Reminders: As you respond to your class’s post, review the expectations for thoughtful, valuable, and timely communication outlined in the “Discussion Forum Rubric.” Additionally, even though you are only responsible for responding to your assigned topic, we will use all four posted topics in our class discussion; prepare accordingly.
Angelou’s “Champion of the World” and Tan’s “Fish Cheeks” both tell stories of children who felt like outsiders in predominately white America. As you respond, first, compare and contrast the two writers’ perceptions of what sets them apart from the dominant culture. How does the event each author reports affect the sense of difference? Next, consider and share: How can you identify with feeling like an outsider who was not a part of a group or could not participate or offer an opinion that was not a part of the majority—not just about an outsider of the culture of race, but consider our other cultural orientations: the culture of our beliefs (religious, ethical, moral, political, socio-economic, experiential, etc.).
Both authors express feel as outsiders, both being of an ethnicity different from the typical "white" American. Author of the "Champion of the World" sets her-self apart because she perceives the African-American culture as seen as below the intellectual and physical capabilities of the "white" Americans. Tan wrote in "Fish Cheeks" of how she was embarrassed of her culture, and felt as though she would not be accepted if she was not the classic "white" American. Although they were both outcasts, Tan desires to be accepted, whereas Angelou wanted for the equality and the success of her people. The purpose of each differs as well. Angelou's purpose is to describe how the African-American culture has proved them-selves, yet they are still faced with prejudice. Tan dislikes her culture because of how others will judge her for it, but she learns that she should be proud to be different. Our culture today has trouble with "different" people. If others aren't like them, then they either ridicule them or outcast them. As a new student when I moved in eighth grade, I felt like an outcast because I, for one, did not know anyone, and, two, I was different. I was uncomfortable about trying to fit in. But why should we have to fit in? If we were created differently, then why should we need to fit in by being all the same? Like a puzzle, we are all different pieces with different shapes. It's those differing shapes that fit together.
ReplyDeleteIn Angelou's "Champion of the World" Maya Angelou is an outsider in the white world, amongst the several others in the shop. They all share this oppression of the white race and their hero, the "Brown Bomber" is helping them to establish themselves as equals into the world by trumping the white people as a pugilist. In comparison, Tan's "Fish Cheeks" shows how she is embarrassed of her culture because it is different. But to help balance their difference with the white majority power, they introduce the family into an outside world and show them how they are different, yet they make them feel at home and equal. While this makes Tan in the moment, uncomfortable, she later realizes that it was what she really wanted. She knew she could never become white and white people can never become Chinese, so they need to share each other to be equal. I can relate to this because I am a nihilist, living in a religiously dominated area and world. It's hard for me to really feel equal amongst people who seemed so subscribed to certain religious beliefs that I see as rubbish. I feel like I am missing something that all these people have and it makes me feel set apart and not equal. I just can't understand it all and choose to deny that. I also deny a lot of other things as existing which makes me feel like I'm doing or thinking incorrectly too. I would really like to understand these things and why people believe in them, but if I did, perhaps I wouldn't have anything to learn or fight for.
