Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Wow...
So I just got the email from Francis about MLK Jr.'s memorial sculpture. I cannot believe that there is all this controversy over a Chinese man designing it. Why should it matter the color of his skin? Who cares if a black man designs it or not? I don't know if I'm getting all of the information in this one article, but I'm really fired up for some reason. It's ridiculous that people would discriminate against an artist just because he's not African-American or the type of stone he uses is not the right kind. More over it is incredibly ironic that all MLK ever wanted was equality and peace and now even when memoralizing him we find some way to skirt around his true message. It's like when people use a God to justify war. It's absolutely bizare. Again, maybe I'm not reading into the whole story, but still, wow.
Purple response
Ok this may be a little bit sad…I finally got Purple yesterday. I’ve only read it three times and seen it twice now. For some reason, yesterday I just had this “Ohhh! I get it!” moment. I mean I probably haven’t even begun to tap into all of its unique, intricately designed words and meanings yet, but I’m really happy with my progress. It made watching it much more enjoyable and moving. I’m using clichés here, but I can’t really think of anything more eloquent to say.
P.S. I’m really struggling with my project. I have very little inspiration. Well I just can’t seem to say what I want to say…and I don’t even know what I want to say. I’m freaking out just a little bit.
P.S. I’m really struggling with my project. I have very little inspiration. Well I just can’t seem to say what I want to say…and I don’t even know what I want to say. I’m freaking out just a little bit.
M. Butterfly
For some reason I haven’t ever really enjoyed reading plays. I love watching them or reading through a script before it is performed, but I don’t really enjoy reading plays. I would much rather hear different voices read the words out loud than sit in my room and read silently. I just get more out of it I guess.
However, with M. Butterfly, I was actually captivated as I read. Maybe I was intrigued by the fact that it is based on real events, real, somewhat strange events. The idea that a man could successfully hide being a man in a sexual relationship got my attention. But of course there is more to the story than that.
I really enjoyed watching the film version as well. Though at times I did feel slightly uncomfortable with the kissing (I guess it’s just not something you’re accustomed to seeing on a big screen…or least I’m not), I really thought it was well done cinematically. This play and film have the ability to seem at the surface entertaining and interesting, while at the same time really striking at the core of something much more meaningful and symbolic. The fact that that it calls into question Asian gender stereotypes is really interesting to me. Before I read this play last year, I had never really associated Asian males as more feminine, or the East as something to be conquered by the very masculine West. Maybe subconsciously I acknowledged popular images presented of the nerdy, passive, computer-loving Asian man, but after reading this story it came to the forefront of my thoughts. Ever since this play I’ve been so much more aware of Asians in the media and of course how they are portrayed. Why are Asians thought of as weaker? More feminine?
If you just went to the theater to see this production you might miss the intense power of Hwang’s words and the images he presents us. M. Butterfly, to me, is so wonderful Hwang begs us to reflect and truly think about this story; the story of the men and the women; the story of the West and the East. I also think that though it is a highly specific plot, with Rene and his Butterfly, at its core it is applicable to so much more. It comments on love and loss, politics, society, etc. I am proud to say that this has been one
However, with M. Butterfly, I was actually captivated as I read. Maybe I was intrigued by the fact that it is based on real events, real, somewhat strange events. The idea that a man could successfully hide being a man in a sexual relationship got my attention. But of course there is more to the story than that.
I really enjoyed watching the film version as well. Though at times I did feel slightly uncomfortable with the kissing (I guess it’s just not something you’re accustomed to seeing on a big screen…or least I’m not), I really thought it was well done cinematically. This play and film have the ability to seem at the surface entertaining and interesting, while at the same time really striking at the core of something much more meaningful and symbolic. The fact that that it calls into question Asian gender stereotypes is really interesting to me. Before I read this play last year, I had never really associated Asian males as more feminine, or the East as something to be conquered by the very masculine West. Maybe subconsciously I acknowledged popular images presented of the nerdy, passive, computer-loving Asian man, but after reading this story it came to the forefront of my thoughts. Ever since this play I’ve been so much more aware of Asians in the media and of course how they are portrayed. Why are Asians thought of as weaker? More feminine?
If you just went to the theater to see this production you might miss the intense power of Hwang’s words and the images he presents us. M. Butterfly, to me, is so wonderful Hwang begs us to reflect and truly think about this story; the story of the men and the women; the story of the West and the East. I also think that though it is a highly specific plot, with Rene and his Butterfly, at its core it is applicable to so much more. It comments on love and loss, politics, society, etc. I am proud to say that this has been one
Monday, November 5, 2007
Recent thoughts on Takaki
It's so strange to read Takaki sometimes. Maybe I've just been ignorant for a good part of my life or maybe I just haven't been exposed to Asian American history and the hardships these people faced and still face today.
