An American Brat

An American Brat was an interesting novel. It clearly defined the differences between American culture verse Pakistani culture. It also identified the struggles that can be found when changing cultures quickly. American Brat is the story of Feroza who is Pakistani. Her parents wished to send her to America to put her back into her culture. They felt she was getting too far away from her ideals. When Feroza arrives in America it seems she does not understand everything about the culture and she begins to come closer to her realm of Pakistani culture. She rooms with a girl named Jo who gives her insight into America. She realizes that freedom really does exist and even for women. In Pakistani culture women are forced to live with their husbands when they are married and sexuality is very sacred and important, important to save for your husband. Feroza rooms with Jo, who is very at one with her sexuality. She realizes that she too can have freedom in America.
I really enjoyed this novel. I did not expect much out of it because it seemed intimidating at first, plus it was the last novel of the semester. However, it impressed me quite a bit. I really enjoyed it.

Breath, Eyes, and Memory

In Breath, Eyes, and Memory we see the lack of freedom for women in other cultures. On several accounts we see this Haitian soceity confine their women to certain roles and stereotypes. Sophie was forced to leave Taunte Atie against her will. She was not fond of the idea of seeing her mother. She, however, was forced to leave. She met her mother in America. Women are also viewed differently in the eye of sexuality. Sophie's mother looked at things differently after being raped. She gain a new insight towards not only her sexuality, but the role of sexualaity in every female's life. Sophie was viewed differently once she was no longer a virgin. Her mother looked upon her differently. Once Sophie gave birth to her baby, she did not feel the desire to be sexual. Her lack of freedom though led to her sexual actions with her husband still.
I think this book was really good. I thought it was easy to read and easy to follow. I could relate to this book on some instances and it continually kept me interested.

The Joys of Motherhood

I felt this was one of the more interesting novels we have read thus far. For one it described a more diverse culture than any other we have read of so far. It was also quite different than the others. I thought it was interesting the way she ending up having eight or nine children in her life. I do not know if I would be able to have so many children. This shows how their society gives value and worth to mothers, not neccesarily women. The worth they have is the ablility to have kids. I feel that because of their low gain of worth in society this brings them several hardships. Women are people who are set to have and raise children, and many children at that. To find independence you must be able to raise yourself first. When Nnu Ego gets a job, her first baby dies, so she decides she can no longer work because she needs to focus on raising her children. She had to rely on her husband's income to support his household. She discovers difficulties later when her husband is sent to war and his paycheck is stipened. She must begin selling tobacco and cigerettes again. When her brother-in-law dies, he left his wives to his brother. Nnu Ego began to see change in her life as she had co-wives. She eventually ran her off, but we see that she cannot fully be the attention of her husband. Women have no independence to just be the sole property of thier husband, now she has to be shared.

Annie John

I think this book was an easy novel to get through because it is easy to relate to. My background is not of slavery or racial oppression, however, it is a girl growing up. I feel like Annie John exemplifies a young girl growing up, no matter the ethnicity. At one point in life, about age 10, she adored her mother. She looked upon her mother as the most beautiful woman, intelligent, courageous, etc. At one point I think every girl looks at her mother that way. As she grows older she begins to think less of her mother. She feels her mother has other concerns outside of her and feels left out from her old life. I think at one point every girl growing up can relate to going from adoration for her mother to seeing a more accurate depiction. I view Annie John as a coming of age story in many ways. The strongest way is in the maturity she gains as she grows older. She begins to flirt with boys and see her mother's real life. When Annie John's mother called her a slut after she was flirting with the boys in town, she at age 10 never would have yelled back at her mother "like daughter, like mother." She has matured, not in the sense that she can yell back at her mom, but that she can see accuracy in her life.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this novel. I think it was easy to relate and continuously kept me interested.

The House on Mango Street

This novel was fun to read and one of the easier novels we have read thus far in the course. It was a little quick and to the point at parts. I think what made it so easy and quick to read was the short chapters. I think the chapter titles also played a big role throughout the novel. The titles I felt were kind of strange, or at least different. They were lengthy at times.
The novel primarily tells the coming of age story for Esperenza. Esperenza is a young girl growing up, discovering her identity, her culture, and her sexuality. She encounters several friends along the way who introduce her to a different aspect about herself. She encounters friends who help her discover her sexuality. She goes from having a fear of heels to understanding her role as a woman. She also struggles throughout the novel to discover admiration for her origins and where her home is. Throughout the novel we discover Esperenza's desire to live in a home of her own away from Mango Street. Esperenza begins to discover her role in society and in her neighborhood, as well as her family.
In parts of the book I was shocked at the treatment. I believe it was the scene in the lunchroom or in the classroom and that make me look at the treatment of other races. Even her teacher treated her differently because of her background. She was stereotyped and generalized because of her neighborhood. I believe that we do that in today's society as well. We think ..."oh your from East St. Louis, you must be dangerous." but not everybody is dangergous. We cannot categorize people by their neighborhood or origins.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel. I would enjoy reading it again someday.

