Nick Birnbaum's Lit. Seminar

All in all, I thought my lit. seminar went well. Even though I only had half the class, it was the half that had read my family, the Jong's, section, so everyone had insightful answers to my questions.
My first question was:
In this chapter, Lindo says she tried to give her children Chinese character with their American circumstances. Do you think she succeeded? Support your answer.
There were some very interesting responses to this question, ranging from how Waverly was completely americanized and couldn't connect to her Chinese roots to how Lindo had succeeded in raising her children with Chinese values. Also, many people thought that Waverly had accepted Chinese values until she left her mother's house.
My second question was not widely understood by my lit. seminar group. It was:
Lindo's mother tells her a girl with a crooked nose is bound for misfortune. Do you think she was more fortunate before or after she broke her nose on the bus? Why?
Many people did not understand this question, and if they tried to answer it, they were either off the topic or had no idea what the question was asking. If i were to do this again, I would have created a more theme-based question instead of this one.

Emily Mead's Lit Seminar

I did my lit. seminar on "Waiting Between the Trees", Ying-Ying St. Clair. My passage was on page 286, line 17. I thought that overall my lit. seminar went very well. The class was split into two groups, so everyone got to participate a lot more.

My first question was: Why does Ying-Ying feel that she needs to "cut her daughter's spirit loose"? And why does Ying-Ying want to give her daughter her own spirit?
The group answered that Ying-Ying felt that her daughter was too americanized, and that she was going down the wrong path, and by "cutting her spirit loose" she will "save her" and her Chinese culture. Ying-Ying wants Lena to understand her Chinese culture better. Also, Ying-Ying is passing invisible strength on to Lena, through her tiger spirit.

My second question was: Why does Ying-Ying consider herself a "ghost"? In China, what does it mean to be a "ghost", and how does this tie into other stories in the book?
In China, ghosts are looked down upon, and not respected. Ying-Ying considers herself a ghost because she is not really 'there' anymore, she is only a shadow. She is not heard by her daughter, she feels that she is invisible. She cannot speak up for herself. Other stories that tie into the idea of being a ghost are "The Moon Lady", where Ying-Ying had to be 'invisible' to be seen and heard by the Moon Lady. Also, in the story with An-Mei and her mother, An-Mei's aunt calls her mother a ghost, because she left her family and is no longer respected.

Madeline Turrini's Lit. Seminar

I was very surprised by the fact that the majority of the discussion was on one of my literary devices, being the connotation that follows the word, "fault."  The majority of the group said that while Lindo felt like she had wronged her daughter in a way, she was also taking pride in her creation.  They also felt that Lindo ignored her similarities to Waverly and thought of them as a joke.

As for the questions I asked, I received very mixed responses.  When I was comparing the language barrier between the Jongs and the St. Claires, some people in the group believed that it barely affected the Jongs at all, while a few other students and I said that it distanced Ying Ying and her husband while it strengthened the bond between Lindo and her husband.

While discussing the significance of the beauty parlor, I was surprised by how it was compared to Friar Lawrence's cell in Romeo and Juliet.  The group talked about how both locations were catalysts and how the thought of changing one's appearance irritated the mothers.  I had not thought of this and was pleasantly surprised.

Katherine Huang's LIT SEMINAR

For my lit seminar I was assigned the chapter “Waiting Between the Trees” from which I chose the passage from lines 10 to 17 on page 247.

“I think this to myself even though I love my daughter. She and I have shared the same body. There is a part of her mind that is part of mine. But when she was born, she sprang from me like a slippery fish, and has been swimming away ever since. All her life, I have watched her as though from another shore. And now I must tell her everything about my past. It is the only way to penetrate her skin and pull her to where she can be saved.”

I stated that the theme of this passage was "like mother. like daughter." It is a theme that reoccurs throughout the story with different mothers and daughters. No matter the difference in upbringing, generation, economic status, and a language barrier, there is no match for the traits that permeate through blood. Also, there is a common goal among the mothers to save their daughters from similar mistakes and heartache.

Overall, I was super happy with the way my lit seminar turned out. The majority of students participated habitually and had very insightful things to say. I only had time to ask one of my questions, which is as follows:

Since childhood, Ying Ying has had the innate ability to predict events in the future: her reluctant first marriage to the watermelon man, the gender of her firstborn, her indifferent second marriage to St. Clair, the death of her ex husband before even reading her aunt’s letter, to finally, the eventual failure of her own daughter’s marriage.Do you believe Ying Ying’s ability to foresee the future to be a curse or a blessing? Please give specific examples to back up your argument.

My answer was that the telepathic skills were a negative. Ying Ying has a tendency to remain passive and let forecasted events befall her, sometimes even molding her actions around them, as she believes her life is in the palms of fate. Often times people (especially superstitious people like Ying Ying or people with OCD) have an ability to MAKE themselves see certain things or carry out certain actions that they believe it is necessary. Who knows if the visions were actually real or not? The point is, Ying Ying became so blind-sighted by them and obsessed that they had no choice but to come true. I was very impressed with the class responses to this question.

The majority of the class believed her skills to be negative or neutral toward negative, with a similar reasoning that Ying Ying tends to enforce her own predictions. "It is better to be ignorant because ignorance is bliss" (max?) exclaimed one student. Since the majority of Ying Ying's predictions are negative, why bear the bad news? If someone is going to die soon, would they really want to know when or how? A particularly insightful observation was that Ying Ying's obsession with the events she forecasts is very similar to traveling in a "light tunnel" (doug?) Even if good fortune were to come Ying Ying's way she'd be too focused on her doom to realize it, grab ahold and perhaps change her destiny for the better.

I had a total of three questions. Here are the two others I didn't get to:

1. The menacing shadow of a failed marriage is looming. This time, it’s Lena. In order to help her daughter deal with the denial and grief of ending matrimonial bliss, Ying Ying must confront the skeletons of her own failed marriages. Do you think Lena’s failed marriage could possibly be a disguised blessing, as it is allowing Ying Ying to finally rediscover her “tiger spirit” and save her daughter from a similar life that is lacking chi? (My answer is kind of mixed in with the question.)

2. From wild and arrogant gold to cautious, stealth black, Ying Ying has evolved through the stages of the tiger as she has triumphed and taken missteps in her life. Now, she claims to be a “tiger spirit,” unseen and fragile like a browned leaf. Do you think Ying Ying will ever revive her former spirit? If so, which side of the tiger would she be, gold or black? Please support your opinion with textual evidence.

