As I read chapter three one thing I found peculiar was the "Heathen Chinee." I guess the descriptions of the Chinese as evil, threatening, "bloodsucking vampires," who are morally inferior and lustful is strange. It's awful, of course, but it's interesting to note that this stereotype (at least in my opinion) has changed drastically today. Today it seems that the Chinese or to broaden the spectrum to "Asians" have a less scary stereotype. I know stereotypes are awful and I feel kind of bad writing this but it was on my mind as I read. Today it seems that when we place Asians into a stereotype (at least in the media or films) they are either incredibly smart and computer geniuses or really good at martial arts. This is still negative, but not quite to the extreme as calling a Chinese worker a vampire.
Another thing that bothered me slightly was on page 85 when Takaki said that the Central Pacific Railroad was a Chinese achievement. I don't know that much about this process and the exact figures of who actually built the railroad, but this statement of Takaki's makes it seem as if no one else was involved in this "achievement." I think we briefly touched on this in class.
Other than that, I dont have much to say...I'm excited to discuss this in class.
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