FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

“No. Travis, you stay right here. And you make him understand what you doing, Walter Lee. You teach him good. Like Willy Harris taught you. You show where our five generations done come to” (Hansberry 147).

Family values transcend through each generation. Mama’s five generations believed in fighting for one’s family, trying to stay as a homogenous family unit. When Walter tries to sell the house to Mr. Lindner, he is metaphorically exchanging all the morals he has been taught for money. In effect, he will be empty inside, consumed by the societal ideal to achieve a higher socioeconomic status in life. However, Mama allows Travis to stay and “grin innocently” (Hansberry 147). Although Walter has already lost his innocence, he cannot take himself to destroy Travis’s innocence; he does not want Travis to see him trade his morals for money and see his black culture be subservient to the white race. As Travis looks up to Walter for guidance, Walter does not want him to feel trapped in a society filled with racial divisions. Instead, Walter’s decision acts as a model for Travis to stand up for his beliefs, fighting injustice and not giving in.

Loss of generational values is seen even in our 11 AP class. Our parents all went to school without advanced smartphones to text in class, snapchat, tweet, etc. Talking face-to-face and hanging out with friends is now being replaced with hours spent trying to take the perfect selfie or video to upload on one’s snap story. Despite regulations put in place to limit cellphone use, our generation has the audacity to continue using our phones constantly in class, having our eyes glued to our tiny screens. In a way, we have all adopted FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). This fear of regret—loss of social interaction—permeates through our minds; we adopt this obsession to know exactly what is going on in society at every moment. One ring from our phones makes everyone in class wonder if they received a notification, turning our attention to our phones. Now I am not saying that I am the perfect person. I waste copious amounts of time just refreshing Facebook to see if anyone posted something new. Snapchat almost trapped me into a cycle of destruction this summer: trying to maintain Snapchat streaks.

 

This is me trying to keep my Snapchat streaks

However, we must return to our past generation’s values; we must take the conscientious effort to ignore our phones when they get a new notification; we must limit our social media usage; we must concentrate what is in front of us; we must respect others. Travis reminds Walter of the 5 generations of family values just as Val should remind us of our past generation’s values. Is it worth it to check our phone or should we focus on our education? (however, I am left to wonder how students from last year got so many photos of Val for their memes)

A Dream Deferred

It was 1998, just four years after my parents immigrated to the US; they were hoping to achieve that American Dream—a stable life having the ability to do what they wanted. I was not born until 2000, but my parents and two older sisters lived comfortably in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was at that time when my mom’s dream was deferred.

My mom tells me the story like it was yesterday. An old man was selling his gas station because he wanted to retire and move to Florida with his family. Finding out about this one in a lifetime opportunity, my mom instantly wanted to invest. The best part about the deal was that the owner did not even expect a down payment. He told her that “the profits you make minus your living expenses can be paid to me until you eventually pay it off.” This was the ultimate deal. Showing interest in leadership as a child, my mom saw this as the perfect opportunity to exercise her freedom that was not given to her in China. She would no longer have to be told by her teachers that women cannot take leadership positions. She would challenge the patriarchy that runs our society. She could enhance our family’s life in America and achieve her lifelong dream. 

Despite the perfect offer, my dad had reservations about this. What if we ended up losing money? What if we could never pay the man back? What if…? It posed too big of a risk, and my dad was not willing to take it. After experiencing the poverty that plagued China at that time, my dad could not imagine ending up on the streets of America, begging for money. He, on the other hand, wanted to make a stable income from his job and save money for our college tuitions gradually, avoiding any major risks as possible. With that, my mom’s dream was deferred.

My parents will never forget the 1960s.

Now, almost 19 years past, my mom’s dream is starting to “dry up like a raisin in the sun…[and] sag like a heavy load.” After that offer, my mom was never given another opportunity. Her main focus from then on was to give me and my sisters the best education possible—to provide for us what she was never able to achieve. I think this is what motivates me and my sisters. My mom could have easily spent the thousands of dollars our parents are spending on us to go to college. Not only are they willing to pay for our undergraduate education, but they are also willing to take loans out if we need them. My mom’s dream did not have to be deferred because my dad would not have to worry about providing for us. How could we possibly complain about how challenging our lives are when my mom gave up the only dream she had? How could we hate school when my mom’s dream was deferred to pay for it?