In conclusion, the seminar was a lot of fun. Everyone was definitely really attentive and prepared for discussion. If you feel like answering one of my questions, leave a comment with the number of the question you chose. Thanks!

Morgan Holleran's Lit Seminar - "Double Face"

I felt that overall my Lit Seminar went very well even though the class was split up into 2 different groups that day. My passage was from "Double Face", on the Jong family. The excerpt i chose was on the bottom of page 298 to the top of page 299. It began with "After the first day..." and went to "... She was quite plump".

My first question was Do you think that Lindo and Waverly each having the same crooked nose shows something about their relationship and/or personalities? I believed that the crooked nose shows a different personality than most other people, and the fact that they have the same nose shows that even though they do not believe to be similar, this is proof. The nose is a physical trait that will always be there, no matter what they try to do to change it. My group discussion elaborated on this question very well, believing that this is a sign of similarity. Kat Huang described it in a way that everyone understood, and the people who spoke after her each believed the same as she did. She said that the physical appearance is a symbol for their like-ness, and they will always show the trait, which is proof of how they are so similar.

My next question was Because of the cultural difference between China and America, even though Waverly was brought up in a semi-Chinese culture, how do you think her personal life would have changed if she was brought up in China, or just in a more Chinese environment while still living in America? Do you think her relationship with her mother would be different if she was raised in China? My group decided that if Waverly had grown up in China, she would have not played chess, but she would have played a different game, because of her being such a prodigy at a young age. We agreed that she would still be succesful because of her dedication to the certain game she chose. Responding to the second portion of the question, we also agreed that her relationship with her mom wouldn't be so distant. Because of the cultural difference and beliefs between China and America, this is considered a main reason of their arguments, and that they dont always see eye-to-eye because of the social and cultural differences. If she had grown up in China, their beliefs would be much more similar, and this would most likely have eliminated most of their problems in the mother-daughter relationship.

How would you have answered the questions of you were in my group for this day? Or if you were, is there anything that you wanted to say but never did? A lso, do you have any other reactions of this discussion?

Nicole Masiello's Literary Seminar

I did my Literary Seminar on Jing-Mei Woo's "A Pair of Tickets". There wasn't as much discussion as other seminars due to the smaller groups, but I think many good points were raised and discussed. My first question was "why do you think Amy Tan chose for this to be the last story in the book? How does it add closure to the consistent theme of mother-daughter relationships?" Kelsey brought up a good point by saying it shows that even though they fight, they are still connected in the end. She also linked the meaning of Suyuan's name (long-cherished wish) and how Jing-Mei finally made that wish come true at the close of the book. Liz stated that it showed how much Jing-Mei would go through for her mother. Charlie brought up that Jing-Mei really was Suyuan's life importance because she was the one who made Suyuan's wishes come true, which I think was a really good point to bring the story to a close.

My second question was "by travelling back to China, what new understanding do you think June has about her mother and the relationship between her and her mother?" Aaron said that he thinks Jing-Mei finally realized that she is Chinese inside and out, like her mother had always told her when she tried to deny it in high school. Lisa thought that by travelling to China, Jing-Mei had discovered who she was more, and through that, discovered her mother even further. I really liked this statement because it unites all the references in the other Woo stories about how after her mother's death, Jing-Mei found herself possessing more and more traits that her mom had displayed. Liz pointed out that in China, June finally understood the magnitude of the problems her mom had faced, which explained Suyuan was so hard on Jing-Mei when she was growing up. Charlie also said that Jing-Mei was fixing these problems. I completely agree with what Liz said because the generation gap prevented her to fully comprehend her mother's stories, but witnessing it firsthand and meeting her Chinese family really gave her an idea of what Suyuan's life in China was like.

Megan Wallace's Literary Seminar

My seminar was on Rose Hsu Without Wood. The seminar was okay, my questions did not have a lot of discussion, but I did get enough information to sum up an answer. My first question was Is the appearance of nengkan apparent or more apparent in Rose in this chapter than in the last? If so, in what form do you see it? Well someone answered that Roses decision to want the house and go against Ted was an appearance of nengkan. That is what I thought it was too. Normally Rose does not really have nengkan, but now that she wants the house she has put her mind on it and will get it.


My second question was Why do you think it is that Rose does not have dreams anymore, unlike when she was growing up, but then suddenly has a nightmare? There was more of a discussion for this question, which had differebt answers. Some thought that she was not dreaming because she was sick or depressed, others thought the dream was her clearing her mind/head. The class also said the nightmare was her snapping awake and becoming appart of reality. Others said it was an explosion of tension that had built up over the strain of her marriage. All points make sense and I agree with them all.

James Flanagan's Literary Seminar

For my literary seminar, I was assigned the chapter Double Face from the Jong stories in The Joy Luck Club. I focused on a section that highlighted the recurring similarities between the generations mentioned in the book. My first question was not answered as deeply as my second, but it is worth recording.
Throughout the book, the mothers and daughters have had different views on the similarities. Identify some of these views of the likeness and how the second in the pair (the daughter) is affected by it.
I received varying answers on how the daughters dealt with the likeness. Waverly Jong defies her mother and ignores the likenesses. June Woo takes up her mother's quest to return to China. Most of the daughters are ashamed of their heritage, but all can learn from it.
In this story, Lindo share some laughs with An-mei over the American-produced "Chinese" fortunes. How is this ironic when taking into consideration the main conflict of the book? (the differences and perceptions of American and Chinese ways, traditions, and peoples)
This question was answered with the responses that I had planned and more. I had expected someone to say that this was ironic because the fortunes were American-made Chinese, sort of an artificial Chinese, just like the daughters had become. Bridget and Alyson pointed this out. However, Kyle took this a step further and said that Lindo and An-mei were making their Chinese fortunes in America by making Chinese fortunes in America. This is an excellent play on words, and I applaud Kyle for recognizing this. Bravo!
In any case, I learned from the seminar how the similarities between the mothers and daughters had affected not only my own family, but the St. Clairs, Woos, and Hsus as well. It helped give me a more vast understanding for the book s we wrapped up. Thank you to everyone who participated in the seminar, and good-night.