ReplyDelete-Marley D. Griggs
Within these two narrative works, both authors share childhood memories to articulate their feelings as outcasts due to many differences from a "white" American. From dissimilar skin colors to different traditions, the authors feel inferior towards the dominance of the "white" race. However, the author of "Champion of the World," Maya Angelou, does not desire to be a part of this particular ethnicity, but fights against the injustice of racism. The false physical and religious accusations of the African- American race set Angelou and her people from the dominant culture. On the other hand, Amy Tan, the writer of "Fish Cheeks," explains her embarrassment towards her "shabby" Chinese culture, for her foreign traditions may prevent her of a full acceptance from her white peers. Unlike Angelou, Tan greatly yearns to be an individual of the dominant race. In addition, the events that each author presents exemplify different points. Angelou portrays the African- American race in connection with the great boxing fight of Joe Louis. Not just an ordinary match, but the author illustrates the boxing fight as a battle for equality and advocacy of the African- American culture's capabilities. In contrast, Tan's work takes the tone of a frustrated teenager who takes a shame towards her own tradition due to her fear of people's judgments. Yet, she later learns the beauty and appreciation she should possess to of her different culture. Although today's American societies are populated with various ethnicities, many individuals still do not accept other people of another race. Although extroverted, I have experienced many feelings of an outsider and shame during my life here in Georgia. As a Korean- American, I was mortified of my own skin by the horrible Korean reputation of "gossiping" and the facial features of a flat nose. People would label me with preposterous, typical Asian stereotypes. It was uncomfortable and embarrassing to be different, but I realized the gift of my ethnicity. The abilities to speak two languages fluently and to eat spicy foods are several of the many benefits of being different. Every human being is crafted differently and possesses his or her own unique characteristics. These differences are vital to the world, for we contribute various things. People must learn how to accept and embrace their own traits. Those differences are the beauty of the human race.
ReplyDelete- Sharon Byon
The narrators of "Fish Cheeks" and "Champion of the World" both feel that their ethnic identities are being suppressed by the prevailing White American culture. However, they have distinctly different responses to this. In "Fish Cheeks," the narrator feels ashamed by her differences and wants nothing more than to be seen as "normal" by the boy she has a crush on. Food that she normally loved suddenly seemed disgusting and weird. To contrast, the narrator of "Champion of the World" has a fierce pride for her race. She and the other people in her community celebrate any triumph of the Black people over the White, no matter how small. She longs to be accepted and treated as an equal just as much as the narrator of "Fish Cheeks" does, but in a different way. She wants her culture to be considered normal, not to be absorbed by another.
ReplyDeleteI can identify with the narrators of both of these short stories. I am a very intuitive person-- meaning that I make decisions based on what I think and not what I encounter. This can complicate everything from shopping for clothes to surviving high school. On the one hand, there is a (small) part of me that would like to just act like everyone else; this would probably make my life a whole lot easier. However, most of the time I feel more like the narrator of "Champion of the World." I generally perceive a hostile outer world that needs to accept me for who I am. This feeling comes up quite often when my morals clash with the liberal leanings of highschoolers. I do not feel like I can successfully argue my religion and moral beliefs against so many, so I stay silent, but my anger burns. Like the Black community in "Champion of the World," I am starved for victories, and every small win is met with great celebration.
Maya Angelou and Amy Tan are both aware of the fact that they are different and set apart from the "normalcy" of the lives around them. Both make it clear that they are different because of their race and the culture that goes along with that. While they both feel and make it clear that they are inferior to the white race they give the reader a different glimpse into the certain feelings that go along with feeling less than anyone or any group of people. Angelou talks about an event, a boxing match, that could be a huge stepping stone for African Americans. The whole boxing match itself symbolizes hope and change for black people. She is proud that her family can be apart of such a great thing, that a black man could potentially be crowned "Heavyweight champion of the world." Tan on the other hand speaks on the event of Christmas Eve and how she wishes it was different. Instead of feeling that she is apart of change or something bigger, she feels ashamed and does not want to be around the her family at this time because of the "better" people who are also around. It is funny how her favorite foods she does not want to recognize or claim because her "superior" is not use to the culture. She does not want to be a part of her family that she is normally fine with and that just shows how because she is not white or typical she feels like she is not important.
ReplyDelete"Champion of the World" feels like such a close account of an event that I have endured. The exact feelings she stirs up in me all bring back memories of my family and I waiting to see the results of the 2008 election. Everything down to the very last sentence of the story brings back that night. All the suspense and emotions and again the potential stepping stone not just for Barack Obama(Joe Louis), but for African Americans as a whole. The same feelings involved with the fight give the same feelings of how this event gives us all hope. It has been evident that from the beginning of time black people have been seen as less of a person than white people, and with myself being black it is sometimes hard to cope with. Shame and feeling lost with who I really am and who I want to be are common in my life because I am an "outsider" due to my color. However, with small steps and the hope of so many people, that fact has slowly changed and it is such a blessing to be a part of the minority and see the changes in the attitudes of many people.
