American Born Chinese

This entry is only the newest because I've added it the most recently. Several books had to wait to have an entry because the brace on my wrist made it difficult to type for a while, so now I'm finally posting them.

One of the first things that stayed with me from American Born Chinese was when Jin Wang was talking with the wife of the Chinese Herbalist and she asks Jin what he wants to be when he’s older. Being a child (and, of course, impressionable by things like the media), he replies that he wants to be a transformer). He says that his mom thinks the idea is silly, but the old woman states that, “It’s easy to become anything you wish…so long as you’re willing to forfeit your soul.” (29)

Later in the book, once he’s finally convinced himself that it would be better for him to leave behind his Chinese culture and Asian friends in order to fit in with the American lifestyle, he adopts the new name and identity of Danny, whose appearance and personality is extremely different than that of Jin. He remembers the wife of the Chinese Herbalist, who tells him in a dream, “So, little friend, you’ve done it. Now what would you like to become?” She’s referring to the fact that he has already lost his soul to the desire to become something he is not. Like a transformer, Jin has actually changed into Danny.

It is only later, when he is faced with the stereotypically Chinese behavior of Chin-Kee that Danny is faced with everything that he wanted to leave behind. I don’t want to do a complete summary-recap, so I’ll jump to the Monkey King’s side of the book. He goes through a similar identity crisis. It is only when he accepts Tze-yo-tzuh’s will for him to be a monkey that he realizes that he had more worth and potential than he did when acting like a Great Sage, Equal to Heaven.

Tze-yo-tzuh says, “It was I who formed your inmost being, I who knit you together in the womb of that rock. I made you with awe and wonder, for wonderful are all of my works. I do not make mistakes little monkey. A monkey I intended you to be. A monkey you are.” (80-1) This seems to be the lesson that encompasses the entire novel. It is best to accept what you are instead of trying to adopt a lifestyle and a personality for the sole purpose of trying to please others.

The “Motion” chapter from Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics explains how motion can be captured whether it’s shown in a single panel in a comic or between several different panels. The motions depicted in this novel are in a cartoonish style, which lends itself better to a younger audience. They also illustrate dynamic motion, which is useful for the many fighting scenes, like the fight between the Monkey King and the other gods on pages 16-17, or Danny and Chin-Kee’s fight in 206-212.

There are also times, like on pages 150, 194, and 213, that several projections will be cast by a character during a transformation from one appearance to another. This motion not only helps illustrate the changing of the character but helps to emphasize the shift in identity. These examples of motion as well as others found throughout the book show how the graphic novel can utilize the advantages of the visual arts to add meaning to their themes.

The Book Thief

We’ve already discussed Max’s Standover Man to some extent in class, but I want to reiterate some of the points in the blog for anyone who might be crazy enough to read is (besides the professor and my mom). The fact that he paints over the pages of Mein Kampf to insert his own words and pictures is largely symbolic of Max trying to blot out the influence that Hitler has over his life. Although, there are certain places on the pages where the reader can see the original text through the white “paint.” This represents the fact that Hitler’s influence will always be present as a stain on Max’s life, no matter how much he may want to try and cover it up.

It has also been discussed in our class how books are like the body and the content is like the soul. The thirteen pages of Max’s story is, metaphorically, his body and his soul in a form that will exist even after his real body weakens and passes on. His fears and comforts are expressed on the pages in a way only he can express.

In the first few pages, he talks about a “standover man/men,” who clearly has some power over him every time they are mentioned. The father is a figure that watches over him at night, but not enough information is given since Max knew very little about his father. The boys who Max fought and lost to stand over him, lauding the power of the victory, though sometimes they had scars from the fight, wuch as the bloody noses. The other standover men appear to be more friendly and people who Max are trying to meet, although it can be said that they have power over his intentions and his desires at that point.