Emma Kwiatkowski's Literary Seminar

My literary seminar was based on Waverly Jong's story of "Four Directions". My first question was, do you think Waverly will let Lindo affect Rich the same way she affected Marvin? Ashley said that she thought Waverly was too weak to do anything about her mother's controlling trait. Nicole added that Waverly does not want the mother to affect Rich, but Waverly is not capable of preventing it. The mother just wants to be a part of her daughter's life, but Waverly is setting up a barrier between her and Lindo, according to James. Chris stated that Waverly never actaully stopped playing chess. Each part of the chess board represents something that Waverly is dealing with. Also, Waverly needs her mother although it may seem differently. I agree with all these points. Waverly is weak and cannot stand up to her mother directly. She runs away from her problems like when she ran into the alley. This chapter is very symbolic in the way that it conveys life as a chess game, which was stated by Lisa.

My seminar went so well that I did not have time to ask my second question.
Is Waverly "a rabbit" only with her mother or in other relationships too?

Sofie Guariglia Literary Seminar

I believe my literary seminar went well. Although the class did not immediately try and contribute to my questions, eventually they understood and helped me go in depth to my questions. My first question was:

They say "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Do you think Rose is like her mother in the sense that they both "[live their lives] like a dream?" At first I believe the class did not understand what the question was asking, but I explained how An-Mei Hsu described her life as a child like a dream and the class started to contribute. The class agreed, and thought that both Rose and An-Mei did not stand up for themselves, and their lives were lived like everyone else wanted them to be lived.

My second question was Do you think how An-Mei's mother was always in pain had anything to do with how An-Mei parented Rose? The class believed that because An-Mei always had to witness her mother depressed and suffering with her husband and his other wives, it had an effect on An-Mei. An-Mei tried her hardest to help her daughter, Rose, to live a great life by encouraging her to save the marriage. An-Mei tried to escape the pain her and her mother were living when she was a child, so when Rose is saying "I can't I can't" save the marriage, An-Mei steped in to make sure she is not just giving up, and giving Ted what he wants. The class also believed that because An-Mei and her mother never had a good relationship, An-Mei tried her hardest to keep a good one with Rose. Also, An-Mei left her little brother with her aunt when she went with her mother, and losing her son, Bing, felt a lot like that feeling. Ever since that day, An-Mei had been making even more of an effort to make their mother-daughter bond even stronger.

Nikki Bann Literary Seminar

I felt that my literary seminar on Friday went very well. I enjoyed leading the class discussion and was interested by all of the new ideas and thought processes brought up by the class. Many people made comments about the passage I hadn't even considered. I think the biggest discussion during my seminar was over what the magpies represent. Alyson made a connection between my seminar and Sofie's saying that when the peasants finally spoke out against the birds, it was like they were waking up from a dream. Liz also commented that the magpies represented An-Mei and her daughter Rose who were floating in a dream. Ashley connected the passage to history class, that the peasants rebelling against the magpies were like the peasant rebellions in the French Revolution. Kate thought that the magpies represented the men and the peasants represented women, because the magpies were in the sky, and higher above like the men were higher than the women in social status. Shaun added onto this, saying that once the magpies all died, they were on the ground and equal to the peasants, representing the women rising in social status. Madeline took a different approach in saying that the magpies represented all the other wives of Hu Tsing, who tormented An-Mei's mother. All of these points made a very good discussion. Overall, I was very happy with the turnout.

Elizabeth's Lit. Seminar Review

I thought the class was very helpful in helping me explore my inquiries. I like the point that June has let the competition with Waverly shape her life and direct her in ways making her push herself to be better even though she has shunned her mother's efforts to improve herself. Now that June's mother has relieved pressure on her and seemingly given up hope of June being a prodigy or someone known for greatness, it gives June impetus to even try harder to compete with Waverly because it is on her own will.
I also really like in the discussion how the class delved into the ulterior meaning behind the jade pendant. Suyuan says the pendant is her "life's importance." June has been her mother's life importance and her mother truly loves June despite her flaws. June seems to have parallel characteristics to the pendant as well. Her mother had said to her, "Not so good, this jade. This is young jade. It is a very light color now, but if you wear it every day it will become more green." I think like the jade, June is very young and not perfect but each day she will become a better person. The necklace is already beautiful but has the potential to grow prettier. In contrast, Lindo Jong's bracelets are beautiful gold and already perfect, but so is June like the jade, in her own special and different yet still beautiful way.

Corinne Lee's Lit Seminar Review

During my seminar, I felt comfortable conducting the classes discussion on my story, "Best Quality". I was proud of the work I had done on the story and my understanding of the relationship between mother and daughter. I thought that the class listened and communicated well, answering my questions accuarately while still bringing new idea's to the table. One point was made that I hadn't considered yet, which was that the jade necklace that was given to June by her mother could also have symbolized her mother's hopes for June to be sucessful in life, with money and other things. The speaker also believed that maybe the green necklace could relate to the idea of the "Tree of Life", and obviously that is a simialar color as the necklace. It could deal with the ideas of wealth, sucess, and being prosperous. These could be the hopes of June's mother for her daughter, and giving those wishes to June in the form of the necklace, something to remind her of those hopes and also of herself. I enjoyed hearing my classmates opinions and comparing them with my own, and I thought they were similar and different in all the right places.

Doug Burtha's Lit Seminar Wrap-Up

On Monday, June 2nd, I conducted my lit seminar. I was the only one to go that day and I feel that the entire seminar went very well. There was continuous conversation as well as very positive, informative feedback to my questions.

My first question was: Throughout the book, Waverly has discussed her likes and dislikes of chess and we have discussed what chess means to her and why she is/was doing it. Why do you think that she still relates to chess? How has it impacted her since the beginning? Try to name at least 3 specific events that show this…
The 3 specific events weren't really covered -- for reasons I can't imagine-- other than G. aka Gorman (Tom) who had a very good example which was when Waverly was always being entered into tournaments because of her mom and what kind of person she has become. (sorry if i got that one wrong G, i tried to remember the best i could!)


