-How does Wittman's relationship and perception of women attribute to his own character and how you view his personality?
-What other techniques does Kingston use to illustrate Wittman's character?
-How does Wittman's family shape your understanding of Wittman's personal struggles?
-What significance does Popo have in your understanding of Wittman?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Wittman Ah Sing
Wittman is a very complex character and I have yet to fully figure him out, and assume that I never fully will. His train of thoughts and ideas is what most interests me. His radical paranoia and tendency to jump to conclusions I think are linked with his uncertainty and untrustworthiness towards others. I respect his notion to find an educated woman with whom to converse with. Despite his motivations to find an attractive girl to be with; his motivation to find a worldly and open-minded individual is intriguing to me. His expectations of Nanci in the beginning of the novel perpetuate his relationship with Tana. He is always expecting something more of Nanci, and in the beginning I thought he would never be satisfied with any woman no matter how intellectual she really is.
But in his developing relationship with Tana he reveals some of his insecurities in introducing his new "white" wife to his family. He cannot help but compare the two cultures: "We wouldn't mind our fathers so much if Caucasian daddies weren't always hugging hello and kissing goodbye,"(205) illustrating the differences between his perception on his own lifestyle and that of his wife's. His expectations of Tana are always exceeded. He continually expects her to say all the misunderstandings of his previous girlfriends, when in fact she always says what he wished he would have said. As the novel progresses, I cannot but assume that these two individual are one in the same. The only difference is that Tana's mind is not represented in the first person as much as Wittman, so as the reader, we usually see Tana through the eyes of Wittman.
Kingston does an excellent job of representing Wittman's stream of consciousness whenever he is contemplating his own paranoia and insecurities. When Wittman confronts some white folks sitting at another table in a restaurant, the reader really sees into his train of thought, "Wittman turned to see what they looked like. They looked like the kind who entertain one another with race jokes."(214). This scene illustrates Wittman's frustration with the race relations within his time. His perception of culture and race are both Chinese and American, and this scene illustrates his ability to act like an American while maintaining his Chinese identity. His dual identity is what contributes to most of his paranoia. It is apparent that he distances himself from the stereotypical Chinese imagery represented within American culture. But he is not unaware of the jokes and negative representations of Chinese culture.
He struggles to remain proud and yet individualized from Chinese culture. He does not denounce his Chinese ethnicity unless he finds the separation of ethnicity to his benefit. When he meets the Chinese woman on the bus heading to a party, he engages in some stereotyping of Chinese within his own thoughts: "Nosiness must be a Chinese racial trait. She was supposing in the first place, that he was Chinese, and therefore, he had to hear her out.(74). This scene is interesting to me due to his failure to claim his real identity and his complete dislike of this female character. His own shaping of his identity is a new age way of thinking. I think that this generational gap between his mother, as a Chinese performer, and himself as detached from mainstream commodities and media, challenge the culture of Chinese-Americans. He is changing the culture with his new generation, and the American culture that is shaping his mentality and understanding of what it is to be Chinese.
But in his developing relationship with Tana he reveals some of his insecurities in introducing his new "white" wife to his family. He cannot help but compare the two cultures: "We wouldn't mind our fathers so much if Caucasian daddies weren't always hugging hello and kissing goodbye,"(205) illustrating the differences between his perception on his own lifestyle and that of his wife's. His expectations of Tana are always exceeded. He continually expects her to say all the misunderstandings of his previous girlfriends, when in fact she always says what he wished he would have said. As the novel progresses, I cannot but assume that these two individual are one in the same. The only difference is that Tana's mind is not represented in the first person as much as Wittman, so as the reader, we usually see Tana through the eyes of Wittman.
Kingston does an excellent job of representing Wittman's stream of consciousness whenever he is contemplating his own paranoia and insecurities. When Wittman confronts some white folks sitting at another table in a restaurant, the reader really sees into his train of thought, "Wittman turned to see what they looked like. They looked like the kind who entertain one another with race jokes."(214). This scene illustrates Wittman's frustration with the race relations within his time. His perception of culture and race are both Chinese and American, and this scene illustrates his ability to act like an American while maintaining his Chinese identity. His dual identity is what contributes to most of his paranoia. It is apparent that he distances himself from the stereotypical Chinese imagery represented within American culture. But he is not unaware of the jokes and negative representations of Chinese culture.
