RACIAL ASSIMILATION

A project by Kayla Singh, Jenny Lee, Jahziel James, Genesses Mena, and Renea Blackmith.

[grouprace-blog]

What is Racial Assimilation?

Racial assimilation is a process by which a person or persons acquire the social, psychological, and physical characteristics of another group, not of their own. After this process, a person may convince themselves into believing they will become an accepted member of the majority race. Even though the individual believes that they are in some way being accepted by society after undergoing racial assimilation, as a result they may be considered or viewed as monstrous.  This idea of monstrosity comes from the the image that is created when an individual obtains physical attributes of another more dominant race but is unnatural for their own race. A dominant race mainly pertains to whites in comparison to other minority races such as blacks and asians in this case.

   After completing the process of racial assimilation the individual inhabits a new found sense of confidence. The fact they believe that they have become a part of the majority is not necessarily enough for others to accept them as part of the majority. The individual is not accepted as a part of their race nor as part of the majority race. Both races perceive the individual as impure. For instance, a nineteen year old girl named Brenda from the blog “Insist on Racially Categorizing Mixed-Race People”, breaks down what it’s like to not belong to a certain category. Coming from a mother who is white and a father who is black, Brenda identified herself as black and had to constantly prove that she is black to members of the white community just because she didn’t look “naturally” black. Brenda has what she identifies as a caramel skin tone, curly hair, and green eyes; all features that white people said made her look like she she was not black. In the beginning, Brenda answered that she was “mixed” whenever she was asked about her ethnicity. However, Brenda goes on to say that her response didn’t completely satisfy her questioners. They insisted that they needed to know more about her being a “mixed” race so that they can categorize her into a specific race. To justify her appearance, Brenda would study “common knowledge” she believed any African American would know. “Slavery, racial and social issues, problems in countries in Africa, all the things that (I assume) white people look for when determining if someone without typical black characteristics can receive their “Black” stamp of approval” (Brenda). In other words, Brenda assimilated herself into the race she identified herself with. Her appearance made it difficult not only for whites but for blacks to categorize too. “Calling myself black and being treated as a black person are very different things” (Brenda). Since she is seen with a lighter skin tone compared to what they were accustomed to seeing among the black kind, Brenda explains that it was difficult for blacks to call her one of their own. “It’s possible some black people don’t see light-skinned people as having the same struggles and social disadvantages that they themselves have. I know my skin color is envied in this country, where dark skin often isn’t considered beautiful. And because of this light skin and the treatment from whites and some blacks alike, I feel robbed of the true “black” experience. I have the feeling I could be white with no problem from most white people; it’s the being black part I have to prove to their satisfaction” (Brenda). Although the idea of this paper deals with the effects of an individual trying to assimilate into the majority race, the idea presented in this blog is relevant. The idea that an individual undergoes whatever to facilitate their assimilation into, whether it is the majority or the minority race, is because they want to be accepted; but what ends up happening is that the individual is found in limbo with regards to race categorization.

   In the F1 paper attached, Genesses writes about Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. Frankenstein tells the story of a man named Victor who takes on the role of God by bringing into the world artificial life. Afraid of his creation, Victor flees away disgusted by the monstrous appearance of the creature. Alone and confused the monster begins to question his existence and why is it that his creator abandoned him. He concludes that if he learned the knowledge and the customs of humanity then there should be no reason why he would be shunned because of his appearance. The monster believed that the people would look past his ugly appearance and accept him for who he was. In his quest to assimilate, the monster loses his sanity after he is denied by the family who lived in the home he found shelter in. The monster was seen as unnatural since the beginning. He was made out of leftover parts of the deceased and it was this that made him look monstrous. It was pointless for him to try to assimilate in the culture of humanity, no matter how hard he tried to change himself, no one would look past his unnatural appearance. Denied by his creator and humanity lead the monster to become filled with vengeance and it was this very attitude that eventually lead to his demise.

   In the close reading paper attached, Kayla writes about the graphic novel American Born Chinese. In the novel, protagonist Jin isn’t necessarily the most outspoken character. He just seems interested in “fitting in” rather than standing out. Jin feels monstrous because he does not fit into white American society because of his Asian features. Since the girl of his dreams, Amelia is an “All-American” girl, Jin feels that he is no match to win her affection. To assimilate into the white American race, Jin decides to get his hair permed to seem more white, not realizing that an asian boy getting his hair permed is not normal in American society. Even though Jin was more confident in himself for looking more white, even going as far as successfully asking Amelia out, it still did not make Amelia fall for him. Jin, just like the monster from Shelley’s Frankenstein, reacted monstrously when he realized that he still wasn’t accepted after perming his hair. Jin believed he did everything to look white but his efforts were futile when it came to winning Amelia’s affection. To express his anger, Jin kisses the girlfriend of his best friend Wei-chen. Jin became monstrous from the psychological mindset of thinking he is less of an American because of his race.

   In Jenny’s close reading paper, she writes about the novel The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. The novel centers around a girl named Pecola who lives in a black community that perceives her as dirty and filthy primarily because she is a darker tone than the other members of the community. Throughout the novel, the other members of her community degrade her and do not acknowledge her as their own. Pecola is treated as if she wasn’t even in the same racial category as the other members simply because she doesn’t share the same tone of blackness. Pecola, herself, believes that whiteness is a more dominant race, including the physical characteristics associated with whiteness, such as blue eyes. Pecola has this unobtainable desire to have the bluest eyes, which in a sense would make her monstrous. Yet Pecola believes that if she obtains these blue eyes then it would better her situation. In other words she wanted a change that would facilitate her to assimilate into society so that she no longer was shunned. Just like in the respective situations of the monster from Frankenstein and Jin from American Born Chinese. The fact that Pecola desired to have blue eyes was unnatural among the members of her society. She would not only have a skin tone that blacks refused to associate with as their own but she would also have this characteristic of whiteness that would make her even more monstrous in the eyes of blacks and whites.