Then a female becomes the standover figure, someone whom we can assume is supposed to be Liesel because of their relationship up to this point in the novel. The female figure has a more nurturing role then the standover men, although she still has a position of power and influence. Her influence is drawing information out of Max, such as asking him what his dreams are made of and, in return, she offers him information and feelings never offered to him by the other figures. The last lines are like this, “On her birthday, it was she who gave a gift-to me. It makes me understand that the best standover man I’ve ever known is not a man at all…” (235) That page is followed by a page depicting Liesel sitting on the floor of the basement with writing on the wall. I think that is supposed to symbolize the environment where they got to know each other the best. The writing on the wall is that space where Max can see all of Liesel’s past writing exploits.

Later on, a couple more pages from Max’s book are revealed, one showing Hitler as a conductor rather than a Fuhrer and then two people standing on a heap of bodies while the Swastika shines in the sun. The conductor is probably portraying the fact that Hitler is leading a huge group of people in a show of fealty and he’s leading them to precincts that have already been defined by the Aryan people. The second page with the pile of bodies is (very) darkly humorous, showing how heartless the united Germans could be if they allied themselves with the Nazi Party.

Speak Parts 2&3

The following passages are all from Chris McGee's article, “Why Won’t Melinda Just Talk about What Happened? Speak and the Confessional Voice”. My comments, whether they make sense or not, are mine, but are subject to criticism or mockery.

“Roberta Seelinger Trites, in Disturbing the Universe: Power and Repression in Adolescent Literature, might describe this relationship as one that delegitimizes adolescence by participating in an ideology that 'directs power away from adolescents and towards adults'.” (172-3)

The relationship the article is talking about is where the author (often an adult) will try to write in the language of a teenager in order to make it more relatable to young readers as well as show adults the inner workings of the minds of teenagers so that they will best know how to repress them. At least that's what I get out of it. Quite frankly, I don't understand what “power” they're talking about and why there seems to be a battle between teenagers and adults. I know a lot of adults might want to control teenagers and, likewise, teenagers will try to rebel against adults in a semblance of control. Is that the power they're talking about? Dang.

“There is certainly something odd, and something definitely worth examining further, in any sort of narrative where adults pretend to be real teenagers speaking to other teenagers about what adults would most like to hear.” (173)

I guess so, but most of the time, when adults want to hear something from their kids, it's about things that are troubling them. In an ideal scenario, there wouldn't be this mistrust between teenagers and adults, where communication could occur and adults could share their experiences with kids and help them with their problems. What are the adults hoping they will find with these tactics, that the kids are getting into stuff they aren't supposed to?

“Its plot circles around a young girl struggling with speaking to others about her own ordeal in the most authentic way possible—in a way that will allow her to heal. Yet its verypresentation raises a series of questions about why adults demand teens speakin the first place, and what they expect to hear when teens finally do.” (173)

Wait...what? Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it sounds like the article is saying that the only way that Melinda is going to heal is by clamming up and figuring it out by herself through a long and painful process. Is that what we really want teenagers to have to go through when they could get real and valuable help with someone they trust?

“...struggling with who she is as she finds the strength to talk about her trauma. It strikes me that this 'empowerment narrative,' as we might call it—this triumphant search for personal identity that Speak presumably offers—is very appealing for many adult readers, and one reason they feel the book is worth recommending to teens.” (174)

Ohhh, I get it, this book is all about a teenager's journey to find her identity. That's the reason she's not talking about her traumatic experience, forcing herself to become ostracized and allowing the perpetrator to run free and hurt other girls. It's all because she can get more power.

“Instead, what these bits of dialogue dramatize is how power is often built into the most everyday bits of communication between adult and teen and works to assign each designated roles and prescribed responses.” (179)

This is referring to the dialogues that Melinda have throughout the book where her response to other people will be like this, “Me: “ I can get what they're trying to say about typical, weak responses not helping a situation, but rather than just keeping silent and letting the world go through its cliched power dynamics, Melinda should use her wit and cynicism to battle back and make powerful responses that would actually help her situation.