My mom’s altruism made her dream change into seeing us succeed in the future. However, deep down, I know that she still wants to start her own business. And one day when I receive my first paycheck, I will defer my dreams, like my mom did 19 years ago, so she can fulfill hers before I care about my own.

Someday I will return the sacrifices my parents made.

  

Borne Back Ceaselessly Into the Past

“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning—

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (180).

This passage concludes the novel in the most profound way. Gatsby is no longer the only one chasing an unachievable dream; instead, “we” all will try to run towards our goals. Our whole lives are built around trying to achieve meaning in society. Although many people try and ignore this fact, we will all eventually die. Everything that we have worked so hard to achieve will lead us to become another statistic; our lives will simply be noted on a death certificate; all of our memories will vanish to nonexistence. This almost reminds me of my AP Environmental project I did last week. We were counting the number of people who died within certain age groups, not even taking note of the person’s name. All those people on the list who probably wanted to reach something in life were turned only into one line on a page:

Name, Date of Birth, Date of Death.

Gatsby’s whole life was defined by his hope to recreate the past—to go back five years and marry Daisy. The more he worked to achieve his goal, the more it moved farther away from him. Using an ellipsis, Fitzgerald highlights the long, dragged out cycle in our lives, only to achieve nothing. This repetitive life that we choose to chase a dream that—in reality—is not even possible to achieve. The American Dream that is the epitome of America’s history is only to be an illusion. Something so well know, but so abstract.

This passage also reminded me of a poem by Langston Hughes:

What happens to a dream deferred?

      Does it dry up

      like a raisin in the sun?

      Or fester like a sore—

      And then run?

      Does it stink like rotten meat?

      Or crust and sugar over—

      like a syrupy sweet?

      Maybe it just sags

      like a heavy load.

      Or does it explode?

I would argue that Gatsby’s dream goes through the same process of decay that African American dreams go through, as described in the poem. Although Gatsby continues to believe that his dream is possible, it actually becomes the explosion that kills him. The “East…that distorted beyond my eyes’ power of correction” makes the American Dream impossible; the corruption and dirt infiltrates Gatsby’s dream. How can Gatsby’s dream be fulfilled in such an unyielding earth?

Another unachievable dream: Watching The Great Gatsby in class J

                                                                                                                                                   

My Epiphany this Week

I find it ironic that we started reading The Great Gatsby this week. It was as if Ms. Valentino was allowing us to immerse ourselves in the world’s obsession with material goods. The excessive spending that characterizes the 1920s parallels to the amount of money people spend during the Black Friday Weekend.

I felt like Nick Carraway as I watched people make extravagant purchases, putting them on credit. Similarly, Nick watched “men and girls [come] and [go] like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” (Fitzgerald 39). Everybody somehow ended up at Gatsby’s door” (Fitzgerald 41) just like how everyone ended up at some retail store last Thursday and Friday. The need to buy the latest gadgets that were on sale forced people to line up outside stores for hours, hoping to buy the 55-inch TV that was discounted $250. Although my parents and I did not originally plan to participate in this “tradition,” we still felt the need to see what was on sale—the need to buy something drew us in.

Materialism was at work, molding every person in the US to purchase something that would, in theory, make us happy.

We went to Best Buy at 6:00, not planning to get any of the “doorbusters.” As we walked around seeing what was on sale, my parents decided that they needed to buy a new TV to replace the one in their room. The new amazing features forced my parents to believe that it was a necessity. The discount was unavoidable, making it seem worth every penny spent. This one transaction turned into a night of visiting different retail stores to see what was on sale.

This is a perfect example of what people felt in the 1920s: every new item on sale was a necessity. People tricked themselves into the idea that their purchases would complete their life—as if they could not live without them. Inside, we are all similar to Daisy, crying at the sight of “such beautiful shirts…that [make] us sad because [we’ve] never seen such—such beautiful shirts before” (Fitzgerald 92).

Memories from APUSH

This need for material items has construed the meaning of Thanksgiving itself: to be thankful; instead, we forget who we are and spend ridiculous amounts of money. Thanksgiving was a celebration with the Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims survive; however, the pilgrims ended up killing them and taking their land. Our whole history is riddled with our conflicts with Native Americans because we are driven by the need for land. Even today we are invading reservations to build the Dakota Access Pipeline. It was on the news for a couple of days, and then we became focused on our own lives—we became focused on materialism.