He struggles to remain proud and yet individualized from Chinese culture. He does not denounce his Chinese ethnicity unless he finds the separation of ethnicity to his benefit. When he meets the Chinese woman on the bus heading to a party, he engages in some stereotyping of Chinese within his own thoughts: "Nosiness must be a Chinese racial trait. She was supposing in the first place, that he was Chinese, and therefore, he had to hear her out.(74). This scene is interesting to me due to his failure to claim his real identity and his complete dislike of this female character. His own shaping of his identity is a new age way of thinking. I think that this generational gap between his mother, as a Chinese performer, and himself as detached from mainstream commodities and media, challenge the culture of Chinese-Americans. He is changing the culture with his new generation, and the American culture that is shaping his mentality and understanding of what it is to be Chinese.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Proposal
I wanted to center my research paper around the San Francisco bay is some way or another. First I thought I could link surf culture in SF to the culture of the beats; then I tried to find some information on the Ports of SF, but that was a broad subject. In researching I found a lot of information on immigration and migration to SF. So I began researching about Asian immigration and Angel Island. I would really like to focus my research paper on the influences of Chinese labor in SF industry and I would also like to somehow tie in the writings of poetry from the residents of Angel Island.
I found this awesome book that translates poems and writings from Angel Island inhabitants on their passage through SF. I know that Kerouac was really into Asian philosophies and the beat poets in general revolved thier lifestyles around Buddhist modes of thought.
I wanted to approach the subject in terms of the bay being a means of travel and communication to the outside world, and then focus on the immigration of one peoples from one region to narrow my subject. Then I would like to consider the industrial influences of Asain immigration as well as the cultural influence.
Hopefully my thesis will entail how the SF bay has enabled the city to become a center of change and influence from outside societies due to its location.
-Is this a legitimate approach to establishing a thesis?
-Do you think that this is too broad of a subject?
-Can I make a clean transition from Asian immigration as it relates to industrial growth and the Asian philosophies in poetry and writing?
I found this awesome book that translates poems and writings from Angel Island inhabitants on their passage through SF. I know that Kerouac was really into Asian philosophies and the beat poets in general revolved thier lifestyles around Buddhist modes of thought.
I wanted to approach the subject in terms of the bay being a means of travel and communication to the outside world, and then focus on the immigration of one peoples from one region to narrow my subject. Then I would like to consider the industrial influences of Asain immigration as well as the cultural influence.
Hopefully my thesis will entail how the SF bay has enabled the city to become a center of change and influence from outside societies due to its location.
-Is this a legitimate approach to establishing a thesis?
-Do you think that this is too broad of a subject?
-Can I make a clean transition from Asian immigration as it relates to industrial growth and the Asian philosophies in poetry and writing?
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Dharma Bums: The Counter-Culture
I could not help but notice the peaceful resistance Kerouac is transmitting to the reader through his main character Ray Smith. The isolation from institutions and contemporary modes of life, illustrate the concepts of Buddhism. Buddhist theologies are significant to Ray Smith, and how he uses this structure of beliefs to challenge contemporary society provides his path to peaceful resistance.
Ray's travels from the West coast to the East coast illustrate to the reader how well the character can isolate himself from what American society would consider "proper housing", sleeping and eating in the outdoors. He breaks the law by camping out under a bridge one night and must avoid the police. His desire to transcend contemporary boundaries is marred by the construction of law and order. Boundary personnel search his bags in hope to discover some drugs, and find nothing. Ray Smith's attitude on Buddhist theory is transfixed on the concept of "nothingness." Ray meditates and prefers being alone in order to confirm and practice the mental state of "nothing" is really in existence. In order for Ray to completely immerse himself in Buddhist forms of thought he must separate his mind from the repetitive sociological forces of American culture, which are considered real structures, and focus on the "nothingness" of isolation and meditation.
This counter-cultural perspective also reminds me of the reading in "Reclaiming San Francisco" from Nancy J. Peters, and her perspective on the counter-cultural movement of the beat generation. She understood the counter-culture of the beats to be changing the ideals of youth culture. She knew that Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder are all contributors to confronting the "normal", and establishing other modes of thinking which destabilize the American literature status quo. These writers attempt to isolate themselves from society in order to discover something challenging and new to American culture.