   In the close reading paper attached by Renea, she discusses the importance of staying true to one’s self. Jin, in American Born Chinese, didn’t realize that if he stayed true to his self then all that he desired could soon be his. His lack of patience due to him wanting to fit in, caused him to stand out in a way that he was trying to avoid in the first place. Jin didn’t want to be Jin, he wanted to be Greg, he wanted to be Danny and ultimately he wanted to fit in. His attractions to Amelia and while being Danny, Melanie, where not central to the overall story of American Born Chinese because Jin wasn’t trying to obtain relations with these girls he just felt that if he dated them then he would be closer to what he truly desired and that was to fit in with the majority. As a child Jin didn’t care nor did he notice that he didn’t fit in because he was content with the people around him but as he grew older he realized that fitting in may be important to develop social status and he would not be made fun of by his fellow peers. This shows an act of whiteness in a sense where Jin saw that being white could better his chances with fitting in with people at his school. Jin had to find out the hard way that if you just be yourself then everything else will follow in the long run.

   In Jahziel’s F2 paper, the idea that power resides in that of a person’s skin color is touched upon. As we see within the context of the novel, “A Lesson Before Dying,” protagonist Grant Wiggins is put to the test as he is challenged by the God mother of a young man, who is wrongfully accused of murder, to transform him from the hog society denounced him to be, into the man he truly was.  In Gaines’ compelling novel, we witness that the ones in power are those with white skin.  They are the ones who determine the roles and worth of everyone within the society. Etched to the mindset that white skin equates to that of superiority and black skin to inferiority, is a history of slavery.  As a result of this turbulent time, we witness the birth of colorism quite evidently through character Antoine.  A mere product of his environment, Antoine relies on his mixed race.  He associates himself with that of the superior group because he is half of what they are.  He looks down upon those with darker skin and cringes at the thought that in the eyes of those associated with power, he himself is nothing but a “nigger.”  This warped mindset as we see throughout the context of the novel, is a reality to this very day. Power is still determined for the most part by that of a person’s skin complexion.  This has truly poisoned us as individuals and as a society as we see the focus on that of color and not of the humaneness that makes us all one.    

    To conclude, the idea of an individual having to prove that they can change something about themselves so that they can become accepted by a select group is ridiculous. No individual should have to change anything about themselves. Nor should power be based on the skin color of an individual. Race is a part of one’s identity, so why should anyone be ashamed about that. Rather than worrying about what others think, one should embrace and accept themselves for who they are. Had the characters of the novels mentioned above done that, it would have saved them so much suffering and despair.

[grouprace-blog]