The second question: At the end of the chapter, Waverly talks of going to China with Rich, and possibly even her mother. She briefly discusses the pros and cons of her mother going and ends the chapter, on page 205, saying “Yet part of me also thinks the whole idea makes perfect sense. The three of us, leaving our differences behind, stepping on the plane together, sitting side by side, lifting off, moving West to reach the East.” Discuss and elaborate on the final closing, “moving West to reach the East,” and what you feel that means.
Most of the answers here were very literal answers, all with the sam underlying point. This was that she was literally going West, to China from San Francisco, to the East, China. Other explanations that were more metaphorical, had the main point of reaching some harmony between the family members. I don't exactly remember who, (i think it was Andrea but if it was you please let me know so i can fix it) but whoever it was, he/she brought up a avery good point. They compared the West to the East to the sun, rising in the east and setting in the West, and adding on that it was like starting a new day, the beginning of understanding between the families.

The entire seminar went very well done and I applaud those of you who went first and made it seem easy for a job well done. It really helped knowing that it wasn't too bad and was somewhat enjoyable (to me at least). Overall, the seminar idea is a very good one because it gives you a chance to hear everyone's ideas and opinions on the book that you may agree with or had not even thought of.
Overall, it went very well.

Johnny Kuhn's Lit Seminar

I feel that my literary seminar went well, my literary devices showed more meaning to the passage then people originally saw and my questions sparked much conversation. My story, Rules of the Game, was also easy to understand and relate to, which I think may have had an effect on the outcome of the seminar. The questions forced the class to remember the reading and think beyond, causing varying opinions and new ideas.

First Question: Do you think that chess and her rapid success in the game may have impacted Waverly's childhood? If so, how do you think it impacted it and would the affect be?

I believed that Waverly would not have the same experiences as a child when compared to other children. When these children were playing on the swings, Waverly was in her room playing chess. This different childhood may cause Waverly to see things differently, and she would not have many friends or social skills.

During the Lit Seminar, someone pointed out that we often tend to fallback on our childhood, a kind of comfort zone, and sometimes look to it for answers. Waverly's unique childhood would cause her to act differently in certain situations and think in certain ways. This response is similar to mine, but I had never thought of my childhood as my safe or comfort zone before. This person was right, we can all typically relate to each other through out childhood, may it be through the toys we played with or the cartoon shows that we watched.

Second Question: the Jongs made many concessions for Waverly due to her rapid success at chess. Do you think this may have impacted Waverly's relations with her family members?

When composing this question, I thought that due to her rapid success at chess Waverly may not get to spend time with her family as much since she was always studying. I also thought that Waverly took advantage of her success and asked for many unnecessary favors. This may have caused a strain on her relationships.

The majority of the class believed that her rapid success at chess, may cause Waverly to feel inferior to others and look down upon her family members. I did not think of that, and it was very interesting. once hearing this idea it did make sense that Waverly would think less of the others around her since they have not achieved that same level of success that she did.

Overall, i think my lit seminar went well and I certainly began to look at the story and characters in new ways. The idea of the literary seminars is great, since it forces people to swap ideas and maybe causing people to look at an event in a different way.

Kimber Tremblay's Lit seminar

I felt really confident during my lit seminar, because i had a strong understanding of my family, the Hsu, and my story, Half and Half. I put background information in my questions, as to summarize the chapter and add important hints. My first question had to be repeated a few times, but created lots of conversation.

My First Question: Before talking to her mother, it seems that Rose has given up on mending her marriage, also, that Rose believes more in fate, rather than faith. After recalling Bing’s death, Rose says that when you lose something you love, faith takes over. At the end of this chapter, do you believe Rose will stop “letting things happen”, or does her pessimistic outlook in the beginning, outweigh her newfound hope?

Someone said they believed Rose wouldn't cahnge know, because Bing's death impacted her enough that if she was going to change, it would've been then. I hadn't thought of that.

My Second Question:Do you think Rose’s mother is as faithful as she was before Bing died? Keep in mind that although she keeps the bible underneath the table to correct its “imbalance”, Rose notices that it is always clean.

The class seemed to agree that faith is one of those things Rose's mother "hides under the table", literally and figuratively.

In conclusion, i feel the lit seminars are successful. They are a way the entire class can share their point of view and we can analyze each family individually. It helps me to understand the book better, and see things i may have not noticed on my own.

"Rice Husband"

Early this morning, I was worried about how my Lit Seminar would come out, but it wasn't half as bad as I was anticipating. Thanks so much to everyone for participating!


My first question was, It is said that children repeat their parents' mistakes. How is this seen in Lena and Ying-ying's relationship? Ashley mentioned that throughout the books, the daughters repeat the same mistakes in different ways. Nicole remarked that she didn't think Lena was repeating her mother's mistakes. Alyson said that one of the mistakes which both Lena and Ying-ying made was marrying men who didn't understand them.

Most of the class-- bearing in mind that the class is mostly of the feminine inclination-- seemed to think that Harold, Lena's husband, was analytical and Lena herself was romantic in regards to love.

This was elaborated upon with my second question, At the end of the excerpt, Lena says, "and I started to think, It's just not enough." What does this say about her beliefs and values regarding love? There was a lot of feedback on this question. I especially liked Kelsey's comment that Harold and Lena's relationship was more like a business association than a marriage. I think that rang very true. Also, several people mentioned that their relationship was 'too balanced.' The littlest things would disrupt the balance, and eventually, all the issues piling up on the marriage would force the marriage to collapse.

Altogether, the general consensus seemed to be that Lena and Harold shouldn't have been married.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the discussion, it was so interesting to listen to everyone's point of view on the matter.

~~Megan Sarah Furlong

Kate Furg's Lit seminar

I was really nervous in the beginning of my lit seminar because I was afraid I would not know what to say and I was first. I became comfortable with it and I really enjoyed doing it. It was a great why to hear how other people interpreted the story and it furthered my understanding of the chapter. I liked leading a conversation instead of sitting in class and always listening. My first question was; what do you think Ying-ying means when she says her daughter does not see or hear her anymore?
Generation gap and cultural gap came up quite often in the responses, which is good because this is what I thought the theme was. Someone said that Lena was making the same mistakes as her mother and that the two were so alike that they do not notice each others lifestyle. I really liked this answer. My second question was; how did Amah influence Ying-ying to keep her "mouth closed" and her "true nature hidden" in her later life?
Everyone answered this question very well. Most people said referred to the Chinese culture and how children were taught to keep there mouths shut and hit in their shadows. Everyone was on topic and I think my seminar went well.

