EthnicLitRachelPalmerFinal: I do not want this to be included in anything outside of being graded for this class

The Cats of Mirikitani

The Cats of Mirikitani

The film "The Cats of Mirikitani" is a film about a lovable Asian-American grand master artist and how a woman's kindness uncovers a great historical tale of what is was like to be Japanese during WWII. I absolutely loved this film, he was an interesting man, because we had no clue about him at the start of the film but by the end I felt as if I had a connection to him and know about him much better and more about a history that I wasn't told despite having over 15 years of education.
Jimmy is constantly working on art throughout the whole film, he always seemed at peace when he was drawing. Art was his life it was so important to him, more important than his well being; the scene where 9/11 is happening, there is soot, smoke, ash and fire going on and Jimmy is paying attention to it he is consumed by  his art. I kind of felt there was no reason for him to really care, he knew war too well and the destruction that comes with it.Jimmy's story comes from his art, he is constantly drawing times from when he was imprisoned and of the bombings. Jimmy's life was his art, even during his imprisonment he wrote the government a letter saying how he needs to be released so he can teach art. That's all he wants to do, and I felt awful to know that there were times where he couldn't do art. But I'd like to hope when he left the camps when he bounced around looking for work and such he was ale to continue to make beautiful art. His art reveals and aspect about himself his inner feelings, that's how I believe hew as able to express his frustration, the sorrow of his life. I believe if he didn't have art or gave it up, he would be consumed by everything in his life. Spirituality is very important in this film, Jimmy is a very spiritual man from what I saw. He seems as if he is very against worldly things and materialistic items, all I see he ever really wants is pens, pencils, crayons for his art and the occasion Samurai movie. Of course I knew that being homeless is a horrible experience but from what I saw of Jimmy he didn't really mind, he only really cared for his art.

Internment camps were a really significant aspect of Jimmy's life, he spent three years there and this is the only film I saw that ever mentioned how bad it really was. I did know from personal research that it was pretty bad and as a human being I cannot imagine how horrible it must have been for the world just to be stopped for these people and thrown away in camps because of where they came from. That is why when I read David Muras work I was confused his fathers memories were so positive, he played baseball, got malts and watched movies but somehow I knew that wasn't the whole truth. All the death Jimmy describes, how there was no healthcare for people in these camps and no one seemed to care babies were dying, people were even killing themselves because they couldn't fathom just being taken out from the world then thrown back in; just imagine the racism and prejudice that the Japanese people were going through after the war.  
I liked how in this film how a historical even such as 9/11 and the backlash after that was shown as a comparison to what has happened before. The racism and hate crimes towards Muslims who were in no way involved in the twin towers. They are much like the Japanese during WWII, and Americans seems think it was okay to be fearful of people of a certain race and it is in no way justified; it is racism as simple as that, it is hate and I think it was absolutely disgusting how Americans treat people who aren't white. Since being white is what is to be American and is the only way to be safe even though I believe a lot whites are the real terrorists in America. I appreciated this contrast because it made people realize that what happened to Jimmy was horrible and was a long time ago but it could still happen and it is still happening now. We have to speak up and make sure that these unconstitutional crimes are not occurring to people.

I enjoyed how this film unveils the hypocrisy in America, how the the land of the free was able to illegally imprison people of Japanese descent. The war we were fighting against Germany and Japan, how the Jewish people and more were imprinted to concentration camps to die; I don't feel as if what America was doing was any different. The Japanese people were not treated like people during this time, when Jimmy was a young man and that completely altered how he feels about America. He can't trust America, that is why I believe he was so hesitant to do anything with social security. I also feel hos bad Jimmy must have felt, he was American born in Sacramento, California which he states several times and to be betrayed by his own country. And the fact his mothers family was completely obliterated by the nuclear bomb detonated in Hiroshima, is so horrible. Jimmy's home was destroyed and he didn't feel as if America was his home even though it was his birth right; where does he belong. Jimmy's resentment towards America is justified completely but I liked how his resentment didn't consume who he was as a person. He was a very sweet man, even after the fact he was forced to renounce his citizenship then be unjustly imprisoned for 3 and a half years is simply tragic;he was separated from his family and separated from society for no logical reason. Jimmy is constantly saying how he wants peace, no more war instead more love for all no matter where you come from. I feel so bad for Jimmy, I even cried during the film because this man has went through so much but he is so positive, he didn't let any of this stop him he is a grand master artist spending his time doing what he loves. At the end when he revisits the Lake Tule camp again with others, and when he said the only reason he went back was to pray for his friend that loved art and cats like him. I think also that is Jimmy draws cats a lot, so the boy can live though him. I think it was so beautiful jimmy never forgot him, that was I thin over 50yrs ago; I believe that is also why the boy visited him that night and said goodbye.