NO DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE!

Whether Ms. Valentino purposely made us start reading The Great Gatsby on the Black Friday week or it was just a coincidence, I feel like we all begin to see the materialism that drives our country. Materialism not only damages our morals, but it also leads to devastating consequences: The Great Depression, The Great Recession, and who knows what else will come. 

A Beautiful Ending

Last Friday we wrote an essay on The Bluest Eye, focusing on a single scene within the book. I felt like I did better on this essay compared to the MAUS essay. Looking back at it, I felt more connected with The Bluest Eye. I am not saying MAUS was a bad novel, but I could draw parallels between my life and Pecola’s (as seen from my past blog posts). However, my experiences are not as damaging as Pecola’s; I can never truly understand Pecola’s life because of her extreme suffering. At the end of the novel, she becomes trapped in a schizophrenic state, believing that everyone is jealous “ever since [she] got [her] blue eyes” (Morrison 195). 

Pecola’s destruction stems from her disconnect with society; she cannot find a community that can relate with her experiences. Even though Claudia and Frieda are friends with Pecola, they are still ignorant of the pain she suffers though, learning the dirty truth in society by watching Pecola’s experiences. Without someone to help her cope through her tough life, Pecola goes down a spiral of self-loathing, hoping for blue eyes to fix her problem.

Furthermore, I loved the way that Morrison ended the novel. Combining a metaphor with insightful statements, Morrison is able to clearly elucidate the damaging effects of racism, incest, etc. The bird that was “winged but grounded…intent on the blue” (Morrison 204) is Pecola; the blue eyes are higher than her, surrounding her just like the blue sky. The blue eyes are there to remind her of her insignificance because she is unable to attain them.

Morrison also presents one final argument that differs from society. She says that “love is never any better than the lover,” (Morrison 206) contrasting with the thought that love is always positive. Cholly may have “loved her” (Morrison 206), but Pecola was destroyed by it. Cholly has never felt real love or had a normal childhood. Any love that Cholly gives to Pecola will make her “shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover’s inward eye” (Morrison 206).

Finally, alluding back to the metaphor of the earth, Morrison demonstrates how the damage on Pecola is total. However, by ending the novel with a qualifying phrase, “at least on the edge of my town,” Morrison displays a sign of hope within society. Pecola’s life may be a reminder for the damage that can be done, but with a communal effort, we can fix the issues that plague our society.

The Bluest Election

Dear readers,

I am sorry I did not post earlier. I usually try and have my post done on Saturday, but I had many activities this weekend. This week's post may go against your views, so it is okay if you do not agree. 

Morrison utilizes the seasons throughout her novel to emphasize the cycle that Pecola goes through—the cycle of abuse. Through each chapter, Morrison juxtaposes the season's normal connotation with an unfitting event to highlight the disorder in Pecola's life. (Maureen Peal, a idolized, vivacious girl, juxtaposes the normal, gloomy days defined by winter, Pecola's rape scene juxtaposes the bright days defined by spring, etc.). However, this week does not need to be juxtaposed to emphasize disorder. The election of Donald Trump was devastating to me. I felt like the falling leaves that characterizes fall; the fate of this country in the upcoming months will wither away. While some leaves (people) remain on the coniferous trees, other people (leaves) will fall and disintegrate. The cold dark days that loom ahead of us are another reminder of the time left we have with complete freedom. Soon, we will be trapped by the wall, shutting ourselves from the cultural diversity that originally defined this country. 

The results of the election "yanked [me] up by the arm, slapped [me] again, and in a voice thin with anger, abused [me] directly" (Morrison 109). Originally, I joked with my teachers and friends at the thought of Trump winning—it was impossible; even Mr. Aldinger said there was little change of it occurring. Pushing me out my ignorance, the election results revealed the truth behind Mr. Trump's words. I was no longer shadowed by lies, and I now had to deal with a President who said "when Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you, they’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bring crime. They’re rapists… And some, I assume, are good people" and that "the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."