“...I’d posit that these gender politics [referring to groups of high school students like the Marthas] are not something that keep Melinda from speaking and finding her voice; rather, not speaking puts her in a particularly good position to notice these things, much like the dead dog without an owner to which she temporarily finds more of a connection than her sympathetic teacher.” (180)

I'll give this to Mr. McGee as well. I was never in any social groups in high school, which allowed me to see how other people dug deeper and deeper holes for themselves as they made dumber and dumber decisions just trying to please their peers. I have no idea what the dead dog part is talking about, though. All in all, I think the book was good, but there are still moments that make me go “Wuh?” and “If you know that saying something is going to be effective, then SAY IT.”

Sheesh. My mom still interviews me about my day. I don't know what I'd be like if I didn't speak up.

CPB: The Book Thief Pg. 1-150

Ah, I love stories where the author personifies Death. He (or she, but I’ll call it a he for convenience) gets such a bad reputation. The back of this book refers to the fact that Death will be very busy during the 1840’s during the times of WWII and the Holocaust. There is so much Death that it is mashed in the face of the people. He becomes a more fearful icon than ever, much like He was during the Black Plague when artists would depict him as a dark, evil figure.

But in one of the interviews on Markus Zusak’s (websitehttp://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/press.html ), it says how Death is weary. All he ever sees is sadness surrounding Death and the demands of his chore. And it seems he knows that war will bring about so much pain and suffering. But in the midst of all of this, he’s intrigued by this little girl, Liesel Meminger, who continues to escape the Nazis, and in addition, Death himself.

Death is also fascinated by color because it “distracts” him from his job (which he really wants a vacation from).

*It’s the leftover humans.

The survivors.

They’re the ones I can’t stand to look at, although on many occasions I still fail. I deliberately seek out the colors to keep my mind off them, but now and then, I witness the ones who are left behind, crumbling among the jigsaw puzzle of realization, despair, and surprise. They have punctured hearts. They have beaten lungs. (5)*

I hear a tone of sympathy in Death’s description of these survivors. They are the ones he needs the distractions from and they are the reason why he wants to look for nuances in color around him, so he doesn’t need to focus on their plight.

*There were no books in the house (apart from the one she had secreted under her mattress), and the best Liesel could do was speak the alphabet under her breath before she was told in no uncertain terms to keep quiet. (39)*

The absence of the books in the household is significant to me. In a novel that focuses all about the power of words and language, it’s like the house has no expression. When Liesel is silenced it reminds me of Speak, which was all about how Melinda was silenced both in speech and, in her own perception, artistic expression.

But later, the step-father makes concessions for the absence of books, supplying a place on the wall that becomes like a book and a way for Liesel to associate words with the shapes. These shapes she will use as she is writing her own story much later on.

*”Communist.”

There were boardinghouses crammed with people, rooms filled with questions. And that word. That strange word was always there somewhere, standing in the corner, watching from the dark. It wore suits, uniforms. No matter where they went, there it was, each time her father was mentioned. She could smell it and taste it. She couldn’t spell it or understand it. (31)*

Like Death has with colors, Liesel has a special connection with words. Her senses pick up their meaning and nuances despite the fact that she herself can’t spell it or see it visually. This hints at how she will be able to connect with the books that she will steal later on. She will find specific meanings in the books and absorb their stories when the Nazis so easily dismiss them. She feels that it is important to preserve their emotional impact.

CPB: Speak pg. 1-110

Part of the trouble with reading books about teenagers in high school for me is having to witness all the dumb mistakes they made, all the while reminding myself that I was a teenager once and probably made dumb mistakes too. Still, I like to think that at least I was reasonable about my dumb mistakes. At least I tried to make them right rather than getting angsty and letting the consequences of my bad decisions fester. Unfortunately, that is exactly what Melinda does in the book.

I’m not blaming her for being shy and quiet after the trauma of her sexual assault, but I am saying that she deliberately allows herself to sink down a pit of despair. There are numerous times when she can stand up for herself and explain what Andy Evans really did to her, but she sits and lets them pass by without action.