My Seminar was from the chapter "Two Kinds." This chapter was told from June's perspectve, and outlines her feelings towards her mother. June felt that her mother pushed her too hard, and as a result, June always failed. She began not trying anymore, and really stopped caring about succeeding or not, which greatly disappointed her mother.
The passage i used was on page 153, paragraph 7: "“It was not only the disappointment my mother felt in me. In the years that followed, I failed her so many times, each time asserting my own will, my right to fall short of expectations. I didn’t get strait As. I didn’t become class president. I didn’t get into Stanford. I dropped out of college.
For unlike my mother, I did not believe I could be anything I wanted to be. I could only be me.
And for all those years, we never talked about the disaster at the recital or my terrible accusations afterward at the piano bench. All that remained unchecked, like a betrayal that was now unspeakable. So I never found a way to ask her why she had hoped for something so large that failure was inevitable.
And even worse, I never asked her what frightened me the most: Why had the given up hope?”

The theme of this passage is that high expectations will lead to failure.

My first question, "Is June's perspective of only being able to be herself, and no better, the result of June not wanting to succeed in those areas, or to spite her mother," sparked various debate. Although the class could not reach a consencous, most agreed that in the beginning of the chapter, June wants to succeed, but after failure she no longer cares, and begins to spite her mother for pushing her so hard.

My second question, unfortunatly, could not be answered due to time restraint:
"After June told her mother she wishes she was dead like her two sisters, her mother gives up hope in June's podigy abilities. Why is this?" Please, if you have any comments at all on this question, please post them!

Katherine Fila's Lit Seminar Feedback

At first I wasn't sure how my lit seminar class activity would go. But, after I went on Friday, I really liked it. I liked the feeling of being in control of the class, while still getting feedback and having debates. My second question tied in really nicely with Charlie's questions, so I was content with only asking one question. My question was, "Why do you think June's mother was so upset when she didn't do well at the recital? Was she living vicariously through her daughter?" I think this was my favorite questions out fo the two, because it was specific and the class knew exactly how to answer. My favorite response to this question was Lisa's. She comparedthe old, deaf paino teacher to June's mother being deaf to her own hopes and dreams. This analogy had never occurred to me before, so I really appreciated this comment.

Ashley Cooper Napolitano's Lit Seminar

My lit seminar was based off Lena St Clair's section in The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates, "The Voice from the Wall". The paragraphs I used were on page 106, starting "And after..." and ending at "faded in the sun".
My first question was "Do you think that Lena and her mother have more of a connection than the other mother-daugther relationships in the book so far?" This seemed to be a very popular question and I got a lot of good feed back from it. Nicole made a good point, saying they didn't because Ying-Ying had said "[my] daughter doesn't hear me". On the other side of the argument, Katherine said she thought they had a different connection then the others, but not neccesarily stronger, because Lena has to translate what her mother says to her father because he doesn't speak Chinese.
My second question was a little more in depth. I asked "Why do you think that Lena did not tell her mother of the things she saw?" Both Alyson and Charlie made excellent points in response to this question. Alyson said she believes she does not tell her mom because Lena is trying to protect Ying-Ying. Charlie used the saying 'like mother, like daugther' in his response by saying that Lena does not tell her mother her secret just like Ying-Ying does not tell Lena everything about her past and keeps secrets from her.
This also ties into my first question about the type of relationship the two have. Since they hide things from each other and are not as open as some of the other mothers and daugthers are, it is a completely different type of relationship. Because of this, it is hard to compare their relationship to the other ones.
Over all, my literary seminar was a great success. People answered the questions well and stayed on topic. I thank everyone for participating so well. It was not as stressful as I thought it would be. Thanks again! :)

Marissa Rago's Lit Seminar

I read Half and Half about Rose Hsu Jordan for my lit seminar. My questions were easily understood although it took a moment for the first person to respond. My questions asked directly about the other characters in the story while indirectly relating to Rose. They were not at all similar to the other person in my class who read the same family. I thought that having a variety of questions helped other people understand the story better and have different views of each character. Also, to answer the two questions, the whole section needed to have been read because I included a small piece of the story in each question that would not be picked up other wise.

Kyle Doyle Lit Seminar: Rules of The Game

My seminar was on Waverly Jonh- "Rules of The Game" in "The Twenty Six Malignant Gates" section of the The Joy Luck Club. The seminar started off slowly, but the first question generated a lot of discussion, and so did the second question--once I read it the right way.

My first question was:
Do you think Jong gets her ability to understand the way life works from her mothers teachings, her mothers genes, or has she learned it on her own? How well does it serve her? Discuss.

At first, there were many different opinions--including some that weren't part of the question--but eventually the class mostly came to a consensus. The class mostly decided that Waverly gets her personality from many different factors. She is similar to her mother in that she was born with part of her stubborn and determined personality, and has had that part of her reinforced by her mother's teachings, such as "Invisible Strength" which became a strong part of her chess abilities.

However, Waverly is also different from her mother because she reacts badly when her mother tries to shoehorn her into playing the piano. This probably comes from her childhood adventures in the sandlot/playground, the alley, etc. Waverly is used to achieving goals in her own fashion and controlling her own life.

She seems to understand life the way she does because she ignores her mother, instead focusing on the world around her and how it works (just like her mother does). In this way, her understanding of life comes from her mother by nature and unintended nurture.

My second question was:
Why are gifts, an alleyway, and chess chosen to represent different aspects of life? How, and how well do they represent this?

In order of the items:

The class did not discuss the gifts very much, but the conclusion was that the represent choice in life--choose rashly and you may set yourself up for dissapointment later in life.

The alleyway was seen as the lure of the unknown. Waverly and her brothers enjoy playing there more than they do the playground because it seems more exotic and foreign. This reflects on many people who will forgo a familiar place or event in favor of something one has not been too or seen before.

Chess generated the most discussion of all three items. The consensus reached was that chess represents the myriad possibilities of life. Black and white are opposites, but they have the same tools available to them. A person who acts respectfully--win or lose--is usually seen in a better light than one who does not. This was shown in one of my excerpts:

"Keep captured men in neat rows, as well-tended prisoners. Never announce “Check” with vanity, lest someone with an unseen sword slit your throat. Never hurl pieces into the sandbox after you have lost a game, because then you must find them again, by yourself, after apologizing to all around you.”

The class also agreed that Waverly herself sees chess as more than a game--such as near the end of the chapter when she is "defeated" by her mother's advancing black army after returning home.

