Defining Family Relationships

“The Stories That Bind Us” is a New York Times article that focuses on the formula to a healthy, happy family. There are twenty questions that children answer to find a place on the “Do You Know” scale. The questions ask children facts about their family to grasp the cohesiveness of a child’s family. I found it interesting that there was a positive correlation between a child’s knowledge of their family’s stories and the bonds between members of a family.

Personally, I’d say my culture has kind of hindered a close family relationship. My parents have never really told me about their lives in China or how they even met. I’m a pretty curious person, so I like to ask my parents questions about their past experiences, but they see it as meddling. It’s weird to them that I would ask what their high schools were like or the story of how they met. My mom will open up from time to time and tell me bits and pieces of her life, but my dad will just tell me to go to my room and study (of course). So it does make sense that I would be closer to my mom than my dad.

At the same time, cultural standards push me to be filial, so there is somewhat of a family connection. This is probably why I don’t feel like the bonds in our family are frayed, although I do agree with the studies on family unity.

Poetry is an Art

“Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting with the gift of speech.” –Simonides

I definitely view poetry as a form of art. When the word “art” is mentioned, usually paintings are the first thing to come to mind. However, with poetry, words are the medium. It captures the essence of the moment while giving room for multiple interpretations. I like how Simonides chose to describe speech as a gift. Talented poets are able to spin words into a new dimension, another person’s life, or the raw emotions of an individual.

“Poetry is an attempt to capture the essence of the chord struck in the poet by an instant of insight, in such a way that the same music will sound in the soul of the reader.” – Tia Azulay

“Colour is the key. The eye is the hammer. The soul is the piano with its many chords. The artist is the hand that, by touching this or that key, sets the soul vibrating automatically. ” – Wassily Kandinsky

These two must have been thinking on the same wavelength. It’s interesting to see that the purpose of a poet or artist is to reach for the soul of the reader or viewer. In Azulay’s opinion, poetry can never replace the first instances of emotion, but only attempt to replicate past emotions. I slightly disagree with this view. If poetry is successful, then “music will sound” within the reader. If it’s only an “attempt” to capture the experience, then everyone can attempt to convey insight, but most will not strike the chord of the reader. This is why I can’t be a poet even if I wanted to be one – I can’t make music.  

My Own Experience with Immigration

Since my inquiry project is on immigration to the U.S., I thought I might as well share my own experience coming to America.

But first, a little introduction. I moved to the U.S. when I was around five, but before that, I was used to moving. I was born in Japan and then I moved to my parent’s hometown in China when I was almost two years old. At the time, my grandparents raised me while my parents worked in Hong Kong. I finally started living with my parents when I was four, but then my dad left to go to America because he found a job there. After a year of living in Hong Kong, my mom and I left to join my dad in America.

When I first arrived, I was met with the corn fields of Minnesota in a small town named Austin. I don’t remember much of my first day in America, but I do remember my first day of preschool. The teacher couldn’t pronounce my Chinese name, so she just pronounced it “ee-sha”, and it has been that way ever since. Now, I had lived in various Asian countries, so seeing the Caucasian teacher was a bit odd at first. It was like seeing a Chinese cartoon in real life, since most cartoons I had watched before had Caucasian characters.

I actually think moving to the U.S. made me become an introvert. I was actually pretty talkative in China, but the language barrier when I arrived in the U.S. hindered my social interactions. I turned to meticulously coloring in coloring books and was surprised when I was praised for my work. My mom had told me that the teachers in China told her that I had zero talent in art and pretty much said my drawings were hideous. Yes, Chinese teachers are quite blunt. Well, I don’t really care now because I found a talent in art that those teachers failed to see. It’s a bit far, but I guess moving to America helped me find my passion for art.

Frank McCourt is a Funny Guy

 

For my second independent reading book, I chose to read ‘Tis, by Frank McCourt. Freshman year, I read Angela’s Ashes, McCourt’s more well known memoir about his life in Ireland. I distinctly remember enjoying the book for McCourt’s clear sense of voice within his memoir. The experiences he went through were heavy with darkness, but tinged with his characteristic humor. Once again, ‘Tis is similar in the portrayal of McCourt’s hardships, but – using his words – he doesn’t “give a fiddler’s fart” about anything. And I like that. There’s no filter, it’s personal, and straightforward enough to be understandable.