The title of the film, I did a lot of thinking about at first I thought it was just about all the cats he drew but then I think it was more than that. I believe that Jimmy was much like a stray cat, he was wandering doing whatever he wanted and the woman who decides to take him in . The woman is very kind, she not only takes Jimmy in but records his life because she feels as if he has a story worth telling. That is amazing because how many countless homeless people do we just pass by in our lifetime and we don't even stop or even make eye contact. It is amazing this woman was able to find him through his invisibility, so he can tell a story that isn't told as much as it needs to be. And to take him in, into her house and to take care of him without getting anything in return just shows how kind people can be. This woman tries countlessly to help him figure out things about his life that he doesn't even know, like where is his family are they ok? and about his citizenship. Without her I don't think Jimmy would be where he was at the end of the film, it was her kindness and curiosity that sparked this film, Jimmy himself was a mystery but without the lens of her camera we wouldn't have been able unravel his secret. Back to the cats aspect, that's why I thought the end when he states how he always takes in stray cats is so beautiful, he knows what it is like or them and now he is in the situation to give back and he does.

Fictive Fragments of A Father & Son

Fictive Fragments of Father & Son

I know why the narrator is so curious about his fathers past, so much so he even becomes unreliable in a sense during this story by making things up to make up for the silence he was given by his father. The reason I believe the narrator is so curious is because if you think about it, his father has known him for his whole life yet he only has known his father for a part of his life. Your parent the person you came from, the person who gave you life is nothing but  a mystery to you. You only known them as a parent, you have no idea what kind of kid they are or teenager. You have all of these questions that can't really be answered. I believe this is the essence of the story.
            A moment in the story that I felt as significant was "August, a few days after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A holiday had been declared, men sweep women up in their arms in the middle of streets and kiss them, and the women, abanodoned for a moment respond; firecrackers, streamers, confetti, and all the trappings of a carnival". This scene for me was so important, there is a reason not only the celebration of the war was described so postively YET the first words in the line "August, a few days after Hiroshima and Nagasaki", made me feel disgusted; the inhumane use of nuclear warfare on innocent Japanese people is not something to be celebrated. I like how the author put that in there, to show how one nations celebration is anothers destruction. In relation to the story, I feel as if his father celebrating with Americans proving his 200% american attitude shows his further distance form being Japanese. I would think he would be upset, maybe he didn't have family there but not to feel bad for your own people it is surprising.
I was very disgusted at the treatment of the Japanese during this time, being put in camps; restrained and confined at the same time. Like the Kafka story, it was if all the Asian Americans had someone knock at their door and they are imprisoned for no reason. I felt very upset because the father was so nonchalant of what was happening, they played baseball, ate burgers and malts and watched movies. And the audacity for after his release to be told for his own sakes he should try and be 200% American; so willingly being imprisoned for the sake of the whites who are quaking in their privileged racist boots thinking every person from Japan and Asia had to be in cahoots with the "Nazi regime" doesn't prove their support. Even though support wasn't needed this is something that shouldn't have been done in anyway. Yet I relate with the father this is what he has to do to survive in America, ignorance is bliss, that's why when he repeats his mantra over and over until he believes it I realize the strength the father had to do so.
              The whole Playboy scene was very fascinating because it revealed the inner realities of a little boy of color dealing with his sexuality in America. The way he discovered his sexuality in a mainstream form that is far from diverse just shows how a lot of boys find out this is what is beauty this is what is sexy. Which just instills how western beauty standards are destructive, and why women of different races and body types are deemed not beautiful. The internalized racism that is shown in the son of K. is brought to the surface the way he says that white women are much beautiful than Asian women, or the way he doesn't realize the womens race because she is white; the invisibility of power, how that is the default if it wasn't and the women was black or brown then he would have noticed. Even the way that white women are the only thing men want but for men of color the only thing they can't have, they are told from awhile they are not to be with them; this gives them a forbidden quality.
               "My father is an empty vessel, waiting to be filled" which is impossible in a physical sense, we are never born empty. Yet in a poetic way it was more of a sense of belonging is what he lacked and longed for. Having a place to belong is what he needed to feel whole, that is why he tries so hard to fill the void; to be more American. To fill himself with religion, not just any religion but Christianity, yet he didn't feel that he belonged in Church which I was confused about. He is wanting to belong to something he doesn't belong too which is tragic. Even the quote, "to think a white man must be God", shows how his father is so brainwashed to be white and to belong he obviously must be to think this being that is the most powerful and good has to be white.  I can't blame him, personally a lot of poc have all of this white washing and worshiping being instilled since birth due to things like media. I was like that, I always though white with blue eyes were beauty when it wasn't necessarily; it took me a long time to realize that so I don't necessarily resent the father but I can see why his son does. Another way he filled himself is with power, as much power as he could have which wasn't the most, he got lots of money as a "vice president", but not as much as a probably white president counterpart. Which I feel as if so sad, he tries so hard to be filled to be white, to belong in America and maybe he does, maybe he believes this but I  feel as if they isn't enough.
         The resentment of the narrators father by his son is apparent; the way the son is almost making this story up because his father doesn't really tell him much. Silence is violence but at the same time the expectations is the way his father is so violent to him. The whole scene where the son talks about how his father was always finding a problem in what he did. Even the beginning quotation on how the father said he got everything by hard work which is something the son didn't. Yet I believe the son did work hard towards making his father proud, but he just couldn't do it. It wasn't enough as if his son had to be 400% and not 200% like him. Even the feelings his father has in that excerpt, "disgusted, muttering at my lack of concentration. screaming, and shouting". And this relates to the end, what is the job of the son of K., to forgive his crimes? but does he even have a right if K. doesn't feel as if he committed any crime?