The Bluest Eye: The Black Cat: By Jenny Lee

     The novel, The Bluest Eye, written by Toni Morrison, offers an extended interpretation of the preconceived standards of beauty during the 1940’s. Morrison expands on the concept that whiteness is the dominant race, including characteristics associated with whiteness.  The idea that whiteness is the dominant dehumanizes the black characters in the novel, which in a sense brings out their desires for specific characteristic associated with whiteness. Pecola Breedlove’s character, a young poor black girl growing up in the 1940’s, specifically represents that dehumanization. The depiction of the black cat in the novel offers deeper insight on Pecola. Ultimately the black cat exists as a reflection and symbol of Pecola and her deepest desires.       The image of the black cat plays a central role in understanding Pecola’s character. In chapter five, Morrison describes an incident in which Junior lures Pecola into his house to supposedly show her kittens, but instead, “He threw a big black cat right in her face. She sucked in her breath in fear and surprise and felt fur in her mouth. The cat 89 clawed her face and chest in an effort to right itself, then leaped nimbly to the floor. Junior was laughing and running around the room clutching his stomach delightedly. Pecola touched the scratched place on her face and felt tears coming” (Morrison, 89). Throughout the novel, Morrison mentions the black cat several times before introducing the readers to this scene, but this specific scene gives light to understanding the overall significance of the black cat as a reflection of Pecola. Morrison’s choice in the color of the cat implies a deeper meaning. Morrison could have illustrated any colored cat, but instead she chose a black cat to identify with Pecola’s character. The fact that the cat is black already reflects Pecola character in the black cat. Throughout Western history, black cats were looked upon as cursed, a superstition that has been around at least since the Salem Witch Trials. Black cats were also seen as dirty, filthy, and more importantly bringers of bad luck. By taking this insight of black cats, just based on its color, brings light to the reflection of Pecola seen through the black cat. Pecola is portrayed as filthy and dirty by the rest of the black community based on her dark skin complexion. None of the other characters in the novel wanted to be around her, much like no one really wants a black cat as a pet, for the reasons being that they are seen as unlucky. Blacks cats usually have a harder time being accecpted or welcomed by others (Muhlhausen) On top of that, Morrison describes the cat’s size as “big,” almost in a sense exaggerating the portrayal of Pecola’s character as a big bringer of bad luck to the community. The preconceived idea of black cats in a historical context is much like the preconceived standards of black beauty during the 1940’s. The idea that being lighter skin or having any features that resembles whiteness was considered beautiful and anything darker was considered filthy and dirty, much like the history of the preconceived beliefs of black cats. Junior threw black cat at Pecola’s face, which was not an act of randomness, but also has a significant meaning behind it. Junior could have thrown the cat anywhere on Pecola’s body, but instead chooses to throw it at her face. By doing so, the black cat scratches Pecola’s face and her chest. The face signifies outer beauty in the sense that it is the main part of the body that taken into account when identifying someone’s beauty. When the cat scratches her face, it literally leaves a scar and makes her less attractive and makes her appear all the more dirtier. At the same time, the cat scratched Pecola’s chest. Morrison chooses to highlight the cat scratching Pecola’s face and chest, when Morrison could have just as easily illustrated an image of the cat in Pecola’s hair or on her shoulder, but instead chooses to highlight the face and chest. By highlighting that the cat scratched Pecola’s face and chest, Morrison gives these two specific body parts a symbolic meaning. The face as a site of identity and outer beauty and the chest where the heart lies as a site associated with emotion and passion. The chest is where the heart lies, and when the black cat scratched her chest, it scarred her emotionally. So not only did the black cat physically hurt Pecola, but emotionally hurt her as well.  In this scene, Pecola is left physically and emotionally in pain by her ugliness, which is seen when “Pecola touched the scratched place on her face and felt tears coming.” Although, keep in the mind that the cat itself had no intentions of hurting Pecola, shown by Morrison’s language; the cat clawed her “in an effort to right itself, then leaped nimbly to the floor.” The black cat’s actions were only an attempt to find its balance after the black cat felt as though it was being harmed and threatened by Pecola, rather than trying to inflict pain on Pecola. Both Pecola and the black cat felt fear at the same time, as if their emotions are intertwined.      Just moments after the previous scene, Junior locked Pecola in a room with the black cat,   The cat rubbed up against her knee. He was black all over, deep silky black, and his eyes, pointing down toward his nose, were bluish green. The light made them shine like blue ice. Pecola rubbed the cat’s head; he whined, his tongue flicking with pleasure. The blue eyes in the black face held her (89-90). In this scene, Morrison goes on to describe the black cat’s fur as “deep silky black” and the black cat’s eyes as “bluish green.” Unlike the previous mentioning of the cat, Morrison creates an image of not just any black cat, but a smooth and soft black cat, which creates the idea that the cat’s fur was gentle and clean, unlike the image Morrison illustrated before when the cat was just a black cat.. Morrison emphasizes that the black cat eyes were blue and not just any blue eyes, but “the light made them shine like blue ice,” which is the main key in seeing the reflection that is made of Pecola’s desire of wanting blue eyes and the black cat that literally has blue eyes. The image of icy blue eyes also seems to have a deeper significance in that Morrison could have chosen from numerous shades of blue, but she chose icy to describe the eyes. The iciness of the eyes refers to the pureness of water and how clean water actually is in relation to Pecola’s desire of obtaining white characteristics. The purity of ice reflects the whiteness and cleanness of whites in this case. Pecola wants nothing more than to have the bluest eyes, which it seems that the black cat has and has this pureness to it.  It’s not enough for Morrison to state that the black cat has blue eyes, but to have icy blue eyes that are almost piercing, is like having the bluest eyes. In this very scene, it becomes almost apparent that Morrison creates a reflection of Pecola through the black cat itself. For Pecola to see the black cat also being tortured by Junior, Pecola can relate and connect with this creature. Pecola sees herself being reflected in this black cat. In the same scene, the black cat rubbed against Pecola’s knee and in return, Pecola rubs the black cat’s head. Both Pecola and the black cat became calm and friendly. By showing the cat affection, Pecola in some sense created a connection with this creature, something Pecola has not done with any of the character in the novel. There is some sort of understanding between the black cat and Pecola; they understand that they don’t pose as a threat to each other.  They understand that they share a bond with each other. Junior has mistreated the black cat for the better part of the black cat’s life, yet the black cat still manages to show companionship to Pecola. Similarly Pecola, who has always been bullied and tormented by the other characters, and has not shown any signs of affections to the other characters in the novel was able to show the cat affection and create a bond. The black cat is able to see beyond the physical appearance and feel Pecola’s compassion and warmth, finding pleasure in her presence, which is the complete opposite of how the other characters in the novel view Pecola, including Junior. Junior finds enjoyment in torturing Pecola and harming the cat, which is shown in this scene when “Junior was laughing and running around the room clutching his stomach delightedly.” Junior did not feel any sense of compassion or sympathy towards Pecola nor to the black cat. In Junior’s eyes, Pecola is no different than the black cat; Junior does not distinguish Pecola from the cat, by locking her in the room like a cat locked in a cage.

     The Bluest Eye presents a complex and intricate representation of racism, shown through Pecola’s character and the parallel that exists between the black cat and Pecola. Morrison uses the relationship she establishes between Pecola and the black cat in order to show Pecola’s desires through the cats actions and physical appearance. The novel portrays Pecola as no better than the cat, or that she is no different from a cat, simply because of preconceived beliefs of black beauty.