Pecola's innocence was destroyed when Mrs. Breedlove abused her; instead of protecting her own daughter, she decided to shield a little white girl from the truth. Mrs. Breedlove refuses to tell the "little pink-and-yellow girl" what is happening by saying "don't worry none, baby" and "'course I will" (Morrison 109). By showing love towards a white girl, Pecola begins to realize the world is not made of perfect families, which are normally portrayed in movies; instead, there are parents like Mrs. Breedlove who are disillusioned with society themselves and vent their anger on their children. Morrison further demonstrates a fall of innocence by alluding to the fall of man. Mrs. Breedlove spits "rotten pieces of apple" (Morrison 109) at Pecola, elucidating the harsh reality that Pecola is only now beginning to realize. This "rotten" (Morrison 109) truth that Pecola discovers is not even completely revealed to her; through the rest of the novel, Pecola will begin to piece together the "pieces" (Morrison 109) that are slowly, internally destroying her.

Similarly, my understanding of the world is only slightly beginning to be revealed. Is it fair that Hillary Clinton won the popular votes but Donald Trump wins the election? Is it fair that most of Donald Trump's votes came from uneducated rural populations, leading to his victory? I used to think of the government as an imperfect solution that is the best we have; now I am realizing the corrupt nature of politics. Our world is defined by profit and loss, winner and loser, power and helplessness, etc. While the election results may shadow the words that Donald Trump said to others, my innocence is destroyed. Soon, the "little girl in pink" (Morrison 109) will realize what he/she has done.

Repost from the Facebook Group

A Look Into My Past

I remember back in 3^rd grade when my mom bought me Elmo sneakers. They were white with a picture of some of the characters on Sesame Street. Most notable on the sneakers were the ABC letters that were ostentatiously displayed on the center of the shoes. They were the bane of my existence. Despite the good intentions my mom had, I could not escape the scathing remarks from the kids at my school.

“Are you a baby?”

“Why are you wearing those childish shoes?”

I would always say at night, "'Please make me disappear'" (Morrison 45). It was not just the shoes that people made fun of me for. It was the “football shaped head,” scrawny body, bowl cut hair, small eyes… My body would slowly coil into a ball, trying to allow “the little parts of [my] body [to fade] away” (Morrison 45); however, my deficiencies would always be revealed to the world, allowing the criticism to attack me. My mom did not understand what I went through, and I was forced to continue to wear the ugly sneakers.

The next day, I covered Elmo with white duct tape and went to school. Nevertheless, the kids made fun of my shoes. At recess, they threw mud at them, staining them black. The dark deficiencies would always cover me completely, defining who I was wherever I went. No matter what I wished for, no matter how hard I dreamed for a different life, I would always remain in the same body, waiting for ridicule. Why did I have to suffer through this while others happily enjoyed their lives?

I absolutely hated PE class. When we played kickball, I would always be left with a useless role like covering a base that someone else was already covering. My scrawny body could never help the team. My bowl cut hair would be flowing through the wind. I remember one time when a kid purposely pushed me to the ground, covering my completely in dirt. The teacher would always believe that it was an accident. After that, I always found an excuse to avoid the class. I would ask my homeroom teacher to allow me to stay in class. Sometimes I would even act like I was completely confused on what we were learning, just to avoid PE.

During the EOGs (End of Grade Assessment Exam), we had a bathroom break. Some of the boys decided to throw wet paper towels at people. The assistant principal came and stopped them. Then, he took the people into our classroom and asked them who else was involved. Out all the people in my classroom, I was named. I never understood why the assistant principal believed that they would tell the truth. I felt like the world was directly targeting me; I had to apologize without even being given the chance to argue my case. The world that was covered in a white facade was slowly being revealed in front of my face.

I continued going to school, hating every bit of it—except for my elective, reading, and math classes. Those were the only places where I could escape. This is what forced me to work hard at school. It was not the pressure from my parents, but from the bullies at my school. If I succeeded in my school work, my intelligence would cover my deficiencies that people made fun of me for. However, inside I still yearned to be like the idolized students at my school. I beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. The harder I tried to achieve my goals, the farther the goals seemed to move away from me.

Now, 8 years later and 706.8 miles away from this event, I am stilled affected by it. I still have the “football shaped head,” scrawny body, small eyes… I still try my hardest at school to make myself unique and cover my ugliness. However, I feel like I have become more accepting of myself. If someone criticizes me, I will not be stopped by their words. My individuality is not defined by what other people have to say. I will continue to study as hard as I can, forgetting my want to change my physical traits. I will never trap myself in the dark period that defines my past.