Dharma Bums are mind seekers. Every thing that motivates Ray Smith, comes from the motivation to enlighten his mind. Abstinence and lack of material desire are Ray's methods of ridding himself from what he considers "odious" and "unreal" so he can focus on the development and expansion of his mind. This Buddhist mentality of separation from worldly desire is counter-intuitive to the concept of American capitalism and consumerism. In order for Ray,and Japhy, to be considered Dharma Bums they must not delve into American society, for their minds will be influenced by the social aspirations of contemporary Americans.
Ray's travels from the West coast to the East coast illustrate to the reader how well the character can isolate himself from what American society would consider "proper housing", sleeping and eating in the outdoors. He breaks the law by camping out under a bridge one night and must avoid the police. His desire to transcend contemporary boundaries is marred by the construction of law and order. Boundary personnel search his bags in hope to discover some drugs, and find nothing. Ray Smith's attitude on Buddhist theory is transfixed on the concept of "nothingness." Ray meditates and prefers being alone in order to confirm and practice the mental state of "nothing" is really in existence. In order for Ray to completely immerse himself in Buddhist forms of thought he must separate his mind from the repetitive sociological forces of American culture, which are considered real structures, and focus on the "nothingness" of isolation and meditation.
This counter-cultural perspective also reminds me of the reading in "Reclaiming San Francisco" from Nancy J. Peters, and her perspective on the counter-cultural movement of the beat generation. She understood the counter-culture of the beats to be changing the ideals of youth culture. She knew that Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder are all contributors to confronting the "normal", and establishing other modes of thinking which destabilize the American literature status quo. These writers attempt to isolate themselves from society in order to discover something challenging and new to American culture.
Dharma Bums are mind seekers. Every thing that motivates Ray Smith, comes from the motivation to enlighten his mind. Abstinence and lack of material desire are Ray's methods of ridding himself from what he considers "odious" and "unreal" so he can focus on the development and expansion of his mind. This Buddhist mentality of separation from worldly desire is counter-intuitive to the concept of American capitalism and consumerism. In order for Ray,and Japhy, to be considered Dharma Bums they must not delve into American society, for their minds will be influenced by the social aspirations of contemporary Americans.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Gary Snyder: The Politics of Ethnopoetics
The concept of culture is difficult to define. Most would agree that the destruction of culture is wrong and provides a matrix of domination which benefits one culture over that of another. Gary Snyder brings up a good point about the change disappearance of primitive and ancient cultures by the expansion and strong influence of other more modern cultures. There is a prominent battle between the primitive and disappearing culture dependent and supportive of the ecosystem, and the expansionist, dominating, modern culture dependent upon the consumption of the ecosystem. The idea of consumption directly implies destruction.
Gary states that the definition of enthnopoetics is "... the study of poetries and poetics of nonliterate peoples, is like some field of zoology that is studying disappearing species."(128). Individuals are attempting to form literature out of orature in order to preserve the culture that is being diluted by the influencing force of expansionism. The contact of cultures is inevitable. And Snyder brings about a good point when he asks about the validity of deliberately contacting a culture in order to "develop" its traditions and way of life. In a world where all other cultures are changing and expanding, he quotes the Brazilian state officials in stating: "'we think the only way for the Indians to improve thier health, education, and begin self-development is through development.'"(134). Most intellectuals would disagree with this statement,as Gary assumes, because it encourages expansionism for modernism and destruction of primitivism. But Gary brings about an interesting point which enlightened and opened my mind onto the idea of cultural contact and survival.
Bringing this back to the idea of transforming orature to literature ... which is contacting the primitive and modernist worlds; how can orature be recorded without the modernist ideology of literature? Orature is ancient and will be distorted within the context of literature, but without literature oral traditions can be lost forever.
Snyder is illustrating the idea that cultural contact cannot be halted completely. Influences among and between cultures is what creates yet another form of society and culture. And to completely separate a primitive culture is to deny the identity of those people within the global perception of cultural existence.