Each time I read Takaki I find myself getting more and more angered and disturbed and hurt by what people, namely whites, did to Asians as they tried to immigrate and settle here. In the recent chapter, "Forgotten Filipinos," the quotation, "Only whites are allowed in this neighborhood, (pg. 325) was particularly interesting to me. It's hard to read a quote like that and not automatically think about the civil rights movement. That's just what we were taught: discrimination was white vs. black. I know we've talked about the fact that most of us did not learn Asian American history in classes and school, but it's hitting me harder now as we get further into the class.
Growing up in Virginia, we always learned about Virginia history and therefore our focus was usually on European colonization and Native Americans in our region. When we studied world history, we did touch on the Asian culture, but studied the major dynasties of China and the like. Of course we did learn other things, not just major dates or people, but I don't think we ever really learned any details about Asian American events. I recently found this website on google (http://web.mit.edu/21h.153j/www/chrono.html) which had all of these critical events in Asian American history. Whether or not it was reliable or not could be investigated, but it did have a HUGE list of years and important events for Asian Americans. It makes me think, "hey why didn't we learn some of these at least?!?"
I sometimes wonder why we don't learn things or do things. For example, why are my friends predominantly white? Is that because I grew up with white kids? Or is it because deep down, I don't feel connected with other races? That's a tough question to answer or even think about. It makes you feel bad... Why are there fewer inter-racial couples? Is that because of our parents bias' or because more people like people who look more like them...or at least gravitate towards their "own"? Do we not learn about Asian American history on the East coast because there are fewer Asian Americans and we just really really really love Jamestown? Or is it something else?
It's hard to think about these things sometimes. Especially when you don't want to be in the wrong...we always want to think we're so liberal or so accepting, just like in some of the plays we've read. It's hard to consider the other side sometimes. It's hard to think that maybe you're wrong and you're something else you never thought you could ever be.
I don't worry too much, though. I do have hope that gradually we will blend (in a good way). I have hope that this class will allow for more awareness at the very very least to ourselves, our history and the history of others. We are the lucky ones and I'm excited to give others the opportunity to experience what we are living through in our class.
Each time I read Takaki I find myself getting more and more angered and disturbed and hurt by what people, namely whites, did to Asians as they tried to immigrate and settle here. In the recent chapter, "Forgotten Filipinos," the quotation, "Only whites are allowed in this neighborhood, (pg. 325) was particularly interesting to me. It's hard to read a quote like that and not automatically think about the civil rights movement. That's just what we were taught: discrimination was white vs. black. I know we've talked about the fact that most of us did not learn Asian American history in classes and school, but it's hitting me harder now as we get further into the class.
Growing up in Virginia, we always learned about Virginia history and therefore our focus was usually on European colonization and Native Americans in our region. When we studied world history, we did touch on the Asian culture, but studied the major dynasties of China and the like. Of course we did learn other things, not just major dates or people, but I don't think we ever really learned any details about Asian American events. I recently found this website on google (http://web.mit.edu/21h.153j/www/chrono.html) which had all of these critical events in Asian American history. Whether or not it was reliable or not could be investigated, but it did have a HUGE list of years and important events for Asian Americans. It makes me think, "hey why didn't we learn some of these at least?!?"
I sometimes wonder why we don't learn things or do things. For example, why are my friends predominantly white? Is that because I grew up with white kids? Or is it because deep down, I don't feel connected with other races? That's a tough question to answer or even think about. It makes you feel bad... Why are there fewer inter-racial couples? Is that because of our parents bias' or because more people like people who look more like them...or at least gravitate towards their "own"? Do we not learn about Asian American history on the East coast because there are fewer Asian Americans and we just really really really love Jamestown? Or is it something else?
It's hard to think about these things sometimes. Especially when you don't want to be in the wrong...we always want to think we're so liberal or so accepting, just like in some of the plays we've read. It's hard to consider the other side sometimes. It's hard to think that maybe you're wrong and you're something else you never thought you could ever be.
I don't worry too much, though. I do have hope that gradually we will blend (in a good way). I have hope that this class will allow for more awareness at the very very least to ourselves, our history and the history of others. We are the lucky ones and I'm excited to give others the opportunity to experience what we are living through in our class.
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