Despite my acceptance for who I am, Pecola is still stuck looking at her deficiencies, allowing her desire for blue eyes to consume her. She has never experienced anything different or found herself appreciated. I was only able to move on because I found refuge with academics. Pecola, on the other hand, is completely shunned by society, making her believe that she is not worthy of anything. Without discovering oneself, people can quickly become disillusioned with society; they are put in a cycle of abuse, unable to move on from their self-loathing. 

Society and the Gender Stereotypes

Beauty standards affect everyone today; people are pressured to look a certain way to achieve a society defined “ideal” body type. Once upon a time, dolls were “flat-footed and breastless, and ineffably dignified” (Prager 354). However, the current Barbies have “breasts [that] are so out of proportion to the rest of her body” (Prager 353). Women are becoming more and more objectified through social media, making girls believe that they must achieve that standard. Even from the day babies are born, they are forced to adhere to a strict gender stereotype: girls are given pink items (whether it be pink clothes or pink elephants) and boys are given blue items. It is not like Jesus created these radical divisions. Through the media’s rhetoric, women are forced into these patriarchal defined beauty standards.

Is looking that skinny even necessary?

Something I find very amusing is how ridiculous the beauty standards are and how frequently they change; however, they are still forced on women. For example, in Mean Girls, Regina George is made fun of for having a fat butt; however, our society right now is encouraging women to get butt augmentation surgeries. Many celebrities are posting photos showing off their butt, “verifying” that this is a needed standard for women.  Although Kim Kardashian took an x-ray to prove she did not undergo surgery, she still tries to show off her butt, making other women insecure about their bodies.

From criticizing Regina for having a fat butt...

to idolizing it!

Our patriarchal society defines that a “thirty-nine-inch bust and a twenty-three-inch waist are the epitome of lovability” (Prager 354). However, who are these standards trying to impress? Men. Women are forced into this cycle of adhering to these standards to fit in with a male-dominated society.  Making matters worse, famous female artists are even writing songs that are upholding these gender roles. In Meghan Trainor’s song, Dear Future Husband, she says that “she never learned to cook,” but she also says that “if you wanna be my one and only…if you wanna get that special loving.” Trainor will not follow the social standard of cooking for her man; however, the whole song upholds the “standard” that women are subservient to men. This sends conflicting messages to girls who should be empowering themselves, believing that they can do whatever they want to do in life without any restrictions.

Changing our mindset is going to take a lot of work; we need to stand up to these stereotypes as a world and change our perspective. This is an issue deeply rooted in our society that needs to be addressed now. Without equality, we are always going to be “trapped in Barbie’s world” (Prager 355).

BREAK THE GENDER ROLES!

Oppression and Power

Maus utilizes an unconventional format, pictures and words, to illustrate Vladek’s experience during the Holocaust. Through the use of a variety of rhetorical strategies, Spiegelman demonstrates the importance of power and oppression during the Holocaust.

Spiegelman makes a clear contrast between the Nazis and the Jews; by allowing cats to represent the Nazis and mice to represent the Jews, Spiegelman shows how the Nazis figuratively feed off the Jews to gain power. The cats are depicted with sharp fangs that look ready to feast on the mice. With control over the Jews, the Nazis demonstrate how power is gained by oppressing other people. There are far more mice depicted on the page compared to the number of cats; however, by imposing fear and caging the mice, the Nazis are able to draw strength from their weaknesses.

Furthermore, Spiegelman allows the Swastika to enclose the whole page—from the soldier’s hat and arm to the trucks. The Swastika has become a sign of terror and death for the Jews. By putting the symbol everywhere on the page, Spiegelman highlights how the symbol causes fear—the Swastika is constantly following the Jews throughout their lives. The Swastika on the truck gives power to the Nazis by suggesting that the Jews are a material property of the Nazis. In addition, the containment of the Jews in a truck further demonstrates the control the Nazis have; they are able to control the exact location of Jews, similar to material goods.

Spiegelman sets up a juxtaposition of having the mice control other mice on the bottom left, emphasizing the fact that oppression leads to power. The Nazis are able to force the Jews to subjugate their own people, removing their moral decency, but still control all of the Jews. It is a continuous cycle of abuse from one person to another, leading to the Nazis far reach in the Jewish people’s lives. Spiegelman also makes a stark contrast by having Vladek offer food to another Jew on the top frame; this is the last time he helps someone else without focusing on self-interest. The oppression was not only able to physically control the Jews, but it also controlled them mentally; the Jews no longer operate as caring people but as primitive beings with a man-eat-man mindset.