The Bluest Eye Quiz

1. What is the main similarity between Pecola and the black cat?

2. What is the main physical characteristic/feature of whiteness that Pecola wants to obtain?

3. What does Morrison use as a reflection of Pecola’s desires?

[grouprace-blog]

Transforming a “Hog” into a Man and the Cultural Impact of Colorism By: Jahziel James

      Compelling in every sense of the word best sums up Ernest J. Gaines, A Lesson before Dying. Taken place during the 1940s in a segregated Cajun community, we witness the disadvantages, setbacks, harsh dilemmas and burdens carried on the backs and hearts of the African American people as an apparent result of slavery.  We also bear witness to the fact that history does in actuality repeat itself.  Within the text, we see quite evidently how James Joyce’s,  Ivy Day in the Committee Room, correlate to the truth made by Gaines that, those living in the present have a rather difficult time taking the necessary steps needed to improve the circumstances and lives of those still oblivious and ignorant to the harsh realities that surround them. This truth is brought to light when we witness and experience protagonist Grant Wiggin’s hesitation to transform Jefferson from being the hog him and so many others believed he was, into the man he was capable of being. This hesitation as we come to know it stems from a fear and ignorance of the power of one’s voice.  It also comes from the fear of becoming exactly what those who held power claimed he was destined for.

        Before further analysis in regards to the correlation between James Joyce’s Ivy Day in the Committee Room, and the novel itself, it is worth mentioning first, the correlation between the ability to withhold power and one’s skin color.  The harsh effects of colorism reveal itself in a conversation between Grant and Professor Antoine in Chapter 8. 

     I’m Creole. Do you know what a Creole is? A lying cowardly bastard.  Did you    know that? […] I was afraid to run away. What am I? Look at me. Where else      could I have felt superior to so many but here? […] Do you feel superior to          me? I asked him.  Of course, he said. Don’t be damned fool. I am superior to      you.  I am superior to any man blacker than me. Is that why you hate me? I        asked him. Exactly, he said.  Because that superior sonofabitch out there said    I am you. Do you think he is superior to you? I asked him.  Of course, he            said (Gaines 65).

     In this thought provoking conversation, we see a man who is dependent on who he believes is superior to him. We see a man who stands behind the socially constructed phenomena that tells him his position in society.  We witness an educated man who swears by the phenomena that deems him superior to others of a darker skin completion. According to the American Sociological Association, an article written by Mark Hill, entitled, Skin Color and the Perception of Attractiveness among African Americans: Does Gender Make a Difference? We learn this, 

   Studies show that lighter skinned African Americans are more likely to have        higher status occupations, higher incomes, and more years of schooling than    their darker skinned counter-parts, even when parental characteristics and        other variables related to adult socioeconomic status are considered. Such        findings have led scholars to conclude that color stratification among African      Americans stems from the persistence of a deeply embedded racial paradigm    that perceives character, merit, and prestige through as distorting lens of            color (Hill 77).

       It is then safe to assume that Professor Antoine is just a mere product of his environment.  It was embedded in him from the beginning to believe that because he was mixed race, he was much more superior to those who inhabited just black blood. Until one is able to step outside of him or herself to see that the superiority complex is only designed to keep one group of people on top and another below, we will continue to encounter individuals with the same mindset as Professor Antoine who pride themselves with the idea that because of their white mother or grandparent, they are some sort of gift to society.  And the moment a person bursts their bubble by telling them they are just like every other colored person, that pride explodes and self-pity, anger and hate takes its place.      Once again as before mentioned, we see how history repeats itself.  No longer are shackles placed on our feet, no longer are we whipped for minor offences, and no longer do we have to address the white man and woman with the term sir/miss. Instead, a new system has taken its place.  Instead of shackles on our feet, we are prohibited from obtaining certain positions due to the harsh realities of racism and colorism.  Instead of being whipped physically, we are whipped emotionally and unfairly thrown into a prison cell.  Instead of being deemed inferior blatantly, we are treated as monsters as police gun us down without having to pay the consequences for our deaths.  In the context of the novel, we see blatant segregation amongst schools, churches and communities. We witness the unjust and unfair treatment of blacks.  Because Jefferson is a man of color his truth is automatically seen as a lie.  He is also portrayed as a hog, a domesticated pig, which is associated with that of greed, gluttony and uncleanliness. 

       Going back to the correlation James Joyce’s, Ivy Day in the Committee Room we see a similar truth between both texts.  In James Joyce’s, Ivy Day in the Committee Room, we witness a group of men who cannot seem to get over the past which in turn prohibits them from taking necessary actions. In a similar context, we witness Professor Antoine who is stuck on the fact that he should have left the town when he had the opportunity, he then advises Grant to do the same while degrading him in the same breath, “You have to go away to know about life.  There’s no life here.  There’s nothing but ignorance here.  You want to know about life? Well, it’s to late. Forget it. Just go on and be the nigger you were born to be (Gaines 65).”  Because he threw away his opportunity as a result of wanting to remain superior, he tries to stifle the possibility of Grant leaving.  Another great correlation stems from Grants initial hesitation to talk, teach, counsel and enlighten Jefferson on the truth that he was a man. Unlike Professor Antoine and all the others who doubted his ability to get through to Jefferson, Grant brought about the necessary change so many could have but didn’t. 

         All in all, we bear witness to the truth that history does have a clever way of repeating itself.  We also learn through the deed of Grant that if change is something one aspires to create, it can happen.  We do not have to succumb to or accept the harsh realities surrounding us, we all have within us the boldness to create change.