Lit Seminar- Andra Dunlap

For my lit seminar, I read Waverly Jong- "Rules of the Game". The seminar went great and I want to thank everyone who participated. It moved along fast and almost everyone had something to say. My questions were easily answered, and the responses I got from my classmates were relevant and well thought out. I thought the responses to my questions were great, so I put my question and the class answers below.

My first question was: How do you think Waverly's mom would have reacted if Waverly lost a big match? If Waverly lost do you think she would have given up?
Everyone agreed that Waverly's mom would have been upset and disappointed. She would have been embarrassed also because she had bragged so much about Waverly that if she lost, her mom wouldn't know what to do. The class also said that Waverly's mom would be crushed because winning the chess matches became almost like her dream, in a way, and she was really proud of Waverly. Most of the class said that if Waverly lost a match, she would stop playing chess and get involved in something else. Other people said that Waverly would stop playing because her mom was the one pushing her to keep playing, and Waverly didn't care if she played or not. I think those are good answers, but I came up different answer. I thought that if Waverly lost, she would have not stopped playing, but instead think about what she did wrong, and try to improve her strategies.

My second question was: How would the plot be affected if Waverly never met Lao Po?
My classmates responded by saying that Waverly would have never gotten better. Before meeting Lao Po, Waverly would play with her brothers, who were beginners, and Waverly never learned much by playing with them. But after meeting Lao Po and seeing his strategies, she was able to pick up many things. Another person brought up the fact that if Waverly never met Lao Po, she would have not gotten into any competitons, changing the plot completely. I agree with all of these answers, and all of them give me a better understanding of the story.

Jess Russo's Lit Seminar -St. Clair

For my literary seminar I read the story of "A Voice From the Wall" Lena St. Clair. My questions for the inquiry section were pretty challenging and really made people think which is why I believe they took a while to answer. Overall, the seminar went smoothly :)

After a little while of deep thought and referring back to the text, the first question I asked recieved the most feedback from the class.

The question was:

Ying Ying rearranges the furniture settings in the St. Clair’s new house several times claiming things felt “off balance”. What do you think the rearranging of the furniture conveys about Ying Ying and how she deals with seeing fear in everything in her future?



The class's responce was very close to my own, adding insightful thoughts and ideas to the topic.
I believe she tends to run away from pain and try to escape it somehow. This happened when Lena let go of her mother’s hand in the supermarket and she later regretted that she did not protect her daughter better. She is constantly telling Lena to stay away from “risky” situations or any situation that may lead to danger. This is Ying Ying’s way of teaching Lena to run away from fearful situations that can end with danger, pain, or a sacrifice of some kind.

The class agreed by saying that Ying Ying has trouble confronting the problem head on and facing her fears. The idea was also brought up that there was a reoccurring theme in which the St. Clair family seemed to be stuck in the middle of multiple situations. They are constantly finding themselves out of place and stuck between two worlds throughout the story.

Lena St. Clair ~Alyson Auriemma~ p.105

My lit seminar was spanned over the course of two days due to the delayed opening. I think that the first day of my seminar went really well. On the first day we only had time to cover one of my questions. That question was :

Amy Tan used the expression pulled through the wall twice in this chapter, in the beginning and at the end what do you think she meant by this statement?
This question took up all the time i had on the first day. The class had diverse definitions; one person said that the side they were being pulled through to was a worse side than the side they were pulled from. Another person interpreted it as being pulled into someone else's shoes. Another one of my class mates stated that the wall is a metaphor for understanding. I agree with all of these statements. Especially with the one about understanding. That one side could be really bad because you do not understand, but once you go to the other side you understand it is much worse than taking the heat without understanding.

My third question was:
How is the dad in a misplaced state in the family?
What I really should have said was:

Which member of the family do you think is the most misplaced and why?

Many people, even though I said father, disagreed and said that the mother was the most misplaced. Some people also said that Lena was the most misplaced and stuck in the middle of two worlds; her mother's Chinese world and her father's American world.
Please state who you think is the most misplaced give a reason too.

My second question was:

What was the significance of the little girl in this chapter?
This question was on the second day and was the very first thing asked. I do not know if people were just tired or did not understand the question but it unfortunately did not spark a lot of conversation. I will try rephrasing the question now and if this makes any more sense comment your ideas and get some extra credit!:

The little girl in this chapter played a large role in Lena's life. She played a large role even though she only talks to her once. How does this little girl help Lena understand the death of her grandfather better by grasping the concept of being pulled through the wall?


I have one more question that i did not ask in my seminar but i think it is a good question:

Lena has a relationship with both of her parents; which parent do you think that Lena has a better relationship and why and why is the relationship with the other not as great. Does Lena's relation ship with either parent remind you of another relationship in this book? Explain.

I personally like this question and thought i was too long for class, but i wish i used it. Please comment your thoughts and ideas about this question.

Rose Hsu Jordan- Kelsey's Seminar

I thought the class participated really well for my seminar and I really enjoyed the insight everyone had of my chapter. You guys had some really great points, and really understood the section. My first question was: How does Rose’s family rely on their Nengkan in this story? Do you think that her parents’ Nengkan has more to do with faith or fate? Most people agreed that Nengkan is the combination of having faith in one's fate. Someone also made the connection between the Hsu's Nengkan is similar to the Jong's invisible strength. My favorite comment was when someone mentioned An-mei's treatment of her Bible and that she uses it as a tool to keep balance in their lives by wedging it underneath a wobbly table to make it stable. I thought this was especially insightful and explained why An-mei kept the Bible clean even though it is placed this way. My next discussion question was: Do you think Rose’s Chinese heritage or the American culture she grew up in has a greater impact on this story? Some people believed that since Rose and her family's Nengkan played such a large role in the story, that her Chinese heritage had a larger role. Most of the class, however, agreed that it was the mix of the two cultures complemented each other much like the light and dark side of the yin-yang. Many people also believed that Nengkan is represented in many different stories. While it may be called by another name, this idea is not specifically Chinese.

"Scar"- An-mei Hsu--> Sam Levy

Thanks to everyone for participating in my literary seminar! =] The answers to my inquiry questions were very insightful, and they helped to make me understand not only the different views of different readers, but also some new ideas of symbolism throughout the chapter.