First of all I would like to add that I had already written a fair amount, but made a mistake in a sentence so I tried to press the undo button at the top of the page, but instead found out it was the refresh button. But anyways, now to the important part. Today I read two stories titled "Fish Cheeks" and "Champion of the World." "Fish Cheeks" is about this Chines girl who has a crush on this white boy, but feels ashamed of her culture, specifically its food and manners, when she compares it to his culture and particularly when he gets a full view of her culture. She feels alienated from him because she feels ashamed of her culture. Basically she is ashamed because her culture is different. The kid in "Champion of the World" on the other hand feels set apart because her culture and ethnicity of African American was looked down upon in those times. She feels as if she and her race is fighting a "12 round fight" so to speak against society. She is prejudiced against not because of who she is but because, as with the girl in "Fish Cheeks", her ethnicity is white and her culture is different. I couldn't think of the particular difference though between "Fish Cheeks" and "Champion of the World" until I was glancing at another bloggers blog and saw the single word "racism". This word perfectly explains the deepness of past American society's prejudice of the African American race, which in contrast with the simple awkwardness due to the different Chinese culture is much stronger. The events themselves explain the difference in deepness and power. The girl in "Fish Cheeks" is just her against a white boy, while the fight of the kid in "Champion of the World" is symbolized by the this black boxer fighting this white boxer, symbolizing not only this girl's fight but also her entire race's fight against the prejudice of an entire nation. Personally as a Christian I feel and know I have been at odds with the world and accepted society since I began to fall in love with Jesus Christ. I know what it feels like to be surrounded by around 1800 kids who don't feel the same way you do about the world and look at you differently because of it. I'm not saying I'm shown prejudice because of it, but when other people are talking about drinking this weekend or having sex with this girl or what not, and have a "bond" because of this, I know that I not include in that. And personally, I'm glad I'm not, but that's another story. Basically I'm just not included in that worldly cool group, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I still love those guys even though I don't agree with them and are still friends with them, but I know I'm not in that loop that gets invited to the parties or hangs out on the weekend. But at the same time as I was reading Sharon's blog I realized that the prejudice I am shown is because of something I've chosen and not something that I was born with. Sharon has been prejudiced because of her race, and that is not her fault. She wouldn't her ethnicity for the world and I know that, but she unfairly is prejudice because of something she can't control, but I'm ostracized because of a personal decision. Boom goes the dynamite and I'm done. So peace out round-about and all that tasty sauerkraut. Little Togo Boy is signing out.
ReplyDeleteThe author of Champion of the World and the author of Fish Cheeks both feel that they are different from the majority of the American population. However, the authors express their thoughts differently. Angelou, author of Champion of the World, wants to stand as an equal. She has pride in anything her race exceeds at and wants to prove that the blacks can meet and exceed what the white people can do. Tan, author of Fish Cheeks, does the exact opposite. Instead of taking an approach to become equal, she already accepts the fact her race is inferior to the white population. She believes that the American lifestyle is the only way to live and anything different from that was wrong. When Tan’s crush and his family come to dinner for Christmas, family manners that were normal in her home were barbaric to her; even the food her mother made especially for her was “strange.” America is filled with different people and most people believe that the majority of the United States is what they see in the media. I can relate to “being an outsider” and especially to Tan’s story. Being a Chinese-American myself I often saw my way a living completely disgusting when I was a child. I felt that I had to be like what I saw on TV or what my friends described to me as “a typical American.” However as I started to grow up my views started to change and become like Angelou’s views. I felt pride that I was Chinese and I definitely was not alone. I could not sit in school one day without hearing something like “oh, it’s because I’m Asian.” or “I’m Asian! How could I not get that?” Due to the many of achievements of Asian people around the globe, most people can feel proud when they say they are Asian, similar to what Angelou felt when the Brown Bomber won and held his title as champion of the world. But it takes a lot of achievements to feel proud to be a minority. Though I am proud of my race, there are many things that I still am not willing to share simply because I know I will be bombarded with many arguments. I do not feel shameful like Tan did in her story about my beliefs, but I would feel shame if I could not back up my ideas like most majorities could.