Do you agree with Gary Snyder's idea that cultural contact is inevitable? Do you agree that ancient cultures need contact with the modern world in order to not be ignored as a cultural identity? How would you describe the conflict cultural contact and the influence and change it could force upon an ancient culture's existence?
Gary states that the definition of enthnopoetics is "... the study of poetries and poetics of nonliterate peoples, is like some field of zoology that is studying disappearing species."(128). Individuals are attempting to form literature out of orature in order to preserve the culture that is being diluted by the influencing force of expansionism. The contact of cultures is inevitable. And Snyder brings about a good point when he asks about the validity of deliberately contacting a culture in order to "develop" its traditions and way of life. In a world where all other cultures are changing and expanding, he quotes the Brazilian state officials in stating: "'we think the only way for the Indians to improve thier health, education, and begin self-development is through development.'"(134). Most intellectuals would disagree with this statement,as Gary assumes, because it encourages expansionism for modernism and destruction of primitivism. But Gary brings about an interesting point which enlightened and opened my mind onto the idea of cultural contact and survival.
Bringing this back to the idea of transforming orature to literature ... which is contacting the primitive and modernist worlds; how can orature be recorded without the modernist ideology of literature? Orature is ancient and will be distorted within the context of literature, but without literature oral traditions can be lost forever.
Snyder is illustrating the idea that cultural contact cannot be halted completely. Influences among and between cultures is what creates yet another form of society and culture. And to completely separate a primitive culture is to deny the identity of those people within the global perception of cultural existence.
Do you agree with Gary Snyder's idea that cultural contact is inevitable? Do you agree that ancient cultures need contact with the modern world in order to not be ignored as a cultural identity? How would you describe the conflict cultural contact and the influence and change it could force upon an ancient culture's existence?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Hears Building
The Hears building is representative of the way in which imperialism within San Franciso is conducted. The corporation dominates over the media having complete control over what the American public perceives from the environment around them. Newspapers are a reflection of the culture and poltics significant to this country; and if one entity is producing the information that the public has access to; then that entity is establishing a narrow and dominating vision of the social and political constructions of American society.
William Hearst is quoted by Brechin: "Shall we not continue to hold in power, in growth and expansion our first plave among the nation of the earth?", suggesting that Hearst has inherited the motivation of imperialists to continue to grow and capitalize over other entities. His desire to consume and expand comes from the imperialist influences of previous San Franciscans, including Hearst's family influence.
A visual of the Hearst building is provided on page 201; and one can interpret the unnecessary extravagance of the elaborate detail and intricacies involved in the architect of the building. It is impossible to ignore the relation to old classical and ancient building structures of Rome and Italy; which the architects deliberately mimicked. The visual effects of the classical force the observer to be reminded of ancient imperial powers of the classical time period; which modern day imperialists were interested in discovering.
The Hearst building still represents the power and control today, as it has in the past. The publis is aware of the constructed ideologies and biases of the media and has discovered alternative ways of digging for political and social information about the American society that exists today. The corporations that control the media are dominating too many outlets of information ... television, newspapers, magazines. radio, internet and much more are all components of the same corporation. Imperialism and capitalism drive the corporations to become more powerful and continue to expand. It is these ideologies which contribute to the avoidance of reality and the contribution to political and social interest and drama.
William Hearst is quoted by Brechin: "Shall we not continue to hold in power, in growth and expansion our first plave among the nation of the earth?", suggesting that Hearst has inherited the motivation of imperialists to continue to grow and capitalize over other entities. His desire to consume and expand comes from the imperialist influences of previous San Franciscans, including Hearst's family influence.
A visual of the Hearst building is provided on page 201; and one can interpret the unnecessary extravagance of the elaborate detail and intricacies involved in the architect of the building. It is impossible to ignore the relation to old classical and ancient building structures of Rome and Italy; which the architects deliberately mimicked. The visual effects of the classical force the observer to be reminded of ancient imperial powers of the classical time period; which modern day imperialists were interested in discovering.