Here are my two questions, and the answers I recieved during the seminar:

1. In the chapter why does An-mei’s mother sacrifice her own skin for Popo, An-mei’s dying grandmother? What do you think this symbolizes?
As a class, we agreed on a few main ideas for this question. First, we believed that An-mei's mother sacrifices her skin for Popo just purely because it was an ancient Chinese tradition. As well, even though An-mei's mother is seen as a "ghost" to Popo (An-mei's grandmother), An-mei's mother realizes that by not sacrificing her own skin, she would be even more shunned from the family. Some people in the discussion believed that An-mei's mother still loved and cared for Popo, even though she left. Other people thought that the mother did it more for An-mei, to show that she still cared.
Her physical sacrifice of her own flesh symbolizes how generous her sacrifice was for her mother. If one were to try to expunge one's mother from oneself, one might as well cut off one's flesh. To understand one's mother, one must take the biggest risk of all--looking deep within. The situation also questions what sacrifice is really about. An-mei's mother sacrifices her very flesh, but her sacrifice can revive neither Popo nor their mother-daughter relationship.

2. Do you believe that the sacrifice was for Popo or for An-mei’s mother’s own benefit? Explain.
As a class, we seemed to be torn over this question. About half of the class believed that the sacrafice was purley for Popo. An-mei's mother wanted to show that she loved her mother, and that she would accomplish any thing in her power to save Popo, whether Popo cared or not. Perhaps it was An-mei's mother's way of apoligizing to Popo for her wrong actions from the past.
The other half of the class believed that the sacrifice was actually just for An-mei's mother's own benefit. No matter how deeply An-mei’s mother scared her own arm though, she not can heal An-mei's physical scar or her emotional scars. Perhaps the sacrifice is more for the person who sacrifices (in this case, An-mei's mother) than she for whom it is made (Popo and An-mei), since it allows her to resolve her own guilt over two acts she cannot take back: disgracing her mother and abandoning her daughter.

At the end of the discussion, Ms. Wrede, as well as a few other students, noticed a form of symbolism that I had missed when reading the chapter. An-mei is burned by the soup at the beginning of the chapter when her mother is leaving (=pain). At the end of the chapter An-mei's mother puts her flesh into the soup to try to heal Popo (=healing). Perhaps the soup is a symbol of An-mei and her mother's relationship. The soup burns and the soup cleanses.

*What are your opinions on the soup? What do you think about its symbolism?

Jing-Mei Woo ~ Ann Kenny's Lit Sem

Thank you all for participating and moving my discussion along quickly. Everyone had something relevant and insightful to add. The answers that were given, I took out of class to further my understanding of the passage I chose. So thank you again. Below are the two questions discussed in class, along with the answers that I received during my seminar.

1. From reading Suyuan Woo's story of her day in Kweilin, and comprehending the tone given, do you feel her experiences there had a major effect on her life later on? How about her death?
As a class, we all agreed that Suyuan’s experience in Kweilin tremendously affect her life later, which was clearly expressed through her parenting. Another indication that Kweilin affected Suyuan Woo was through her storytelling. Included in Suyuan’s story, was the abandonment of her first two children. We discussed that the particular incident impacted her so immensely, that her concern for Jing-Mei was a direct result. Although the medical reasons for Suyuan’s death are ambiguous, we did infer a possible cause of death. Because it is stated that she died of her thoughts, perhaps the grief over her children was a major cause of her death.

2. Experiences in life affect who you are, and shape you as a person. Perhaps one feels that Suyuan Woo raised her daughter in a unique way due to her understanding of life. Do you feel that Jing-Mei Woo harbors resentment torwards her mother's understanding of life --> methods of parenting?
The class, as a whole, did not feel that Jing-Mei felt any resentment towards her mother’s way of raising her, instead come confusion. Jing –Mei was not truly sure who her mother was, but she did know her of past – whish affected Jing-Mei. Jing-Mei also says that Her mother stories casted shadows into her life as well, but there is no indication of resentment.

Lindo Jong: The Red Candle- C-Rod's seminar

1. Do you think Lindo Jong's reasoning, after learning she was to be with Tyan-yu forever, was the sign of an intellignt mind or a desperate mind?

I believe Lindo Jong's reasoning was that of a desperate mind, which showed her intelligent mind, as many said throughout Chris' seminar. At first Lindo Jong brings up a thought of "throwing [her] body into [the Fen River]" (Tan 53) which she heard countless stories of it eating children and swallowing homes, but then she realizes something else. She stares into the mirror and finds someone deeper in her that she had not seen before. She finds a confident and intelligent young woman in herself. At that moment you can start to see the intelligent side of her, which was brought out by the desperate side willing to do anythign to get her out of the marriage.

2. In previous pages, Lindo Jong states that she thought the Huang family dear to her. Do you believe she meant it, or do you believe the promise she made to her mother made her feel that way? Why?

At first I believe Lindo Jong finds the Huang family dear to her because of the promise she made to her mother of not disgracing the family, but as time goes on, you learn she has forgotten the promise and just feels as though she never had another family. On page 51 Lindo Jong finds she actually enjoys working for the Huangs, and she also states she has never felt any better. So i believe she actually finds the Huangs to be dear to her only because of the promise she makes to her mother. There is also evidence of this because later in the story, Lindo Jong finds a way to get out of the marriage without disgracing her family.

Ying-Ying St. Clair - Max's Seminar

To everyone who participated good job except for someone who always raised his or her hand without actually having a comment. It was funny at first, but then it got annoying. Anyways back on topic.
To everyone who went so far: We are done!

1. How do you think the experiences of the Moon Lady Festival affect her somber outlook on life? Do you think that the revelation that the Moon Lady was really a man had any affect on her?

The main thing that most of us could agree on was that it showed the audience how young and unknowing Ying-Ying really was. It showed her as a simple girl who was just realizing for the first time the complexity of the world. She is similar to Pip in that manner. Pip realized early on in his life that he was a simple boy, relatively new to the world and hardly knowing anything beyond what directly pertains to everyday life. We compared him to St. Clair and found that they are very similar.

2. Do you think that her outlook on life will change, or do you believe she will remain with a disheartened attitude for the rest of her role in the story? Why?

By the time we got to this question the period was almost over. However we did get to discuss this question a little. One of the things that was said was that she will act a little less trusting and be more suspicious of things, unsure if they truly are what they appear to be. Another thing that was discussed was that she will remained disheartened, a little saddened.