ReplyDelete-Dorothy Li
Though similar in sentiment, the two passages of Maya Angelou and Amy Tan are quite different in tone. Angelou has an ardent and very apparent pride in her race. She speaks of her entire race as a whole rather than how she herself feels. The difference that sets her race apart from the white Americans is simply the whites' attitude toward her people--that they are "lower types of human beings, only a little higher than apes." Joe Louis winning the heavyweight championship meant a lifting of social status for her race--in her mind and the minds of those around Angelou, this victory was the beginning of better lives for American blacks. It was the beginning of independence and a voice amongst her people. Angelou's passage has a very triumphant, hopeful tone. In contrast, however, Amy Tan's brief passage has a very pouty, unhappy tone until the almost nostalgic end. Tan is not very proud to be Chinese, wishing to feel equal to her white "crush" and incredibly embarrassed of her culture. She only learns to appreciate her heritage with age. Her very culture is what sets her apart from the white Americans around her--the food she eats and loves, the behavior, and even the appearances. She is ashamed of who she is in front of Robert and his family because of this. Her family helped her learn who she was and what it meant to truly belong to the Chinese culture as she grew older.
ReplyDeleteFeeling like an outsider in any way is not something I am unacquainted with--it happens often and in varying doses. One prominent example in my life of having an unpopular opinion is with religion. Though I have been raised Episcopalian, I find it difficult to believe in a religion where the idea of God is so embellished and His followers are so overzealous. I can almost physically feel a quiet sort of judgment coming from my family members for not having a secure sense of belief in a higher power. I feel separated from so many people who I feel blindly follow a religion they have no real proof of, and the fulfillment they experience from their religion(s) leaves me with a sense of emptiness. It would mean very much to me to be able to believe in something that so many others feel passionate about, but perhaps it is an experience I have yet to explore.
-Lillie Alton
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ReplyDeleteBoth authors share the same feelings as outcast due to their quite dissimilar ethnic backgrounds and cultures from the predominate white race in America. In Angelou’s “Champion of the World,” as she depicts a fight between a black hero and a white contender, it becomes quite evident that Angelou is trying to portray not only a literal fight but a symbolic fight against the injustice of racism. Joe Louis, the “Brown Bomber,” represented the whole African-American race that was depending on him to win this fight to prove that they too could be superior, if not equal. Angelou wanted to show that African-Americans were no different from the white Americans. But even though the selection ended with Louis’s victory, Angelou makes it quite clear that African-Americans were still subject to violent acts of racism and discrimination when she states that it was dangerous for “a black man and his family to be caught on a lonely country road on a night when Joe Louis had proved that [they] were the strongest people in the world.” In contrast, Tan’s “Fish Cheeks” illustrates a Chinese girl who wanted to fit in with the “dominant culture” and be accepted as a “normal” kid. She felt embarrassed of her own culture and family. She’s afraid that her crush will not like her and will judge her based on her interesting choice of foods. In the end, she comes to realize that she should be proud of her ethnicity and not be embarrassed by it. Unlike Angelou’s selection, which focused on Africans wanting equality, Tan’s selection portrays a girl who wanted to conform and be acknowledged as a typical American.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced many occasions where I felt like an outcast in society. Being Chinese, I always came across those people who thought it was funny to make fun of my culture by saying, “Ching ching chang chong,” or those who looked down on me because people in China ate dog meat. I also was made fun of for my flat nose and “chinky” eyes. As a child, I was really hurt and embarrassed, but now I’ve come to realize that there really isn’t anything to be embarrassed about. Everyone is different in their own way, and if being able to speak another foreign language is weird, then so be it. I’m proud of being Chinese and no one can ever make me feel any different.
