Teaching Literature

There are many ways you can go about teaching someone about a culture. This can include book, television shows, readings, movies and more. I would start out by asking the class what they know about the Japanese culture. I want to know what they think Japanese people eat, wear, do, and live. I would ask the class where these ideas about the culture came from. Where they taught this previous year in school? And why do they think this is really how the culture is. I would use “Memoirs of a Geisha” to teach them about the Japanese Culture. I want them to understand that they are a different culture from us. The Japanese culture has many different traditions then the American culture. I would let the class what the movie. Then I would ask are there any change in the classes opinions about the culture. I want the class to learn there are secrets in every culture. The Japanese culture had their way of prostitution without making it flat out known. They way they dress sometimes like Americans but other times the women had on a certain robe type dress. They have make-up, making their face really white and have tiny red lips. At one point there was a girl hooking up with her boyfriend. That was frowned upon just like in any culture before marriage. The town they showed and the style of the houses is different from the American culture. The houses are closer together and everyone is closer. There are always eyes watching you it seems like. I would tell the class my thoughts about the Japanese culture and what I learned from the movie. I just would want the class to walk away knowing the Japanese culture is similar and different then Americans and others cultures.

Personal Growth

We have studied some different cultures this far. Most of them I did not know much about but the one that caught my attention was the Japanese culture. The Japanese follow a lot of traditions unlike the Americans. I thought that the Japanese were shorter and smaller than the average American. This idea was put in my head when I had a friend travel to Japan and he was looking over everyone. The Japanese also eat better than most other culture. Their portions are smaller. I thought the Japanese culture was very proper and followed all the rules. After watching Memoirs of a Geisha, I learned that was not the case. There was a scene where a girl hooked up with her boyfriend which was frowned upon in their culture is how I took it. She was sneaking around to meet with him. I learned traditions are not always followed. She made her family think she was an angle and did nothing wrong. I also did not know the Japanese did prostitution like in Memoirs of a Geisha because of how the frown upon so many things. I did notice how they wore the white make up, hair pulled back and their lips smaller with red lipstick. I thought that was how Japanese always went around every day. Throughout the movie you would see the men wear suits or the women wearing average clothes and the women not wearing the long dress looking things. They don’t have the white make up and red lips on. They are more laid back. I guess over all I thought the Japanese culture had strict guide lines they have to follow. But after watching Memoirs of a Geisha I see that there culture is more like ours and everyone else’s culture. I have learned not to be so quick to judge or make a thought stick in my head.

Relating Literature to Other Fields

The literature I feel that relates to my story is Wilshire bus. In this story Esther goes to see her husband at least two times a week. There is an incident one day on the bus that left her feeling sad, disconnected, and embarrassed. An American man got on the bus this day, and Esther thought something is right. This man was being loud and obnoxious. He started to pick on a elderly Chinese couple. They were in shock they did not know what to do or say. Esther thought to herself does he think I am Chinese? Is that bad I do not want him to think I am Chinese, because I am Japanese. She felt bad for her thoughts. She just ignored the American who was putting the elderly Chinese couple down. He was telling them to go back to china if they did not like what he was saying. Esther felt bad and down that she did not stand up for them. My major is Journalism Broadcast. I feel this relates to my major in a lot of different ways. Being in this field you are faced with interacting with some many different types of people. I feel the way the American acted toward the Chinese couple is how some people act towards Journalist. When a Journalist tells the truth about something people lash out at them, when they are not the one that caused the issue, they are just reporting it. Also being a Journalist means you are mute. You cannot have an opinion. Ok you can have one, but you cannot voice your opinion. I feel Esther wanted to say something but she didn’t know what to do or say. Being a Journalist you want to help and some stories tug at your heart string. You don’t know how or what to do. I think that is how Esther and My Major are related. Its about wanting to say something or do something but you do not know how to go about it. This leaves you feeling like a failure.

What is an American?

What really defines an Amercian? Being free, born in America, race, culture, what determines an American? Is it a piece of paper saying you are a United Stated Citizen? Is it just being born in the United States? But What if you are born in a different country, and then come to America? An American to me is a United States citizen, someone born and raised in America. It is someone that takes pride in their country. Someone that is equal to their neighbor even thought they might have more or less. An Amercian works to keep America The land of the free. An American comes in all different shapes, sizes, and color. Every American has a different talent or gift to make the world a better place. I feel like we are all immigrants though because our family at one point or another all started off in a different country. They traveled over to the United States at some point in time. That is why you can become an American citizen. A lot of people want to claim America because we are a free country and life is easier over here. I think that people respect America and how far we have come and remain a free country. An American is someone that sticks up for their country and takes pride in being able to vote who runs their country. Over all I think an American is an average person like you and me. Although we might not all look alike we have one thing in common, we are proud to live in the land of the free. An American is someone that stand up for their country when everyone else is putting it down. A true American celebrates the Fourth of July. An Amercian is someone that takes a stand and follows their dreams.