Spiegelman also demonstrates that oppression gives power to the Nazis through the dialogue. Vladek says many statements in only simple sentences, like “that they will gas us,” to emphasize the fear the Jews faced. Vladek cannot think coherently with long complex thoughts because he knows the impeding danger. The Nazis oppressed the Jews to believe that they would not come out of Auschwitz alive and that they would die for sure. This mindset gives power to the Nazis because the Jews feel hopeless, simply waiting for their death; the Jews do not want to die so they follow the strict Nazi rules. With no sense of hope left, the Jews live their lives in the concentration camps without power, giving their power to the Nazis. 

Spiegelman's Depiction (above) vs. Real Life

Blurring the Lines Between Past and Present

Maus focuses on Vladek’s reflection of the past and how the past and present converge. When Vladek revisits old family photos, the photos converge on Vladek and Artie on the last panel; this emphasizes how the past meets the present. No matter how hard Vladek tries to move on from his past, he will always remember his experiences in the Holocaust. Vladek even says, “All such things of the war, I tried to put out of my mind once and for all … Until you rebuild me all this from your questions” (Spiegelman 98). Furthermore, Spiegelman shows the parallels between past and present by comparing Josef with Artie; Josef killed himself out of grief similar to Artie’s emotional regret for coldly responding to his mom the last time he saw her. Even in the picture of Josef and Sonia together, there is a hole where Sonia’s face should be; this draws attention to Artie’s mom’s death. By paralleling the past and the present, Spiegelman demonstrates the circular pattern in life; the present will repeat the past. Similarly, the world’s history is riddled with accounts of genocide, elucidating human’s inability to change—people will continue to repeat the past

Centering the page with Levek’s photo, Spiegelman gives importance to Levek in relation to Vladek's life. Vladek gave money to Levek to help him return to Warsaw; however, Vladek sent him to his death, overcasting the present with the guilt of indirectly killing Levek. In addition, all the photos require a lot of ink. In order for Artie to rebuild his father’s history, Vladek has to go through a bloodletting, being reminded of his guilty actions. Vladek goes through this painful process just to recount his stories for Artie, emphasizing his care for his child. This highlights how family members are an integral part of one’s life. Vladek’s dead family members cause him grief, but he wishes they are alive like Artie. By trying to control Artie’s life, Vladek hangs on to the only family member he has left.

At the bottom of the page, Spiegelman piles up the photos to emphasize the amount of memories Vladek has to live with. The fact that the photos fall demonstrates the weighty nature of memories—not just physically but also emotionally. Vladek has to live with the fact that so many of his family members died and that he survived partly from luck; the survivor’s guilt lingers in Vladek’s life, forcing him to be unable to live life like how it was before his traumatizing experiences. Furthermore, by having the photos over the present day panel, Spiegelman underscores how the past is eating into his present. The little space left that shows the present demonstrates the little amount of freedom Vladek has to control his own life without recollecting the past.

“The Holocaust, taken by itself, is a black hole. To look at it directly is to be swallowed up by it.”-David Novak

Chinese Patriarchy

Watch this video clip:

"My mom once said, 'I wish Heather would have been a boy then I could brag about her.'"

The Chinese culture has always been sexist, believing that women are less than men. Men would usually work labor intensive jobs, and women would do the housework. This idea that women should work at home and be dependent on men has led many Chinese parents to focus on marriage and having children. The fact that Mrs. Yang was told by her mom that she still wished her daughter was a boy in order to brag shows how male oriented Chinese culture is—the only way to have pride in one’s life is to have a successful son. Even Chinese movies and television shows uphold the image of men being more valuable than women.

Even though my parents are not as sexist as Mrs. Yang’s parents, my parents still have some gendered stereotypes; they believe men are more math and science oriented and women are more literature and arts oriented. Even though I tell them about famous people who have broken these preconceptions, they still believe them (probably because my sisters and I fit into these stereotypes). My sisters are better writers and I am better in science—however, it is hard to use scores to quantify who is better at a subject. Although my parents will never deign to admit it, they probably had three children just to have at least one son (I am the youngest).