*Mr. Neck: “We meet again.”

Me:

Would he listen to “I need to go home and change,” or “Did you see what that bozo did”? Not a chance. I keep my mouth shut.

Mr. Neck: “Where do you think you’re going?”

Me:

It is easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say. (9)*

Seriously? You don’t think that the teacher will take the big glob of potatoes and gravy on your chest as evidence that you’re not at fault and defend yourself? How about instead of assuming that you know what’s going to happen, you not jump to conclusions and try communicating.

We’ve been talking a lot this semester about the relationships between adults and children, especially when it comes to fatherless sons and mothers and daughters. Melinda and her parents have a huge rift in communication that sounds like it has been developing before the story began. Her mom works too often and doesn’t really give thought to Melinda’s emotional needs. She tells Melinda to speak up, but then ignores her when she tries. Her father is not really good at starting communication with his wife and they fight often.

*Mother: “That’s the point, she won’t say anything! I can’t get a word out of her. She’s mute.”

Guidance Counselor: “I think we need to explore the family dynamics at play here.”

Mother: “She’s jerking us around to get attention.”

Me: [inside my head] Would you listen? Would you believe me? Fat chance. (114)*

Not to mention the time when she tries to cut her wrists with an uncoiled paper clip and her mom looks at her, saying, “I don’t have time for this.” Now that I think about it, I can understand her idea that nobody will listen to her because her parents hardly do. It sends a powerful message to readers that have children. Pay attention to your kid. Toddlers and young children are like chatterboxes. It’s only when they start growing older and realize that no one is listening to them that they clam up. And then it’s only a matter of time when they believe that they have no help when they really need it, like Melinda.

CPB: Maus

I know I’m a few days behind, but just stick with me and I will fill in the other entries as I go along for the next few days.

Maus is an incredibly interesting graphic novel to me. It portrays very serious, very adult topics in a cartoonish manner. It reminds me of dark art. I’m surprised that it would be taught to young adults, but then again I do remember being in junior high and being taught about the Holocaust. At that young age, we were being taught the atrocities of war in order to teach us what not to repeat in our future. It’t important to understand cultural events so that we can know what other people around the world have experience. It teaches us gratitude for what we have in our lives. Plus, survival stories are very popular in this day in age.

The first book is centered on Vladek telling his son about his life during the Third Reich. Already the relationship between Artie and his father is put in an interesting light. Vladek thinks that his story would be considered a trifle. He also looks down on Artie’s career as a cartoonist and a writer because he thinks it’s not productive to society. This does make sense since Vladek has had to do manual labor for most of his life in order to survive. But it doesn’t take long for Artie to convince his father to give his story for documentation.
Vladek was extremely lucky to survive the events leading up to the rise of the Nazis and Auschwitz itself. This is in part due to the status that his family and his in-laws held with the Jewish communities. He had friends around the city of Sosnoweic that hid him as well as having jobs that could give him leverage during selection processes.

The animalistic representations are worth taking a look at as well. The Jews are mice being chased and oppressed by the Nazis, which are cats. Cats are taught by their parents to work on their natural predatorial instincts, just as the Germans were taught that they were a master race and taught to look at the Jews as inferior, like prey. The pigs are the Polish, which may or may not be a commentary on their mannerisms in Spiegalman’s perspective. Pigs are not natural prey for cats and the Polish are treated a tiny bit better by the Nazis in the novel. Whenever the animals are wearing different animal masks, they are trying to act like something they are not in order to survive.

The Americans are dogs that come in and fight the cats, throwing them out of power and rescuing the mice. This harkens to the days of Looney Toons (at least in my mind), when a bull dog would save and protect mice like Jerry from cats like Tom. This could be an artistic technique to more accurately demonstrate the international relationships during WWII as well as alluding to the dehumanizing environment that surrounded the unfortunate events of the Holocaust.