Quiz

1. Why was the main goal to transform Jefferson into a man instead of fighting for his innocence?

2. What issues made Grant hesitant at first to teach Jefferson the ways in which to become a man?

3. Was Miss Emma’s mission carried out? Did Jefferson die as a man?

[grouprace-blog]

Be Yourself by Renea Smith

ENG 3045/ May 17, 2015

Be Yourself

At the ending of American Born Chinese, the Monkey King tells Jin Wang “I would have saved myself five hundred years imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock had I only realized how good it is to be a monkey.” (Yang P. 223) In this instance, the Monkey King wants to let Jin know that he should be content with who he is and not what he thinks people want him to be.  Jin does not know how to be himself so he decides to have a double life as Danny. Danny was what he needed to advance in life and Jin seemed determined to not make himself stand in the way of Danny. Danny was inevitably what Jin wanted to be. However Danny was still an outcast. Jin ultimately had to learn that he could not run away from his true self even if he looked different. Despite Jin not fitting in, he desired change that didn’t connect to his personality. When he was a young child he connected with his other Asian friends but when he moved to another school he wanted friends that he could develop with so he tried to change himself from the outside but he couldn’t. There was one critical moment in the novel where Jin couldn’t express himself because he was trapped in a body that did not display him as his true form. When he couldn’t express his desire for Amelia he took on the character of Danny and changed his affection to someone who looked just like Amelia, which was Melanie. Jin changed because of his inability to woo Amelia so as a new person, physically he turned his affection unto another girl and was unsuccessful because Amelia wasn’t important to him in the first place.

           Before we know that Danny is actually Jin Wang we aren’t shown Danny’s parents nor do we know exactly how he is related to his cousin Chin-kee. Chin-kee is portrayed to be “typical” Asian with his thin eyes, yellow skin, Asian inspired hair and wear and Danny is apparently white. In this instance Yang is adhering to all the stereotypes of what an Asian should look like in American standards. Danny, as the cousin of Chin-kee feels entitled to let everyone know that they are not alike because he doesn’t know how they are “related.”(Yang P.123) Danny wants to remove himself from Chin-kee because he feels like he is a detriment to his relations with people in the school such as Melanie and Steve. His existence as Danny was only to overshadow his presence as Jin Wang, something that he didn’t want to face. He didn’t want to known as “Chin-kee’s cousin.” (Yang P.127) which he claims happens to him in every other school that he attends when Chin-kee visits every year. His detachment from his true identity was critical in a way where he would disown people in the form of Danny in order to feel more accepted. Danny would even go as far as to say “I’m not like him, Melanie” (Yang P.123).

           When Jin was himself he had Wei-Chen as a friend, someone who he didn’t really accept because all he did was use him to get closer to a girl that he liked. Not only that but he didn’t want to look like him either. He changed the way his hair looked because he felt that “Amelia would notice him” (Yang P.97) better if he looked like what he thought she might be attracted to. He took a liking to Amelia because he figured that it would make him fit in more because he knew there was no way he could like Suzy Nakamura, another Asian student in his classes from elementary school. He changed the way his hair looked because he wanted to look like the rest of his classmates. It was even more important to him to let every one notice that he had no interest in Suzy so they “avoided each other as much as possible.” (Yang P.31) This is an important part of the novel as well because it showed that he didn’t live to stand out he wanted to fix in with people who should just accept him for who he truly is. You could even look at it to say that his appearance was more important as well because when he first decided to have curly hair it was not Amelia who initially influenced his curly hair but Greg who he thought Amelia liked. (Yang P.97) Wei-Chen was the only one who seemed as if he wanted to confront his friend about his hair but Suzy persuaded him not to. Wei-Chen considered Jin his friend but Jin didn’t reciprocate the same feelings throughout the graphic novel. When Jin kissed Suzy, who became Wei-Chen’s girlfriend by the middle of the book, Jin showed no remorse for his actions and said, “she can do better than an f.o.b. like you.” (Yang P.191). This is not really a comment that you would typically tell a friend. F.O.B. means “fresh of the boat” (Yang P.89) which isn’t a term immigrants, particularly Asians, like to hear. That comment just showed what Jin lacked in character. Wei-Chen at the moment didn’t realize how hurtful that term could be because he was only worried about himself.

           He wanted to be closer to Amelia but he didn’t notice that he couldn’t do it on his own. He needed Wei-Chen because Wei-Chen was the one who drew Amelia closer to Jin in a way that Jin was not confident enough to do himself. Wei-Chen told her that if Jin weren’t there for him he ”would have been so lonely.” (Yang P.102) In that second it appears from the countenance of Amelia that Jin was a good person and actually worth speaking to. Jin couldn’t handle Amelia on his own. When he asked Amelia out on a date he babbled, “Hang out… With me… Sometime?” (Yang P.105), not really using complete sentences to express himself. But Amelia still said “Yes” (Yang P.105) anyways and it was only because Wei-Chen was there that Jin got that chance. He took Amelia out on a date and tried to impress her as much as he could but when Greg came up to him and made him feel humiliated he said nothing about his feelings to Greg. Greg wanted Jin to know that he didn’t agree with them dating and said that he wanted to make sure Amelia “makes good choices” or that she should “start paying attention to who she hangs out with” (Yang P.179). I felt that he was trying to degrade Jin in a way where he felt Jin wasn’t good enough for Amelia. That in turn made Jin project those feelings onto Wei-Chen when he told him “maybe I don’t think you’re worthy of her” (Yang P.191) to justify why he kissed Suzy in the first place but ultimately Jin doesn’t know where he stands amongst all the people he hangs around. Jin is more confused now than he was as a kid because at least he knew he rather be alone because he had “enough friends.” (Yang P.38) Jin seemed very self-centered to people who looked just like him but was very shy and quiet around people who he wanted to fit in with. Wei-Chen change his character too because by the end of the book we see Wei-Chen seceding from his father saying that he will spend the remainder of his days in the mortal world for his “pleasure.” (Yang P.220) They didn’t realize that they didn’t need approval from others in order to survive if they just stick to being their selves they would be much happier.

