If you liked "The Moths"...
If you liked Helena Viramonte's "The Moths"...
then you also might enjoy ”Hell/Heaven” by Jhumpa Lahiri, or "Children as Enemies” by Ha Jin. For Friday, read ONE of those stories and post a 4-5 sentence reflection/reader response here as a comment to this blog post. You also need to REPLY DIRECTLY to 2-3 of your classmates comments (think: Instagram/Facebook feed, but slightly more detailed than a series of emojis or five word responses!) as part of this assignment. There's no need to include actual textual evidence in either your original response or when you comment on classmates' work, but you certainly can. If you're having a hard time generating ideas, feel free to look back to the short story questions we used last term. I just want to get a sense of what you thought about the story you've chosen; there's no pressure, so have some fun and be creative. I can't wait to have a virtual discussion with you all!
then you also might enjoy ”Hell/Heaven” by Jhumpa Lahiri, or "Children as Enemies” by Ha Jin. For Friday, read ONE of those stories and post a 4-5 sentence reflection/reader response here as a comment to this blog post. You also need to REPLY DIRECTLY to 2-3 of your classmates comments (think: Instagram/Facebook feed, but slightly more detailed than a series of emojis or five word responses!) as part of this assignment. There's no need to include actual textual evidence in either your original response or when you comment on classmates' work, but you certainly can. If you're having a hard time generating ideas, feel free to look back to the short story questions we used last term. I just want to get a sense of what you thought about the story you've chosen; there's no pressure, so have some fun and be creative. I can't wait to have a virtual discussion with you all!
In Ha Jin's "Children as Enemies," the author uses tone and the symbol of names to depict the changing cultural environment around the narrator and his wife. The tone of the passage is somewhat condescending, as the narrator uses phrases such as "sloppy brats," which expresses the growing generational rift between his grandchildren and himself. This also points to the theme of family ties, which are described as strained and shifting in this passage. The symbol of names is used to define another struggle the narrator goes through in this short story, which is the questioning of long established cultural norms as the grandchildren reject the significance of the names they were given at birth. To the children, these names represent social status and survival, while to their grandparents, names hold a more reverent position in one's life and tie back to one's heritage. These two literary devices, tone and symbols, express the changing cultural environment that surrounds the narrator and give the reader an insight into his cultural perspective.
ReplyDelete-Sofia M
I think it's interesting how the the entirety of the story can be expressed through those literary devices. The authors way of using names and tone are super important and also make me think about other short stories we have read where maybe the tone and symbols were more important than I originally realized.
Delete- devlin H
I also think it's really interesting how tone is able to hint the presence of family ties, as well as the shifting in the passage. The way the author uses phrases like "sloppy brats" really does show the divide in generational standards without needing any further context.
Delete- Ronik G.
I love how you've brought up the importance of names...we've seen that in several stories (sometimes even in the lack of a name). That captures this generational divide and the desire to assimilate or to recognize/respect the past and the ways that the two (or three) generations navigate that tension. Do you find one generation more sympathetic than another?
DeleteI would say that the youngest and oldest generation seem to be at odds the most, as both generations struggle to understand one another. This disconnect is due to the contrasting environments they grew up in and the stubbornness often associated with children and the elderly. However, the middle generation (Gubin) seems to be the most sympathetic and understanding, serving as a mediator in times of conflict, because they have insight into both points of view and are the most adaptable to change.
Delete-Sofia M
Lahiri uses the symbol of photographs in her short story "Hell/Heaven" to capture the most pivotal moments in the story arc, which is demonstrated in the three scenes in which photographs are taken. The first photograph that was taken in the story includes the narrator on her mother's lap, with her mother's companion's shadow looming in the corner of the photo. The shadow cast in the photo conveys the beginning of the unconventional family dynamic that was developing in which her mother's companion, Pranab Kaku, became a part of the family. However, the fact that Pranab Kaku was not actually the subject of these photos reaffirms the notion that his presence is superficial and they could never be together. The second mention of a photograph documents the arrival of a new figure, Deborah, who is Pranab Kaku's girlfriend. This photo includes the narrator sitting on Deborah's lap, similar to the first photo, to represent her entrance as an essential motherly figure for the narrator. The last photograph that is mentioned in "Hell/Heaven" captures the mother putting her hands on Pranab Kaku's head to bless him, "the first and last time she was to touch him in her life," which symbolizes their missed opportunity to be in a relationship together and temporary connection. This moment marks the story's tragic resolution in which the mother is torn apart from her companion and the narrator is torn away from her newfound mother figure. Lahiri uses these three photographs to tell the story of missed opportunity through these snapshots of the narrator's childhood.
ReplyDelete-Sofia M
Great attention to detail and your use of the photographs as symbols of her story arc was very on point. Nicely done!!!
ReplyDeleteI also love the use of the photographs to track the way the relationships and resolutions in the story. I'm thinking that there's an interesting connection to the literary snapshots that she offers as well...I'm thinking of the Thanksgiving dinner, the wedding toast, or even that final scene, which is so powerful.
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