Monkey Bridge

Can you be accused of grouping all Asian American’s as one group? Who hasn’t wrongfully called someone “Chinese” who is Korean. Most, if not all Caucasian Americans, would group Vietnamese-Americans as Asian-Americans. Strong aspects of culture and heritage is lost when immigrants from Asian countries are not individually recognized. Asian-Americans represent an ethnic group that is recognized by white America; yet, “the demographic includes dozens of ethnic groups, languages, religions, customs and origins from across the globe, stretching from Japan and China to Pakistan and India. Academic observers and community members say the diversity within the group is so rich and disparate, it seems folly to treat it as a single bloc” (Taneeru 1). White America is rightfully accused of grouping many different cultures as one. Maneev Taneeru’s article “Asian-American’s Diverse Voices Share Similar Stories” documents events in which Vietnamese and other immigrants were wrongfully grouped as different culture. For example, Derald Wong Sue, a professor of psychology and education at Columbia, was told her English was very good because of her physical Asian appearance; Wong is a second generation American who doesn’t know one word of Japanese. Similar to the article “Asian-American’s Diverse Voices Share Similar Stories”, Lan Cao’s book Monkey Bridge exposes prejudice towards Asian American’s in her story of a young immigrant assimilating to American society.
Monkey Bridge is an interesting novel because of Cao’s ability to make the reader feel the emotions that the character is feeling. I truly felt the emotions Mia, a teenage Vietnamese immigrant, and experiences during her assimilation into American society. Maybe I’m lacking feelings but all the novels we are reading in class probably evoke emotions that draw pity to a different culture. Don’t get me wrong; I am not a racist or prejudice against immigrants. However, it would be boring to analyze this topic; I decided to follow my Caucasian roots and dissect immigrants as a whole (Get it? I’m grouping all immigrants as one group regardless of their individual cultures) Monkey Bridge is an example of what I believe occurs in many immigrant families. It is very interesting how Mia’s relationship with her mother unfolds. Like Mia, I believe in many immigrant families the children play a more active role in the family than their parents; I believe this occurs because children assimilate easier and pick up the language quicker than their parents. Immigrant children are expected to do more things for their family than the common Caucasian child. As I continue reading this novel, I will dissect the family relationships that develop or break apart.

Socratic Seminar

Dear Jake,

These are the questions for today's seminar!

1. Read page one over again. Notice Lan Cao’s descriptive words and use of colors. Why do you think she does this?

2. In The Monkey Bridge, family is an extremely important aspect of Vietnamese immigrants lives. Is this all that the characters have to cling to? Why is family the most important thing in Vietnamese-immigrant’s lives? Do you think this applies to current immigrants?

3. Mother’s medical issues are deliberately analyzed for a reason. She had once been beautiful, her skin so smooth…Even now, the delicate feline features showed, in spite of the singed and puckered flesh” (3 Cao). Symbolism? Connections?

4. Read the first few paragraphs of Asian-American’s diverse voices share similar stories(delicious.com/yungfriedy). How does this connect to the Monkey Bridge?

5. The generation gap between mother and daughter is obvious. Why does Lan Cao make their relationship like this? Does this apply to current immigrant families?

6. Are the family roles in all immigrant populations the same regardless of their heritage?

7. What do you think the title means?

Love,

Michael

Earl<3Kenny

The acceptance of homosexuality has advanced greatly from the baby boomer generation to m generation (technology generation?). It always interests me how my grandparents and my parents (to some extent) have a difficult time accepting homosexuality while I see no problem with it. In television, the portrayal of homosexuality has evolved and become a popular, humorous and comfortable subject for many shows. On the first episode of my favorite show, My Name is Earl, Earl, the main character who has set out to offset his previous wrongdoings with the help of karma, aids a gay man, Kenny, accept his homosexual lifestyle. Earl and his brother Randy ring Kenny’s doorbell in hopes of gaining back Kenny’s friendships after bullying Kenny all throughout their childhood years together. Kenny is fearful of letting Early and Randy into his house because of their history; however, when Kenny does let them in, Randy finds a gay pornographic magazine inside the house. Having never seen a gay person before, Earl and Randy foolishly run away leaving Kenny disappointed yet again. The director of My Name is Earl provides a clear example of heterosexism-the discrimination in favor of heterosexual people- in this episode. Earl and Randy, two beer drinking tough guys, bully Kenny, a small, weak man who is wearing stereotypical homosexual clothes and has a “gay voice”. When Earl returns to Kenny’s house to apologize, Kenny discusses how he has been living his “whole life scared to be who I really am because of what people might think”. Earl realizes his heterosexual privileges and decides to take Kenny to a place where he would feel comfortable and not constrained by society: a gay bar. The gay bar fits all stereotypes-men in speedos dancing on poles, bubbles floating around, techno music, and gay men drinking martinis. Earl feels Kenny needs the confidence to talk to other homosexual men so Earl takes it upon himself to talk with other gay men and introduce Kenny. After a night at the gay bar Kenny realizes that he can fit in somewhere. Earl says to “never underestimate the power of confidence”. For us as a society to break the lack of homosexual privileges and break all stereotypes we must gain confidence in ourselves and others to accept people regardless of their sexual preference.