Interesting Article: 10 Natives Who Should Replace Andrew Jackson on the 20$ Bill

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/WX2

Smoke Signals

      


 SMOKE SIGNALS

    I really enjoyed watching this film, it was very insightful and inspirational. Also the fact it is made and stared in only by Native Americans is amazing, since I know that representation is media is very important especially in diverse ways. Smoke Signals, which is the title of the film are considered a method of communicating with others, I think this title is significant because smoke signals can only be made from fire; which is a very important symbol within this film. I also believe it is also about communication which isn’t so positive throughout the movie; no one really admits how they really feel (well mostly Victor) and he was unable to because his father ending up dying before he could. In reference to Thomas, it could relate to his name –builds-the-fire, he was always trying to communicate feelings, emotions and stories for the benefit of other people.        
      The fact Thomas, seems to say whatever he wants or feels shows the contrast between him and others. Most Indians shown are shown to be big drinkers, I feel as if they are drowning away what they really want to say. That what has happen to their people is unfair, that their lives aren’t easy or fun. I appreciate this trait, Thomas doesn’t know when to stop at times but it isn’t because he wants to hurt people. I think he is very curious.  Thomas has the ability to tell great stories from his imagination that people want to hear. I think it’s his way to help people cope or even just himself. I also think this is why he and Victor clash so much, Victor keeps what he feels inside; he even said a real Indian is stoic. Which is wrong in a sense because he is just stating how Indians are portrayed in media such as old western films, instead of as a diverse people who don’t have to be a certain way; like Thomas.
                  Cowboys and Indians played a big role because in films it is always Cowboys vs. Indians, and most of the time Cowboys “won” which is sort of historically true if committing genocide is a way to “win”. Also the fact it is referred to Cowboys, the stereotypical American, and the Indians in the movies are the stereotypical Indians. When their seats are unjustly taken, by the stereotypical American. They do not really fight yet Victor says they are “warriors”. This can show the fact they feel helpless against the white Americans, which can be in relation to the history of the Native Americans. Road trip trope is considered a way people find themselves traveling somewhere, which is basically what happened which is ironic because it is a stereotypical American thing to do. I believe fry bread is their sense of home, it is probably the only place where they eat fry bread and when they talked about it, it was always a reminiscent of home and where they grew up. Fry bread represented their community back home that couldn’t be replaced.Also the theme of secrets were very important, the secret of what started that fire and what is caused fueled this whole story. I also think Suzie was a very important character, she kept on to Arnold's secrets which is a very heavy secret to bear but she does it anyways. This also shows jealousy, Victor was obviously jealous and suspicious of Susie he doesn't even say goodbye to her or thank you for letting him know how his father really felt.He didn't even think about how alone Suzie may have felt after his father passing, this showed how self involved Victor was and selfish; and that was someone he didn't even know, he treated Thomas even worse and Thomas still considered him a friend. Thomas always forgives, a trait Victor needs.
                   Everything burned in that fire”. The opening of the movie is the layout for the rest of the film, it seems as if nothing good ever happened after that fire. Thomas lost his family, Victors father began resenting himself for what he did to cause it and eventually ran away. The symbol of fire is important because in the beginning Thomas says him and Victor are born from both fire and ashes. Which is tragic in it’s own way, fire is powerful yet destructive; and ashes are considered the aftermath of destruction,but in the case of Victors father’s ashes it was completely different.Victor also says “an Indian man aint nothing without his hair” Yet the only Indian we see without short hair is his father, he did it after the fire because he felt as if what he did was so bad. He wanted to seek forgiveness that’s why he disappeared, which is a huge theme in the movie. Can we forgive others for what they have done and can we forgive ourselves for what we have done? This is also shown in Victor butchering his hair after realizing his father did really care about him after going through his trailer but still not being able to forgive him. The love hate relationship between father and son is very significant in this film, Victor has to decide whether or not to forgive his father for all the bad he has done. Also the role of inheritance is important because it shows what kind of person Victor is, he is a good person he doesn’t want to hurt anyone that is why he doesn’t drink like his father, and why he promises to come back unlike his father. But some things cannot be helped, Victor doesn’t realize he is much like his father in other ways such as violence, the only two people who are shown to be violent is Victor and his dad. Also Victor doesn’t want to hurt him mother but in the end he was by just wasting away and his potential. Also fire is also how a lot of things end, how Thomas parents dies, the fact Arnold is cremated, and the fact Suzie sets a fire to his trailer before she leaves. Fire is destructive but it can also mean many different things, resentment, love, death, endings, beginnings,  remembrance much like how little Thomas said Fires burn in different colors.
                     It also shows all flashbacks in Victors point of view are always violent and aggressive when it comes to his father, but Thomas’s memories of Victors dad is positive, like Denny’s and the fry bread eating contest; I think Victor is jealous of this. Also I believe the point of that was to show that Victors dad wasn’t all bad, but he made mistakes and ultimately asks the question for Victor, could he forgive him? I also notices Victor’s running represents two different things. The first time he runs because he can’t handle his life the second time to save a life. Which shows character development on his side.

