifestyle and becoming one of them. Why did she stop resisting their culture? Was she forced to "convert," or she gradually change as she grew up? Additionally, why did Williams give up on getting Eunice back after the first attempts at "trading" for his daughter?

Reem Homsi, Theodora Huynh, Eugene Kim, Claire Northam

Week 1: Discussion Question

"Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.'s poems tone contrasts to Bradstreet's poem- in regards to the authors opinion of gender roles and the role of women. Why do you think that is? Even though they share common factors in their lives like writing during an era when women were not regarded with respect or even justacknowledgment of their abilities their writing styles differ immensely- despite their religious beliefs. Do you think this comes from their geographic locations ( Mexico vs Puritan America) or something more? If so, explain what stylistic elements of the text or tone of both poems makes you think this."

Courtney, Amanda, Punit , and Anthony

Welcome

Welcome! This is your class blog and class community forum for the discussion of E316K Masterworks of American Literature. Each group is expected to upload one discussion question per week based on the readings and Dr. Wilks' lectures.