Jin, however, was the cause of his unhappiness. He didn’t learn until everything was virtually taken from him that included the girls that he liked, Wei-Chen, his “cousin’ Chin-kee and his identity.  Jin in his own right had the ability to speak up and he proved it by the way that he spoke Wei-Chen but he made it evident that females where not the cause of his worries when he told Wei-Chen that Suzy wasn’t “his type” (Yang 191). But apparently Amelia wasn’t his type either. When he last encountered Amelia he still didn’t technically speak to her. The date was not only the first and the last but it was the only time he spent with her and he let Greg tell him that he shouldn’t talk to her anymore. His encounter with the Monkey King helped him learn that he was pleased at the end for being who he was and that he didn’t have anything to prove to anyone that he belonged or that he wanted to fit in. The Monkey King was there, along with his son Wei-Chen, to be guidance for Jin who needed to find himself amongst the people that surrounded him. Jin needed to know that he didn’t need to change himself to be accepted for who he truly was and if they didn’t appreciate him for him then he didn’t need to know him in the first place. These stories weren’t about Jin getting a girlfriend but learning how to be a friend while being himself. The Monkey King had to learn the hard way but Jin didn’t have 500 years to be taught this lesson he had to learn it sooner than later.

  American Born Chinese

1.     Why did it seem easier for Danny to get along with people in his school then it did for Jin?

2.     Do you think Jin was a bully? And did he learn behaviors from his surroundings and portrayed them unto Wei-Chen because he wanted to be like everyone else? Why is that important to race?

3.     Could Jin have only been nervous around Amelia because that’s not what he really desired in the first place? Why?

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<3 VERY BERRY CHRONICLES <3

By Renea Smith

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In this blog a young woman named Brenda talks about the difficulties of coming to terms with the fact of being biracial in a society that is so adamant on categorizing an individual on the color of their skin. Brenda was the daughter of a white mother and black father who identified herself as black and had to constantly prove that she is black to members of the white and black community just because she didn’t look “naturally” black.

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Can a Monster Ever Assimilate Into the Majority? By: Genesses Mena

           The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley highlights an important issue; it highlights the idea of wanting to be accepted by the majority. Whether it is among peers in school, coworkers, or even family members, we hide a part of our true character so that we are not ostracized. However what happens when you’re shut out just because your appearance does not conform to the majority’s standards? The majority in this case being those who fall under what society considers as normal or natural. The monster out of Shelley’s novel, of course does not fall under what members of society would consider natural looking. The monster was seen as unnatural since the beginning. The monster was made out of leftover parts of the deceased that his creator Victor patched together. It was this aspect about his appearance that made him look monstrous. It was pointless for the monster to try to assimilate into the culture of humanity. No matter how hard he tried to change himself; no one would look past his unnatural appearance.

          A parent who stands by their infant, waiting as the child slowly begins to take their first steps only to kick them down so they would have to start over, having the child endure this in an endless cycle until they snap, this could be used to describe the monster’s relationship with mankind. Naïve just like a child at the beginning of his life, the monster did all that was in his willpower to pick up on the key points that would allow him to become a functioning member of society. He learned the language, history, the customs, everything that would stop anyone from believing he could not fit in. Why is he doing all of this? Because at the end of the day all we crave is to feel a sense of belonging and attention, anything that would make us feel wanted.

         At the beginning of the monster’s life he illustrates that he is filled with blissful illusions. The monster believes that there is a possibility that he may be generally accepted once he learns the customs required to function properly in society. The De Lacey family, cottagers whose home the monster takes refuge in, provides almost a positive reinforcement for the monster to become a productive member of society. “As yet I looked upon crime as a distant evil, benevolence and generosity were ever present before me, inciting within me a desire to become an actor in the busy scene where so many admirable qualities were called forth and displayed” (Shelley 132). The monster developed an intimate connection with the De Lacey family, going as far as calling them his “protectors”. The monster tried his best to learn as much as he could by observing the family’s daily activities with the hopes that one day he would be able to show them the kind creature he was, and as a reward become accepted as one of them. But when he goes about to approach one of them, things go south; he is chased out. It is when he is rejected that the monster becomes angry and vengeful against Victor for creating him the way he is.    

        The thin rope, holding the monster down to reality, finally snapped. The very moment when the monster had rid himself of his naïve mindset regarding mankind, a transition had occurred. The monster had become suspended between two poles, childhood and adulthood, also known as adolescence. “There was none among the myriads of men that existed who would pity or assist me; and should I feel kindness towards my enemies? No; from that moment I declared everlasting war against the species, and more than all, against him who had formed me and sent me forth to this insupportable misery” (Shelley 142). With the use of the word ‘myriads’, the monster takes into account that it is not only the people that he has come into contact with, but most likely every being that exists who would not look upon him favorably. His appearance is his handicap, forever disabling him from making that connection with the majority race, human kind. So if the majority was unable to accept him for who he was and ridiculed him for what made him different, then why should the monster act civil?

      Having been refused to the companionship he strongly desired and ceded to an unbearable solitude, did the monster’s rampage begin. “I am malicious because I am miserable (Shelly 152).” The rejection to having the comfort of acceptance and the ability to build a relationship with another living creature, catapulted not only the monster to his doom but Victor Frankenstein as well.