However, they do not believe that “feeding girls is feeding cowbirds” (Kingston 46) or think that my sisters get “A’s for the good of [their] future husband’s family” Kingston 47). My parents cherish my sisters and I equally and support whatever we want to do in the future. Even though my mom has some gendered beliefs, she still supports female empowerment because she has faced many sexist remarks as a child; she was always told that men would be preferred in society, like getting admitted to college—Chinese colleges would allow men with lower test scores compared to women. This motivated her to excel academically and physically to overcome these restrictions. It is paradoxical that my mom still has some sexist beliefs, even though she broke gender stereotypes in China.

I always ask my mom why she does not try and help change our sexist society. She replies with the same response: there is not much I can do to change the ideology of the world, and employers are going to still discriminate against women. However, this will never stop her from supporting my sisters to do whatever they want in life. She wants to give all of us the freedom she never got from a patriarchal country.

--

The freedom that all women deserve can only be achieved through a shift in ideology in our country. In order to create equality, stereotypes and gender roles need to be broken; there should not be jobs and activities “fit” for one gender. No matter how long the process takes, the change in thought process needs to emphasize the ability of women to achieve anything men can do.  

                                      SUBVERT THE PATRIARCHY!

The Need for School Changes

Warning: This blog post is going to be a little unconventional compared to my previous posts; it will probably sound like a rant.

I just finished reading The Chariot’s article TC Line’s Future Uncertain, and I am not impressed with the school’s actions. The administration decided to ban the TC Line temporarily and increase supervision at football games. I am not saying that the students who decided to bring alcohol to the game should go unpunished, but the “[school] is at best but an expedient; but most [schools] are usually, and all [schools] are sometimes, inexpedient” (Thoreau 1016). The school thinks that these restrictions will solve the problem of alcohol and drug abuse at Troy High School. They will not. 

I was ignorant that people at Troy High use alcohol and drugs when I first got here. Until people told me how widespread this problem is, I had no idea it occurred. I was so sheltered by being around people who do not make these poor decisions that I did not know the other side of Troy High. The administration is like me before I knew this problem—they only see the superficial, glamorous part of student life. 

Even if people are not bringing alcohol to football games, that does not stop them from drinking it at parties. I think that teenagers are at a point where they want to break rules and become independent. The more restrictions placed on them, the more they are inclined to break them just to feel “cool.” This is similar to the no gum policy in middle school. I remember teachers always having to tell students to spit out their gum. The school believed that, without restrictions, students would leave their gum everywhere and vandalize the school. However, after coming to Troy High where there is not a no gum policy (at least I think there is not), students are not putting gum everywhere; they are respectfully chewing gum to stay focused in class, and they are properly throwing it away in the trash. 

I think that the school’s “expedient” decision to ban the TC Line and increase supervision would make more students want to have parties to break these rules. In Thoreau’s perspective, students are simply exercising their conscience and viewing these rules as unjust. Again, I do not believe kids should be drinking alcohol or doing drugs, but the school is not doing much to solve this issue.  

I know we are only students, but the school should listen to our opinions more. “Why is it not more apt to anticipate and provide for reform” (Thoreau 1022). The only way we can solve issues at our school is by working together. By simply installing more regulations, the school is only exacerbating the problem. 

“plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose”

-Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

My Life Versus the Asian Stereotype

"The first time I heard Robert Johnson sing I knew he understood what it meant to be Indian on the edge of the twenty-first century, even if he was black at the beginning of the twentieth. That must have been how my father felt when he heard Jimi Hendrix" (Alexie 35).

Sherman Alexie demonstrates the isolated feeling minorities can have; they are constantly reminded of their differences from the "societal norm." The Dad, who is annoyed by the history of abuse Whites had on Native Americans, relates to Jimi Hendrix because they both belong to minority races. By escaping society and listening to Hendrix’s rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, the Dad is able to connect its variations with the differences in his life; the highs and lows in the song represent the highs and lows in his life, but they come together to make a unique combination. Alexie further demonstrates minorities’ isolated feelings by using humor in the movie Smoke Signals to mock the stereotypes society places on people. The movie contrasts the stereotype of Native Americans—being a primitive hunter—with an “atypical” Native American. The movie demonstrates that stereotypes are false and cannot—and should not—be applied to any group of people.