-Amanda Cheung
Amy Tan and Maya Angelou both tell of their lives and the struggles they faced within "white" America. While "Champion of the World" and "Fish Cheeks" both point out the emotional baggage and constant struggle as an outcast among the white man, both have a different means of support and tone. Angelou's story mostly revolves around the perspective that the average white person had of her culture. Her tone seems outraged as she describes a brutal beating of one of her own. This beating symbolizing something greater to her than just a fight. It is a chance to release all the anger that has ever built up inside the African American community. It is a way to show that blacks are not a lesser being, in fact they are able to defeat the white community while they boast. On the opposite side of that is Tan, who elaborates on her own view of how Americans see her and her culture. When the preacher's family comes over for dinner, she predicts what the family will say about hers and how they will treat them if her family does not live up to the typical American life. Also, both stories contain a good moral lesson. Culture is a part of who we are and we can not change that. Discriminating does not take a person's heritage away, it simply angers and hurts and defeats.
ReplyDeleteFeeling like an outsider is one of the feelings the reader is faced with when enjoying Angelou and Tan's works. Both of these woman live everyday with the white community and yet never feel accepted. They learn to overcome it and move on. This is just as many of us do when we move schools or homes. When i was in seventh grade I had to move schools. It was only the next school over, but when you have been going to the same school with all of your friends since kindergarten it is tough to adjust to the new surroundings. I had a new home, a new school, and i knew no one. The first day of school was a blur and I walked the halls alone for about two weeks. Everyone seemed a little more understanding and friendly than those of the world discussed in Angelou and Tan's writings. However, feeling the loneliness of having no one to talk in class and no one to sit with at lunch is just a peek at how it must feel to be the racial outcast among a nation.
- Tecie Sams
In “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan and “Champion of the World” by Maya Angelou, both authors express their experiences with being part of minority groups due to their cultures. Both depict clashing of cultures. Joe Louis, a black heavyweight champion boxer, competes against a white man. Amy Tan’s family hosts the white minister’s family. A difference in their perceptions, however, lies in the connotations in which they express the events in question; while Angelou seems proud of telling of the victory of Joe Louis, Tan seems embarrassed of the traditional Chinese dinner her mother prepares. In addition, while Angelou’s account talks of overcoming and usurping the majority’s power, Tan talks of sharing her foreign culture with the American majority. In “Champion of the World,” the gathering of people is depicted as being a very close minority group. They support a member of their race, simply because a victory for a member of their race is a victory for their whole race. In “Fish Cheeks,” Tan talks about how she was once ashamed of her culture. However, she then states that she now realizes that her mother’s lesson was right, and that she should not be embarrassed for whom she is. Both stories invoke the idea that one should be proud of who he is and where he comes from, regardless of who else makes up the society around him.
ReplyDeleteThere are numerous instances in which I have felt like an outsider, but one in particular that comes to mind is among some of my friends. Among my friends, I feel the minority feeling that Tan and Angelou describe, but in reverse. I feel like an outsider because many of my friends come from many different cultures, but my family, as far as “culture” is concerned, is just plain American. We do not have any interesting home countries, foods, features, languages, talents, or traditions. Sometimes it makes me feel a little empty; my siblings are grown and gone, my parents are divorced, and my dad works at different hospitals in Mississippi and Virginia much of the year. Most of my cousins live up north. We come together two to three times a year, and that’s as far as our “tradition” takes us. We do not have any special bonds or past times. There is no cultural community that we can connect with. I truly wish there was something more interesting in regards to culture about my own family, even if it would mean feeling like an outsider in other regards. But I suppose, as is commonly stated, the grass is always greener on the other side.