     The monstrosity of the adolescence emerges when a child is not provided with what is necessary for positive development. When they are pushed to withstand circumstances that damage their psyche, these conditions warrants for unwanted outcomes to emerge. This reminds me of the bullying cases that are common today where some kids and teenagers who are teased are pushed to commit heinous crimes. For example the Virginia Tech shooting that occurred in 2007.

     Both the monster and shooter Seung Hui Cho shared what it felt like being rejected by members of the majority because they found their appearance/behavior to be unnatural or monstrous. One belonged to another race that deemed it impossible for society to fully accept him and the other due to his quiet, estranged demeanor made it difficult for him to be accepted.

     Cho’s unstable mentality led him to be perceived “as a near-silent loner who wrote gruesome poems, stories and plays” (“Seung-Hui Cho”). As it was examined in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, where the monster was ostracized for possessing an appearance that was unnatural to those commonly found among others, Seung Hui Cho was ridiculed for his unnatural behavior. Cho was said to be have been victim to former classmates who “mocked his shyness and the strange way he talked” (Chang, "Las Vegas Shooters Prove Columbine Continues To Influence, 15 Years Later. But Why?"). With a series of events constantly met with negative reactions, there is only so much that a person can physically take before a person snaps. Shelley brings this out in Frankenstein, where the monster eventually snaps after constantly being rejected by people such as Victor, the De Lacey family, and Victor’s younger brother. The fact that Cho was also known to have psychological problems did not help the case either, if anything it may have speeded the unfortunate events that were to come.

     With being pushed in a corner with nowhere to go, isolated from finding a confidant, Cho was left with nothing but feelings of despair and misery just as the monster was.  Just for the mere fact that he was unable to fit in with those who surrounded him, may have pushed Cho to commit the heinous crime that sadly could have been avoided. Had he gotten the support that he should have from the very get go, the massacre of Virginia Tech could have been avoided and the innocent lives that were lost, spared. Sadly, Cho was pushed beyond the brink and committed a massacre that will remain forever in U.S. history. Just as Shelley displayed in the story of the monster who went on a spree of killings, wanting vengeance against his creator Victor for leaving him alone, the significant pain felt by both the monster and Cho can be traced as being the cause to their monstrous and destructive behavior.

      The monstrosity of the adolescence is not something that should be taken lightly. Like a seed that must be brought up with water and sunlight so that it may prosper into a beautiful flower, so should the precautions be taken in raising a child. With providing the nurture and kindness that they crave right from the start it is possible to secure that the child’s adolescent phase be less traumatic, not only that but it is crucial to allow the child to feel as if they belong. The adolescent should not feel the need to change any aspect about themselves in hopes of assimilating into the majority race.

 Frankenstein Quiz:

Who did the monster first believe would accept him if he revealed himself? Why?

Is it possible to argue that Victor was an outcast of his own society just     like the monster?

Who was the first member of Victor’s family that the monster took out his     revenge on?

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This video shows an interracial couple at a barbershop where a black female stylist is prejudice against the white girlfriend at a prominently known black barbershop in Harlem. it shows the ideal of fitting in to a culture that the black female barber feels the white girlfriend isn’t apart of. What makes this controversial is the idea that white women dont belong in a black business meant to serve black people and also that she doesnt deserve to be with a black man because her ancestors supposedly were oppressors. 

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This story concerns people of the general public who feel like dark-skinned people are abnormal when it comes to having blue eyes. People are not sure whether to call this phenomenon, natural beauty or a genetic mutation. Whichever they choose, the story is meant to enlighten people that blue eyes are not solely for white people. it can happen in any culture if not every culture even though it is mostly associated with European people who are mostly white.

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History of the Perm

Learn all about the origins of the perm.

This history article on perming leans more towards American Born Chinese since Jin permed his hair to have curls to be more American. The article gives the history of how permanent curls progressed throughout the years since 1910, which is why hair perming is considered an “American” trend. 

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In Min Hyoung Song’s journal entry, How Good It Is To Be A Monkey: Comics, Racial Formation, and American Born Chinese, Song talks about the history of Asian Americans and the Immigrations and Nationality Act in 1965. He explains that racism has always seemed like it was only black and white and that racism within other minorities were less recognized.

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In Ronald Britton’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: What Made the Monster Monstrous?, Britton explains how Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, the rejections the creature goes through is the same experience Shelley went through as a child when her mother had passed away.

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This journal excerpt from Christopher Douglas’s What the Bluest Eye Knows About Them: Race, Culture, and Identity, Douglas explains the author, Toni Morrison’s reason behind the character development within her novel, The Bluest Eye.

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Above is a picture of 14 year old Emmett Till who was brutally and maliciously beaten and murdered by a group of white men because he allegedly whistled at a white woman in Mississippi. This is the consequence that black youth face back then and even today where there is no benefit of the doubt and there is no innocence until proven guilty. It doesn't matter your age or gender. This picture can be seen as a form of monstrosity, not only in the way that Emmett Till looks but in the monstrous act that was bestowed upon him all in the name of dominance.  

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This picture, of Sammy Sosa, ex-baseball legend, shows that in his former years  he had a much darker complexion that is shown on the left compared to the lighter complexion that he portrays on the right. In many interviews Sosa says that his lighter skin is due to a regiment that he takes to soften his skin but many critics find that to be false. This picture shows the self hate that many people in society face on a day to day basis. The ideal of skin bleaching is very harmful to someone’s natural health but the fixation on transforming yourself to be something that you cannot naturally look like without some form of medicine is prone to the fact that people of color are not satisfied with themselves. Sammy Sosa now appears to be monstrous in his appearance because the way that he looks is unnatural.