So far, McCourt has given me a great point of view on his experience of immigration. America was always seen as a land of opportunities, so that’s what McCourt believed he would be granted with upon his arrival. However, in the beginning of the novel, he is met with one crushing disappointment after the other. It is the littlest of things like not being able to eat the leftovers in the hotel or having to turn off the light promptly every night because the landlord says so, but they add up to a skewed view of what America should have been. I do take comfort in the fact that McCourt does become a successful writer and teacher later on.

On a side note, I used to go to Stuyvesant H.S. and it was really interesting to see his perspective of students while teaching at Stuyvesant. I’m amused to see that Stuy students back then (when it was still a predominately boys school) do not really differ in their approach to education from the students today.

Guns on Campus? No, Thanks.

 

 

The NYTimes article, “Colleges Become Major Front in Fight Over Carrying Guns,” gives opposing views on the issue of concealed weapons on campus, but quite frankly, I don’t think guns should be allowed near students when on college campuses. True, it can provide a means of protection, but who’s to say if the person breaking in the dorm room has a weapon as well? And honestly, I still don’t think college students are responsible enough to keep weapons on campus. These students finally gain independence from the watchful eyes of their parents, and suddenly they can turn reckless and rash.

There are several scenarios where the students can misuse weapons. Perhaps they become heavily intoxicated and go on an angry rampage with their guns. Or, maybe the weight of college work drives students into a corner of deep depression and causes them to inflict injuries upon themselves and others. Of course, there are also students who may have mental issues that have gone unchecked who keep guns in their dorms. In the article, it states that at UK, students are allowed to keep guns in their cars. I still find that dangerous because there are still weapons in the possession of possibly reckless students.

One study in the article revealed that more educated people were actually more likely to have anti-gun views. Also, the percentage of young gun-owners is pretty low at the moment because there are less young people with hunting experience. I think it should stay that way for the safety at schools. College campuses are relatively safe with a little common sense (just avoid going out late at night in a dangerous neighborhood). Guns aren’t needed for protection on campus - there are always security guards and security systems such as card swipe-ins or emergency buttons that automatically call 911. Students shouldn’t have to worry about other students using weapons at school.

The Value of Handwritten Letters

(All the pictures I found for handwritten letters were in cursive. Hmm...)

 

The last time I received a handwritten letter was during the winter holidays from my friend. That’s actually not too long ago, but in a time when all correspondence goes through the hands of electronics, receiving such a letter is pretty rare. People are living in a time of instant gratification: emails and texts are just so much faster to receive and respond to. As a result, letters seem to be a hassle and a test of patience – something people lack these days, myself included. And even though I received a handwritten letter during the holidays, those kinds of letters are expected during that time. Now, as for a letter that I received in the mail that wasn’t for the holidays or special occasions is probably back in elementary school when I would send letters to friends in another state. Of course, that was before I started using email and obviously before Facebook’s dominance over social networking.

There is definitely sentimental value in handwritten letters. Electronic correspondence (no matter what handwriting font you use) will always be done through a screen. It can’t replace the paper and pen people use to create a letter filled with their thoughts. It’s more personal when people have scribbled their words across the page, with the letters of the words changing with each emotion. There are marks scratching off phrases here and there, squiggles deleting possible misconstrued words… all indications that the writer has taken the time to compose a letter. With that being said, I may start personally writing some letters – it would be interesting to see the reactions of the people who receive them.  

First Thoughts on *Beloved*

 

To be honest, I didn’t really enjoy the first sixty pages of the book. It’s still too early to say if I will later come to like to book, but Toni Morrison’s writing is definitely one to get used to. The story line is a bit difficult to follow since it constantly jumps from past to present. Since the story line is choppy, I’m still not very familiar with the characters. I’m confused about the roles of all the people mentioned at Sweet Home. I’m sure the place was abusive, but there are times when I think the home wasn’t as harsh to slaves as other farms/plantations. Mrs. Garner gave Sethe crystal earrings for her wedding gift, but then again, Sethe was brutally whipped at Sweet Home.

I also wonder what the relationship between Paul D. and Sethe is. I thought they were friends, but he just suddenly appeared and started developing an interest in her. I guess it’s purely out of a possessive nature since Sethe’s husband, Halle, is gone. After sleeping with her, however, he doesn’t find her attractive anymore now that he has had her. It seems like he is staying at Sethe’s house from now on, so I wonder where the relationship will go from there, since Sethe doesn’t really have mutual feelings for Paul D.