Good luck everyone else, writing this was loads of fun.

Jing-Mei Woo: Joy Luck Club (Lisa's Seminar)

The first story of Joy Luck Club is an interesting introduction and in my seminar I focused a lot on the cultural barrier that blocked Jing-Mei Woo and her mother, Suyuan, and made them so distant from each other. The passage I chose magnifies the communication barrier and cultural gap between mother and daughter. The passage tells how Suyuan spoke Chinese to her daughter, amplifying the translation struggle between the two. The link between the languages that each woman spoke brought up some good points, and I thought that a lot of people had really good contributions to the first "Woo" seminar. Liz said that because both women "speak different languages," figuratively and literally, it makes it really difficult for them to understand one another. Also, Charlie added that Jing-Mei would speak to her mother in English but Suyuan would answer in Chinese, which shows a lot about each character and their "failed translations."

I also asked if beginning the book from the perception of one of the Americanized daughters, rather then a mother, was effective in presenting theme and introducing the meaning of the book. Personally, I thought that Amy Tan did a great job of introducing the themes of cultural barrier and power of dreams and expectations. Like Shawn said, it shows the impact of the mother's stories and struggles on their daughters. Amy Tan tells Suyuan's story through Jing-Mei and presents an account of regrets and lost dreams. I thought it served as a really powerful opening, serving as almost a "story within a story" as Ms. Wrede said. I agree with Alyson, that this introduction was subtle and relateable and allowed for an easy transition into the book. Also, the first story shows a lot about the characters, their cultures, and wishes. I thought Kelsey had a good point, she said that Suyuan and Jing-Mei's expectations show that they're actually very similar. Then, Nikki made some effective comments, comparing Jing-Mei and Suyuan's expectations to Pip in Great Expectations.

There were so many other good comments and contributions in the seminar, so I'm really sorry if I missed you. I really liked this introduction into Joy Luck Club, I thought it was effective in introducing theme, characters, symbols, and the plot. Comment, to tell me what you thought of it =]

Joy Luck Club Jong Seminar (chris's seminar)

I would like to start by thanking you all for participating and keeping it going... I was more then a little nervous my seminar would move slowly...is probably the most politically correct terminolgy. There were a few points I would like to mention that really stuck to me and I think they stuck with the class as a whole, or were large points of contoversy.


At the beginning of the passage Lindo says she kept her promise, from earlier we know the promise to be obeying her new family, and being a faithful wife who doesn’t disgrace her old family, and does she really, fully keep this promise? (keep in mind the Huangs asked her not to tell anyone about her doomed marriage…one that she doomed herself)
Question One: It surprised me slightly we all agreed she kept her promise, but the points brought up truely supported it: Lindo never did tell anyone about why she takes ff the bracelets on the Festival of Pure Light, the day she had her "vision". Furthermore it was brought up she kept it more then was meant to in that she was a good wife while living with the family, but she also knew her husband wouldn't have children and thus found him someone already with a child. The braceltets turned out to be a big discussion point: we mentioned how the bracelets not only were metaphors for her freedom but also for her past that wasnt free.

Lindo says that she later heard the servant girl that replaced her was so struck with this miracle of marrying Tyan-yu, do you believe Lindo believed it was a miracle? Does the servant girl really believe it’s a miracle?

Question Two: We all believed the servant girl did see this as a miracle, or at least not a curse: It was brought up that in this time period an illigitamate child probably would not be too well off in society, and that this is protection for the child in a stable,rich family, and no one calling him a "bastard" However on the other hand it was said that we have no idea if the delieverary man would have recognized the son and married. The servant girl may have wanted to live a struggling life with someone she clearly loved as compared to someone who she took as an option to keep the child safe.

These are just the strongest points that I could note, and I believe them all to have merit and logic, so feel free to add on or argue these points out.

Walter wants...

In A Raisin in the Sun, each character has a plan for the $10,000 insurance check. Whose desire or dream do you feel will best benefit the family?

satire

Britney Spears was spotted on Rodeo Drive yesterday shopping for wedding gowns. Persons who were close enough to see said that there was no engagement ring on the pop tarts finger and were not sure who the dress was for.

Rumors did circulate that she could have been purchasing a wedding gown for her sister, but she was not seen shopping for the maternity versions (younger sister Jamie Lynn has a bun in the oven).

It can be proven, however, that the wedding gown was probably not for Britney herself, or her friend Paris, as she bought a white one.

Las Vegas oddsmakers plan on opening book tomorrow on the identity of the recipient of the mystery wedding gown. Early favorites include Paris Hilton's teacup chihuahua and other members of her kennel.

LASREVER

HEHE :-0

INCONGRUITY

This is truly an incongruity...

PARODY

Pardon this parody...

EXAGGERATION

An exaggeration example...

Metaphor?

Some believe Gregor Samsa's external change is a metaphor for an internal change he has experienced. Looking back at chapter one, what evidence within the text supports this idea? What, then, has changed for Gregor internally?

Insanity Plea?

Some readers of The Matamorphosis have proposed that Gregor is actually insane and only believes that he has transformed into an insect. Evaluate this interpretation by providing specific evidence in the text that substantiates this claim.

Style

Russian author Vladimir Nabokov once commented that the straightforward stle of The Metamorphosis is in "striking contrast to the nightmare of the tale." Look back at Kafka's writing style and, with Nabokov's statement in mind, explain how the style enhances the nightmarish quality of the work.

Dear Nobody

Dear nobody,
Do you know that feeling of finishing a test early? You are the first one done and everyone else is still working. You've checked and double-checked and maybe even triple-checked and still nobody is done. Awkward!!!!
Silence fills the room and all that is heard is breathing. Some breaths are shallow, others seem to consume the room with their immense sound. Pens and pencils scribble across back and forth across test papers. Feet nervously tape and jackets come on and off. Twirling hair, girls gaze off wondering. Boys just look down right confused. Somebody breaks the silence with a sneeze or cough. It's like surface tension. Broken for a spilt second and then instantly returns to its former state.
Finally, a brave soul inside a student's body cries out, and the person is the first to hand in their test. About 20 pairs of eyes watch the journey to the front of the room and back. Then, those eyes return to their own work. Slowly, like molasses, more and more test takers walk up to turn in their tests with hopes of a good grade. Eventually, the silence is broken by the bell and the classroom is emptied. The test is over.