Blog Post #20: TEWWG Fishbowl Discussion Feedback

Group 1: Ben Allen

“The dissonance that results from cultural clashes, particularly the conflicts experienced by those who are moving -- by choice or by coercion -- from one culture to another.

I loved that you chose to begin your food memoir with the commentary provided by your mother! I think that perfectly crafted the context for you to be able to introduce your dish and expand upon its meaning to you and your life. PS it was delicious!
I really liked your group’s focus on the motivations behind moving. As Janie came across each of the men in her life, her reactions to them evolved slightly in each situation, clearly displaying her growth. At first, Janie is younger and her fate as the wife of Logan Killicks is predetermined by her grandmother. As a result, there is great dissonance, as Janie is given a life which she did not choose for herself. So, when Janie chooses to leave, it is with little thought and difficulty. With Joe Starks, however, Janie willingly partners with him, so she experiences more turmoil in the disagreements that stem from their marriage. Thus, once Tea Cake comes along, Janie takes her time and navigates their budding relationship with great care.

A marriage is, essentially, a partnership and requires great compromise. That’s why it can be easily looked at as a “culture clash”, because both spouses combine their backgrounds and interests to create a united one.

I think this idea very interestingly relates to your food memoir -- both you and your father were reluctant to try your mother’s dish, because she brought it from her childhood/culture, which was separate from your father’s and your’s. However, after the initial dissonance / reluctance, you came to enjoy the dish and it worked its way into your culture and background.

Group 3: Akane Ohara

“How power or voice (or lack of power or voice) leads to the representation (or misrepresentation) of certain groups. Various ways people use (or abuse) power -- for survival and lives of excess."

I loved your presentation of the Kinton in your food memoir! The pace/tone of the video was very soft and delicate, which I really liked because I think it emphasized the idea of the memoir being a reflection on your past and reflected the way you seem to think and speak in real life.

I appreciated your group’s discussion of nature vs. nurture, and how this contributed to a character’s ability to “survive”, or develop and grow into a mature person. I think it is very important to acknowledge the importance of “nurture” and how those in power shape who we become. In both TEWWG and “Rapunzel Explains The Tower”, the women in power directly influence the futures of Janie and Rapunzel. For example, the grandmother is the first to force Janie out of the nest, by throwing her into a stable life and marriage with Logan Killicks. Similarly, in “Rapuzel,” the witch sends her daughter out the instant “she noticed the new swell of my girl’s waist”. This forces Rapunzel to grow to be strong, so she can one day “smash the palace mirrors” for her child. Janie’s marriage to Killicks forces her to take a leap of faith and run away, putting her on the path to her future trials and errors, which she must face in her Hero’s Journey.

Whether intentional or unintentional, those in the place of power -- specifically our parents and grandparents -- have the power to directly influence the way we think, act, and feel. Interestingly enough, this is evident in your memoir as well, as your mother teaches you to “over peel the skins of the sweet potato so that the paste turned out a clean, golden color”, reminding you of the “of the importance tradition that goes into my every meal” and introducing you to a new role in your family’s festivities.

Group 4 - Kelly Wu

“ The divisions, concepts, & multiple forces within the self.”

Your food memoir was so enjoyable to watch! I loved the inclusion of your little sister -- she clearly adds spark to your home life and I think it’s awesome that she got to do so in the video as well. I also loved the idea of beginning the memoir with the tale of Yuan Xiao. That was so creative and really added to the overall piece.

In the discussion and your fishbowl notes, the theme of physical divisions comes up on multiple occasions. Often times, physical barriers are used in literature to emphasize the presence of internal barriers. For example, you included the quote in “To Helen” that said, “Lo! in yon brilliant window-niche/How statue-like I see thee stand”. This quote is a perfect example of the significance of a physical barrier; the subject, Helen, stands in the window, just out of reach; this further entices the speaker, who is enamored by Helen, and wants her for himself. This idea also translates to both stories in your memoir. Yuan Xiao was kept from her family, creating a division within herself that compelled her to take action. Although you live in the states, your heart is tied to your culture and family in China (something I can totally relate to). The distance between the US and the China emphasizes the disconnect between yourself and your cousins, “Although Yuan Xiao did not move to an entirely different country, she was separated from her family, as I am from my relatives. Whenever I see my relatives in China I feel slightly left out because of the differences in our lives, I miss out on the close relationships my cousins are able to form without me.”

Group 5 - Gina Deaton
“The role of performance in everyday life, particularly in the sense of taking on certain roles & disguising true personalities in order to assimilate into mainstream.”

Unsurprisingly, your memoir was beautifully written! I completely agree with the comment made by Austin after your presentation; your memoir was truly unique because it discussed something seemingly ordinary and showed how it could be of great importance to your family’s culture and background. A lot of your blog posts on your blog for the Chronicle have a similar theme -- it seems like you have a knack for revealing the beauty in the ordinary! I also liked how you included the subtle silliness in the filming of the video. It definitely brought out your personality and made me smile.

I really enjoyed the connections you made between “Will” by Jane Yolen and TEWWG, as they related to your prompt. It was interesting how you pointed out how adhering to social norms can often backfire for characters. In “Will”, the father hides his past from his daughter in order to fit into his new, American lifestyle. Similarly, Joe pressures Janie to act in specific ways in order to keep up their image as the mayors of the town. In both cases, it obviously backfires. Yolen relays this in the final lines, portraying the father as a monster, “He devours them / As he devoured me / … All of my life” and Zora Neale Hurston emphasizes this by showing Janie transition into falling out of love with Joe, eventually ripping off her handkerchief after his death, symbolizing her newfound freedom. I also thought this idea slightly related back to your food memoir, as you mentioned that your grandfather was initially embarrassed to eat pizza/Italian Food, because he wanted to blend into American society.