                  I really though Thelma & Lucy were funny and entertaining, I assumed the reason they went backwards was because maybe that was a one way street, or they have been drinking so much they thought it would be funnier to do this. They are shown as the only young women in this community who speak, which can show how young Indians girls were just like how they showed Victor playing basketball with his friends. Also I never seen Thelma and Louise but I know it is considered a revolutionary and feministic film which can relate to Thelma and Lucy’s alternative view. Also I know in the end they drove off a cliff but not in reverse, maybe it is ironic they go backwards. The names are also representative like, Victor Joseph (considered a winner), and also given his second name from his father, which shows inheritance. While Thomas-builds-the-fire’s name is figured out till the end, you think his name is just Thomas, a “normal” name, but also shows how his name is tied into his culture. Usually native names are what they do for their community, but his name is also very depressing because his parents did die in a fire. Also the obvious Resentment towards Columbus is shrouded by humor. It is always shown as a joke, even the fact the community has a huge party on the fourth of July which in terms does not celebrate anything for them other than the destruction of their ancestors and culture for the “Americans.” There is also a lot of humor surrounding doing Indian things such as bartering, the oral word and things like that which maybe just be a generational gap rather than disrespect in my point of view. These kids are young, and they are growing up in a complete different way than their ancestors even though they live in a reserve they are all still affected by Americanization.