- Erin Beacham
The authors of both "Fish Cheeks" and "Champion of the World" feel as if their cultures and identities are being suppressed by the overwhelming white culture. Each exists in a world where whites are predominant and all other cultures are lesser. In Angelou's "Champion of the World," however, she expresses the desire for her and her people to be equal, even superior, to the white race. Her hero, "Brown Bomber," is representative of her culture and people as a whole. As he fights against the white contender, they are fighting against the dominant whites. His fight is symbolic of their fight for equality, to stand out above the whites and prove themselves. They want to prove that they are more than what the whites think they are. Unlike Angelou, Tan only wants to fit in. In her narrative "Fish Hooks," she tells of how she longed to fit in with the dominant white culture. Rather than being proud of her people, as Angelou was, she wanted to look and act like a white American. Essentially, she wanted to be American, not Chinese-American. She only wanted to be equal to the white Americans. She did not want to showcase her different culture and uniqueness. While Angelou is proud to be who she is and proud of her people's triumph, Tan wants to hide her culture so that she may fit in. Each author reveals a sense of difference in her story; however, each author has a different sense of difference. Angelou is proud to be different; Tan is ashamed.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I could disclose many instances when I felt like an outsider, whether it be concerning religion, social norms, etc. However, one of my most lasting impressions of being an outsider does not have much to do with cultural orientations. Rather it has to do with feeling like an outsider in regards to my sport that I love-archery. I used to be part of a small, very competitive archery team. Everyone's goal was to make something of themselves in the world of archery whether it be going to the Junior Olympics in Turkey in 2008 or someday joining the Olympic Recurve team. It seemed that every single weekend my teammates were participating in some tournament and coming home with first place medals and trophies. I, on the other hand, only wanted to have fun shooting. I participated in maybe two or three competitions a year and enjoyed every minute of my shooting. I did not feel the need to make every arrow hit the bulls eye or have every round be perfect. I began to feel like an outsider, one who did not belong in this overly competitive world of bows and arrows. I was someone thrown into this team. I didn't go to twenty competitions a year and didn't have a room full of trophies at home. Finally, I quit the team. I had gotten sick and tired of always being pressured to make every shot perfect. I didn't think I was ever going to pick up my bow again until two years later, last spring, when I got a call from the Augusta Jewish Community Center asking me to teach their archery classes. I accepted and have been teaching there ever since. I realized that I didn't have to make every shot perfect. I didn't have to compete every weekend. I didn't have to have a roomful of trophies at home. I enjoyed occasionally shooting with my little archers and I realized that I don't have to be ashamed that I'm not one of the best. Rather, I am my best.
-Rachel Luoma
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ReplyDeleteBoth Tan and Angelou discuss instances in which they have felt like outcasts. Tan discusses an instance when her cultural background was revealed to an American in "Fish Cheeks." She says that she was ashamed of the strange foods and the customs that her family exhibited. According to Tan, her mother explained to her that the "only shame is to have shame." To Tan, this meant that she should embrace her culture and be proud of it.
ReplyDeleteAngelou discusses an instance in which she found pride in her culture after feeling like an outcast as well in her essay "Champions of the World." In this essay, the fighter, Joe Louis, stands for all of the pride of the African-American race. His victory in the fight stands as proof for Angelou that race does not determine whether someone is superior to another. The power of Louis inspires Angelou and gives her the necessary evidence to believe that she is not inferior. It eliminates such thoughts such as being "only a little higher than apes."
The main time in my life when I have felt like an outcast was when I moved to Georgia. It was difficult to adapt to a new school where I did not know anyone and all of the middle school fads were different. Over time I learned to go with the flow of things and began to make friends. However, this did not come without a period of being the awkward new kid that others were hesitant to accept.