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This video is about an Asian girl who visited a MAC make-up store and was discriminated against because there is a stigma going around that all Asian people are cheap. The instance where she walked into the store and the workers didn’t pay her any mind and even went as far as saying she’s Asian as a way to justify not helping her, was even more racist than just simply ignoring her. this goes to show that monstrosity is not only in the way that you look but the way that you treat people around you.

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Recent Trend: Asian Perming! by: Kayla Singh

      In Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel American Born Chinese, Jin Wang gets the bright idea of perming his hair to impress Amelia, the girl of his dreams, because he believes it will make him more American. American Born Chinese tells three different types of stories that has to do with fitting in a certain group, which ends with all three stories coming together because of a higher power. The second story of the graphic novel is about Jin, who is a Chinese-American high schooler, who wants to be viewed as just a normal American teenager, but he cannot because he has been ridiculed for being Asian since he was a little boy. When he starts to grow feelings for Amelia, he becomes more self conscious about the way he looked and acted around her. When Jin notices Amelia and another boy named Greg, who has blonde curly hair, he gets the idea that perming his naturally straight hair would make Amelia notice him more.       Greg is a character that is not necessarily Jin’s enemy, but more of a competition to win Amelia’s affection. Jin has nothing against Greg since he stood up for him in the second chapter when they both were in elementary school and Jin was being bullied for eating dumplings for lunch. Not only was he eating dumplings, but he ate them with chopsticks, which made him seem even more Chinese and an easier target to be bullied. When the bully says to Jin, “stay away from my dog; let’s leave bucktooth alone so he can enjoy Lassie.”(American Born Chinese, 32), Greg defended Jin with, “hey be cool, man.”(32). Greg actually felt bad for Jin and actually looked back at him with a “sorry” expression on his face when he left. That is why Jin never had any hard feelings for Greg, he only envied him because he had the all American look that he so badly wanted. Greg represents the typical American teenager with blue eyes and blonde hair, which is everything Jin is not. Since Amelia is a typical American girl as well, Jin believes that there is a greater chance of her falling for Greg because they both are normal American teenagers.       Since it is a graphic novel, there are not much literary text to quote from, but Jin decides to get a perm when Jin is hanging out with his friends Wei-Chen and Suzy after school at the park and a couple of bullies pass by and one says, “hey, I chink it’s getting a little nippy out here”( 96), the bully’s friend responded by saying, “you’re right! I’m getting gook bumps!”(96). When the bullies say this, Jin, Wei-Chen, and Suzy are all silent. While thinking of the situation while walking home, Jin then starts thinking about the close friendship between Greg and Amelia. He then thinks that maybe if he had curly hair like Greg, Amelia would notice him. What triggered the idea of him getting the perm was the bullying he encountered at the park with Wei-Chen and Suzy for being Asian. Not only was getting a perm going to get Amelia to notice him, but getting a perm would make him seem less Asian and more American. The nonstop bullying Jin had received all his life for being Asian had psychologically made him hate being different and just wanted to be a normal American teenager so he could finally stop being bullied.       When Jin finally gets his hair permed, his friends Wei-Chen and Suzy pretend to like it, like everyone else in the high school. When they see his perm for the first time, Wei-Chen says to Suzy, “why is his hair broccoli?!” (98). The reason why everyone thinks Jin’s perm is strange is because it is definitely not natural for an Asian to have curly hair. Having dark pin-straight hair is a distinct characteristic that is known to all Asian people have, with Jin having curly hair, it disrupts the ideal image of the characteristics that all Asian people are supposed to possess. Even Jin’s Asian friends find his perm weird, which shows how poor of a decision Jin made of getting a perm.       Getting a perm is the most American thing a person can do. When a person gets a perm, they usually either want to be up to date with the latest trend or just looking for a change in their appearance. When an all American person gets a perm, it is most likely not that noticeable since they do not have a certain type of hair that is tied to their race. It is harder for a person with noticeable foreign features to pull off an American trend, such as, a perm because people already know that it not natural. A person can go far as to think that a foreign person with a perm is trying too hard to not be their race and that can lead to even more bullying towards that person. In Jin’s case, he did not get bullied because of his perm, but he definitely was looked at differently. Even though everyone thought his perm looked silly, Jin was more confident in himself because he believed the perm made him look less Asian and more American. The perm gave him the courage to ask Amelia out and she said yes. Even though Amelia thought the date went well, she ends up with Greg in the end because their close friendship in the beginning of the graphic novel foreshadowed that they both secretly did like each other. Jin seriously thought his perm would make Amelia like him more than a friend because he thought the perm was an American feature that Jin thought Amelia would be sure to like.       Even though Jin was born in America, he is still Chinese and has been bullied all his life for it because he looks different. With the psychological mindset of thinking he is less of an American because of his race, he believed getting a perm would achieve his goal of being a normal American teenager and also getting the girl of his dreams. Jin wants the bullying to stop and knows it will never stop because he is who he is, which is a Chinese-American teenager.

American Born Chinese Quiz

1. How has years of being bullied affected Jin’s state of mind?

2. Why is Jin jealous of Greg? What type of person does Greg represent?

3. Why does Jin’s perm give him the confidence that he so badly needs?