The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf

Mohja Kahf's novel "The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf" was a real eye opener for me. I have never read a novel regarding Muslim women or Muslims in general. I usually tend to stay away from the media and their views as well. As I read the novel, I learned more about the religion and the culture, as well as the views of both Americans on Muslims and Muslims on Americans. We discussed in class recently the concept of "authentic others." I begin to realize after reading the novel that we are all really an authentic other. This idea that as a western civilized American I study and try to learn about other cultures from the point of view of other western civilized Americans. I do not learn information and views from members of the other background. This does not allow me to fully grasp the concept of the tradition or culture I wish to understand. Reading Mohja Kahf's novel from her point of view as a Muslim from Syria allows me a greater insight into the Muslim culture than reading it from a textbook.
In this novel we also see signs of socializaton for Muslims and Americans. The socializations begins to create a battle among Americans and Muslims in society. Khadra is a young Muslim girl growing up in Indiana. Her family has come from Syria, a land predominatly Muslim. She has moved to a land that is predominatly non-Muslim. She is growing up in a small community of Muslims in a large community of non-Muslims. Khadra begins to discover her identity of a Muslim vs. an American. She discovers this through her socialization. Her parents have taught her that Americans are dirty, filthy people. They do not wash their behinds after using the restroom, they eat pig meat (which is considered filthy by Muslims), they own pets such as dogs (which are also considered filthy). As Khadra grows in her Muslim community, she discovers she could never be an American because they are filthy and dishonorable. She feels they will surely not go to heaven. We also discover that the Americans represented in the novel have been socialized by school and family to be against Muslims. The boys in school take Khadra's scarf and cut it. In her culture this is very sacred and a boy must not see your hair, however here the boys have disresepcted her. In the early part of the novel some people throw bottles and trash at their home in disgust of who they are. We see plain hatred by the Americans towards the Muslims in this novel.
Another depiction of socialization is discovered as Khadra makes the Hajj. She sees two American looking men on the plane. Khadra scourns at them and shows disgust for their journey to pray over oil. However, they inform her that they too are making the Hajj. Khadra has been socialized to hate Americans from her parents and her encounters in school and society. As this incident occurs we see Khadra grow as a person and as a Muslim. She discovers more or less not to label people as "others." She viewed them as Americans, instead of Muslims.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. At first it seemed a little drawn out and that the author could have narrowed it down a bit, but every story/chapter added to the understanding of the Muslim culture as well as being an authentic other and socialization.

Kindred

The novel Kindred, by Octavia Butler, is an eye opening piece of literature. It tells of a generation of our American past that has never seemed so vivid and harsh. The novel follows the flashbacks and life of Dana. Dana is a modern African American woman. She is married to a white man named Kevin and living in California. It is her twenty-sixth birthday and she finds herself in the middle of a dizzy spell and saving a young boy's life. Through several flashbacks she finds herself living as a slave on a plantation in the South, an area controlled by slavery. She realizes the boy who she has been caring for in her flashbacks is a relative of hers.
One aspect I found very intriguing is the art of reading. It is mandatory for Dana to teach white children to read, however, she cannot teach black children to read. She herself feels slightly threatened by knowing how to read. The slave owners inform each other that they would not want their slaves educated and literate because they may become so educated or able to read signs and learn ways to rebel and escape from their plantation. I feel being nonliterate would be scary in itself, however, I could not imagine fearing my literacy. Dana teaches Rufus to read, though she herself knows it is dangerous to teach reading.
Now that she sees what the plantation life is like, she becomes shocked and the idea of it all makes her ill. She watches as children, men, and women are beaten for petty things, such as learning to read or teaching to read. She herself is beaten for the first time. She also expresses her concern about her husband, Kevin, a white male, observing such treatment.
I enjoyed the story of Kindred. I feel that Octavia Butler's writing made it seem so realistic. The effects of slavery and the impact on their lives becomes a vivid part of our history in America throughout the novel.