The Hearst building still represents the power and control today, as it has in the past. The publis is aware of the constructed ideologies and biases of the media and has discovered alternative ways of digging for political and social information about the American society that exists today. The corporations that control the media are dominating too many outlets of information ... television, newspapers, magazines. radio, internet and much more are all components of the same corporation. Imperialism and capitalism drive the corporations to become more powerful and continue to expand. It is these ideologies which contribute to the avoidance of reality and the contribution to political and social interest and drama.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Brautigan's Recurring Themes and Ideas
Richard Brautigan focuses mainly on the realm of the pastoral and the realm of nature as a means of returning back to the intellectual mind that is lost in the emerging industry and urbanization of the big city. Brautigan seems nostalgic for the abundance of nature that used to exist beneath the machine industry that has commodified what nature is left. The idea of commodification is really transparent in the poem: "The Cleveland Wrecking Yard"; due to the fact that Brautigan literally places aspects of nature in a store that can be bought and sold. This perception of reality is repeated throughout the most of the writer's prose and poetry; the strive to remain in the realm of nature and the determination to return back to times when the individual could actually go "Trout Fishing in America" without being overwhelmed with industry and urbanization. Brautigan recognizes the public separating itself from; and therefore destroying, the realm of nature that the individual should be close to and experiencing.
In the poem Brautigan touches on the issues dealing with consumption and limitations of resources: "' How much are the birds?' I asked. 'Thirty-five cents apiece,' he said. 'But of course they're used. We can't guarantee anything. ... 'What kinds of animals do you have?' I asked. 'We only have three deer left,' he said."(104-105). The concept of used birds is reminiscent of the fact that they have been commodified before. A product of the environment should be free roaming; but the store owner makes the reader wonder where the birds came from if they are used. Brautigan, I think, is returing to the idea that nothing is entirely natural and pastoral. The industrialization and urbanization of the environment is inflicting upon the creatures that depend on the environment as a place of origin and refuge.
The fact that there are only three deer left forces the reader to confront the idea of resource and limitation. Without the product of the environment, deer will suffer to remain. The environment is needed in order for birds and deer to thrive. in order for them to continue existing within the new realm of industry and urbanization their environment must be bought and reenacted. The pretenc environment that is being bought and sold is a mimic of the reality which used to exist.
Brautigan really focuses on nature as a depleting aspect of reality. And his tone of nostalgia and loss is apparent within his prose and poetry as he continually refers back to the comfort and placement of nature within the settings of his writing. It is as though his writing is always relating back to nature and natural instinctual need and want to remain close to the environment.
What other poems and chapters within "Trout Fishing in America" and "A Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster" reflect the idea that nature is commodified?
Does anyone else think that the separation from nature and the environment is leading to nature as a product of the economic system?
What other ideas besides the commodificatoin of nature does Brautigan seem to argue about nature and its conflictions with modern society?
In the poem Brautigan touches on the issues dealing with consumption and limitations of resources: "' How much are the birds?' I asked. 'Thirty-five cents apiece,' he said. 'But of course they're used. We can't guarantee anything. ... 'What kinds of animals do you have?' I asked. 'We only have three deer left,' he said."(104-105). The concept of used birds is reminiscent of the fact that they have been commodified before. A product of the environment should be free roaming; but the store owner makes the reader wonder where the birds came from if they are used. Brautigan, I think, is returing to the idea that nothing is entirely natural and pastoral. The industrialization and urbanization of the environment is inflicting upon the creatures that depend on the environment as a place of origin and refuge.
The fact that there are only three deer left forces the reader to confront the idea of resource and limitation. Without the product of the environment, deer will suffer to remain. The environment is needed in order for birds and deer to thrive. in order for them to continue existing within the new realm of industry and urbanization their environment must be bought and reenacted. The pretenc environment that is being bought and sold is a mimic of the reality which used to exist.
Brautigan really focuses on nature as a depleting aspect of reality. And his tone of nostalgia and loss is apparent within his prose and poetry as he continually refers back to the comfort and placement of nature within the settings of his writing. It is as though his writing is always relating back to nature and natural instinctual need and want to remain close to the environment.
What other poems and chapters within "Trout Fishing in America" and "A Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster" reflect the idea that nature is commodified?
Does anyone else think that the separation from nature and the environment is leading to nature as a product of the economic system?
What other ideas besides the commodificatoin of nature does Brautigan seem to argue about nature and its conflictions with modern society?
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