Stereotypes affect everyone in society. Whether they depict the dumb blonde or the overachieving Asian, stereotypes generalize groups of people with a few characteristics. By simplifying the diverse number of personalities in the world, they give false preconceptions of people, despite the fact that every human is different in his or her own way. How could it be possible for everyone under one stereotype to be the same?

My parents are the perfect example of not conforming to the social stereotypes. Because they are “Asian parents,” one would expect them to be extremely strict, forcing me to study 24/7. However, this is definitely not the case. They do not check Schoology obsessively and only check it after each marking period ends—they do not even have a Schoology account. They do not force me to continuously study for hours upon hours. I force myself to study as hard as I do. My parents do instill the value of education, but they have not taken it to the “Asian level.” I even asked them once what they would do if I got a grade lower than an A. They said to me that “there is nothing you can do but reflect on your mistakes and try and succeed the next semester.” They value the education I get more than the letter grade.

It is funny to think that they do not force me to become proficient at the piano and violin. Even though they encouraged me to play any instrument I wanted, I ended up deciding for myself that I would quit playing the trumpet in 9^th grade. Not to mention, my parents always try and make me go outdoors no matter how many upcoming tests or assignments I have. They believe that getting exercise or relaxing between periods of studying will keep me more focused than studying 5-6 hours straight. Their philosophy is completely different from that of the strict stereotypical Asian, and I love that my parents do not conform to the Asian stereotype because the freedom has allowed me to shape who I am today.

Stereotypes are destructive towards society; they make minorities feel even more separated from their country. Furthermore, they understate the complexity of human personalities, forcing everyone under the same stereotype to seem the same. People need to show their true personalities and prevent themselves from becoming carbon copies of what society chooses for them to be.

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

One of the most well-known quotes from The Declaration of Independence states that we are entitled to three God-given rights: Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Even though we are guaranteed these rights, does everyone exercise the same control over their lives? 

Life represents our control over our lives. The founding fathers set up a system of government that gives us a voice by allowing us to be represented in the government, removing the idea of "virtual representation" from the British. However, voicing our opinions is a difficult task. One cannot simply ask his/her state senator or house of representative to change a law and expect it to be done. It requires national attention from television ads, newspaper headlines, and a lot of money. 

Our social status defines the amount of control we have over our lives. The rich are able to voice their opinions while the poor are seen as less important. Take for example, the Flint water crisis. The government decided to supply Flint water from the Detroit River because it was cheaper; the pipes were extremely old and leached lead into the water. What many people do not realize is that the water crisis started all the way back in April 2014 and is still ongoing. Most people from Flint are from a lower socioeconomic status. Even though they vehemently petitioned for change, nothing was done until many months later. Once the issue got on the news, people from all over the country began to help solve the water crisis. The people of Flint are given life, the ability to control their lives; however, the degree they are able to exercise this right is determined by what our world is driven by—money. 

Liberty, as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is "the state or condition of people who are able to act and speak freely." If I were to say at Troy High School, "I love Trump and fully support him," I would probably be ridiculed for saying something so ludicrous (and for your information, I am not a Trump or Hillary fan). Even though Trump has said some pretty negative things, it would be just as negative to completely bash him.

Our society has a set social standard of what we can say, restricting us from voicing our opinions freely. If we say something against the majority view, we are met with instant hate and scorn. Although these “rules” are not written in law, the restriction of voicing our opinions are de facto written in society.

Lastly, and by far the most defining factor of the world’s view of America, the pursuit of Happiness states that we are able to pursue any goal in life and live life the way that makes us happy. However, our society tries to hinder our pursuit of happiness. Whether it be our gender, socioeconomic status, race, religious belief, the minority will always have to work harder to achieve their goals.

Even in the Pursuit of Happyness, the main character, Chris Gardner, has to work day and night to get the job as a stock broker. Although he was able to achieve his goal, he had to work harder than any other intern to receive the job. If Gardner had connections, he could have instantly received a job; however, due to his low status and connections, he has to work diligently to get the job.

We may all be guaranteed the right of the pursuit of Happiness, but the difficulty to achieve our dreams is based on our advantages and disadvantages in life.

The rights we are guaranteed is definitely a huge step from the “Form of Government [that is] destructive of these ends.” However, we must understand these rights will never be equally shared among Americans. Unless we can completely change the ideology of our country, we will continue to be chained down by the restrictions placed on certain genders, socioeconomic statuses, races, religious beliefs, etc.