Teaching Literature: Part 2

There are three stories we have read that have one theme in common. American School, Wilshire bus, and Tripmaster Monkey all have racism in common. In these stories there were different stereotypes’. Every culture thought they were better than the next one (nationalism). In Wilshire bus you see the American be mean to the elder Chinese couple. Esther thinks to herself does he think I am Chinese, because I am Japanese. In American School the Japanese were given a hard time by other people, especially the Michiko. In Wilshire bus the Japanese rode the bus but in American School they walked. In Wilshire bus they Americans were more interacting then in American School. In Wilshire bus the Americans were raciest to the Japanese and put them in camps during the war. In Tripmaster monkey there was a difference of who is better when it came to the plays. There was a sense of racism between the martial art teachers. They used a sense of sexuality that was frowned upon in this culture. There was a lot that was in the writers head (Stream of conscious.) Wittman wants to get with Nancy who is the beautiful actress but at the same time he has a girlfriend. In American School, the word Negro was used to make him look bad, but when he did well they called him the black man. In American School, the Japanese could not speak well English but were known for being smarter in education. In every culture you see another one judging them in some way. Racism has come a long way, but is still around no matter what culture you are from or clam.

Personal Growth Part Two

I have a different thought now when it comes to the Japanese culture. 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 is 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. I realized that they are more like us. Just because they are a different culture does not mean they are different. I also changed my mind when in Wilshire bus, Esther goes to visit her husband. An American go on the bus that day and was being loud and obnoxious. He told an elderly Chinese couple that if they did not like what he was saying they could go back to china. This left Esther speechless and she did not know what to say. She was thinking does he think I am Chinese because I am Japanese. She got off the bus and felt bad for not speaking up for elderly couple. This made me realize that you can judge someone just because of what culture they are from. Esther had good intentions. She wanted to say something. I made me see they are just like me. You can judge a book by its cover or in this case its culture.

Anthologies

There are many different cultures represented in the anthologies. The Japanese culture is represented in a few different stories. This is a well-know culture to many. When I think of Japanese, I think of a Japanese steak house and chopsticks. I think of people with make-up, hair in a bun most of the time the hair is black and wearing the dresses that bright colored with the different designs on them. I think it helps when the author is from or has some connection to the culture. I think the writers of the book uses this culture because many people have some kind of thought about Japanese culture. There is also the Chinese culture in some of the readings. The Chinese culture was included because Chinese is known throughout the world. A lot of people relate Chinese to the food. We all have had some type of Chinese food. I think a lot of people can relate to the Chinese culture because we have all read a fortune cookie. We have seen at one time or another how the Chinese language is written, in jibberish to us. This is just a well known culture throughout the world. I feel that the Indian culture is left out. I know the author of a poem in the books we are reading is Indian. I personally do not think the poem is really representing the Indian culture. It does not say anything about what their culture is like. Like in the other readings they paint the reader a picture of what the culture is like. In the poem it was more of how the author felt and his feelings, nothing related to his culture.