My Name By Sandra Cisneros

MY NAME

                 Don't we all want to be extraordinary, and have an extraordinary name that's what I think she is trying to do. By changing her name to Zeze the X rather than Esperanza, it is no longer a muddy color in my opinion Zeze the X is its own bright color that people would have a hard time figuring out; it is not the number nine it would be more like 3,268 or a number that was bigger that would use every muscle in a persons mouth to say; something different,something muchh like her but rather the side she doesn't show. Also Zeze is refuting the fate of getting this name from her great grandmother who was just another woman forced in marriage and destined for a plain life looking at the window. She doesn't want to be a chandelier or a prop for a husband like what her culture wants her too. Zeze wants to be a revolutionary, she wants to be horse woman running wild and free and she felt as if she couldn't do it with her old name which I thought was really sad. I felt as if one reason she wanted to change it because of the way everyone at school says it, at a point you get tired of correcting people but she should have, it isn't that hard to correct yourself but it is hard for her someones name to be made into something uglier when its not; I feel as if every time they butcher her name and do not correct themselves they are disrespecting her culture and Zeze. She is such a young girl and she just wants to change or transform into her true self, which a lot of people take much longer to do. I know what it feels like to want to change, and I thought that it started with my name. Rachel is so bland, every girls name is Rachel and I don't think it ever gave me justice for who I was. So I tried to change it I thought Rae, would be a better choice; Rae is stronger, and sounds nicer to me. When I was little I would read the Bible almost everyday, well just the part where I get my name; the story of Rachel well it was really just the story Jacob who found a beautiful girl (Rachel) ande deicded he wanted to marry her. I used to think that was amazing, I wa named after someone who was so beautiful but then I realized when I got older, beautiful is a nice thing to be but I don't think I was put on this earth to be just that. I didn't want to be Rachel, who was Jacobs wife and the mother of Benjamin and Joseph; whose only relevance in the Bible was marriage, child birth and a rivalry with her own sister over a old man. I didn't want to be Rachel which means purity, I wanted to be Rae which means the me no one sees. I would like to think it fit me, I just wanted my name to be powerful, which is a hard thing to feel when you a young girl, especially a young girl of color. Which is why I relate to Zeze, and why I refer to her as the name she chooses instead of Esperanza because it is her choice; no one calls me Rae, and I don't know if anyone will call Esperanza, Zeze but I will because I think to have someone, atleast one person to try understand you is good enough. There is no doubt power in naming, which was the main theme of this excerpt but I think it is important to respect a persons choice to take the power for themselves and change their name; especially those who feel powerless otherwise.

"A Father" Blogpost

In “A Father” by  Bharati Mukherjee we are introduced to Mr. Bhowmick a very complex man who is filled with hypocrisy, the first example of that is he is introduced as a very meticulous man. He awakes at 5:43 am despite 8:30 am is the time he leaves to work because he is so cautious. Yet he is thrown through a rude awakening when he finds his daughter is pregnant, maybe he wasn’t as cautious as he could have been with his child. He also is shown to be very serious and incontrol but that is not how he is portrayed further in the reading. Mr. Bhomwick doesn’t take the situation of his daughters secret pregnancy as serious as she should, he finds out so early but does not confront his daughter at all. He finds it humorous thinking of him greeting a white man as Balbi’s father, a Bob, Jack, Jimmy or Tom.

Another act of hypocrisy is his resentment towards the women in his life, his wife wasn’t as beautiful as he wanted and only married her for a free education. His daughter who yet again isn’t an example of what  he believes one should be, he states how much he doesn’t love her throughout the whole passage and can’t believe someone would find her attractive enough to impregnate. Though despite his hate for the women in his life he is controlled by them, his wife is the one who made him come to America. He isn’t as strong as them or ferocious, he struggles with being stern and at towards the end , “Stop it! His own boldness overwhelmed him”. be it. This shows even when he is being bold he is still uncomfortable being the power within the household even though he expects to just

One of his most significant hypocrisy lies within his religious goddess, Kali-Mata. This goddess is holding a decapitated mans head, swords; she has a long red tongue and completely naked. Yet Mr. Bhomwick goes out of his way to worship her yet at the same time he resents women like her. His wife and daughter are sharp tongued and at a certain degree independent. Balbi I think represents her more, she embraces her sexuality and independence as a woman to make the decision she does not need a physical man to be the father of her child. At the end of the story Balbi completely reflects Kali-Mata, she is shown to be laughing and mocking her father as her long red tongue shows from her mouth; and Mr. Bhomwick beats her until the police are callen. It shows the hypocrisy of how religious he was, he prayed double the amount, he built a place for his Kali-Mata statue yet he threw all of that away and assaulted his own daughter. The  goddess he loves is a woman yet it is apparent he gives the women in his life no respect.

In the end I found Mr. Bhomwicks character so fascinating because he continues to contradict himself, sort of like his hate and love relationship of Ranchi and of America. He can’t come to say he absolutely adored Ranchi or belonged there but also the same for America he felt as if he didn’t belong anywhere. He was in the middle, and that is why I believe his beliefs and emotions were so muddled and opposing at times. He was fighting between two opposing forces in his life that I believe would lead to his further destruction.