-Alex Schafer
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ReplyDeleteAngelou, in her story "Champion of the World," made it so that these people's colors are what separate the blacks from the whites. This color difference lead to slaver, lynchings, and other forms of oppression. Tan, in her story "Fish Cheeks," doesn't seem to focus on the discrimination of race but more of on the embarrassment that minorities may encounter being different and unique. Angelou focused greatly upon how much the black community idolized the boxer and how much they depended on him winning his fight. In contrast to this depiction of race, Tan used a more subtle example by using teenagers with love, holidays, and food.
ReplyDeleteOn numerous occasions, I have felt like an outcast because of my religious beliefs. My religion come along with guidelines that aren't always valued by teens-or anybody really-in society. Because of these rules and regulations, I have had to stay away from situations that have the appearance and potential to be fun, but they contradict what I have learned and believe. Along with these instances where i have been missing good times, I have also escaped trouble. I've been invited to parties where the cops busted them, but I wasn't there because of how my religion encourages me to live my life. I never look down upon those who stay strong to their religion; I admire them and their steadfastness.
--James Hunt
In Maya Angelou's "Champion of the World," Angelou narrates an important fight between black contestant Louis and a white contestant. Angelou feels that her race is an outcast compared to the "white" people because they are uneducated and poor. However, by Louis winning the fight, he is proving that blacks can be the superior race and it is possible to achieve equality among the two races, which is Angelou's purpose in telling this narrative. Just like Angelou's story, Amy Tan's "Fish Cheeks" narrates a portion of her life in which she felt an outcast. Her mother prepares an elaborate traditional Chinese meal with all the oddities that are commonplace in such a fanciful meal for Christmas dinner with the American minister and his son. She was ashamed of her culture in front of her American boy crush, and was desperately trying to forego her culture and become "American." In contrast to Angelou's narrative, Tan simply wants to be accepted by her peers. However, wise words given to Tan by her mother helps Tan realize that it is important to know who you are inside and always be proud of that.
ReplyDeleteHaving lived in Augusta my entire life, I have never had to be placed in a new school with different people. However, usually every two years I spend the majority of my summer in southern India in a tiny town on the coast. The change between the two countries is drastic. Here, in the summer I would wear shorts, but in India it is completely taboo on the grounds that it is "inappropriate." There are many such small cultural differences that made me feel an outsider in India. However, there was one time that really made me feel weird to be and American. My parents had enrolled me in a dance class with a well renowned teacher. I was placed in a class with other students my age and experience level. However, there was a major language barrier between me and the other students. I didn't know their language, and they barely knew mine. During breaks, I was usually alone on the side while the others were in a group talking and laughing away. Despite this big difference between us, we shared a commonality with our love for dance and by the end of my vacation, the other students and I overcame adversity and at least made attempts to bridge the gap between us. Overcoming major differences between people is easy as long as a commonality is found between the two groups, be it a love for dance, an interest in the same movies, or the simple fact that we are all human beings with many of the same experiences.
~Niyathi Prasad
Angelou, through "Champion of the World," focuses mainly on how she perceived African-Americans to be seen by white Americans. By placing her faith in one man, the "savior" of her race, she shows the hope that her people had in trying to overcome pre-set mindsets of everyone who might look down upon them. By placing her culture's well-being in one man, she could be too easily disappointed, and thus would lack the courage to attempt to change anything herself.
ReplyDeleteTan also focused on the views of her culture, but instead of focusing on others' views, like Angelou did, she focused on the views she held. By being ashamed of the fact that her family was not "white" enough, she was ashamed of her culture. Even though her mother had prepared her favorite foods for the meal her family had with the minister's family, Tan was too overcome by the shame that her family was not acting American enough for their guests. She was too scared to act like she would normally, and thus showed her insecurity.
Both Angelou and Tan were too ashamed of what they perceived others' views of them to be; instead of being proud of who they were, both tried to place their hope in false sentimentality. This kind of attitude is close enough to self-pity to be sickening. A person cannot change what race they are or what other people think about their race; a person can only change their actions to improve whatever conditions they find to be derogatory.
As a military dependent, I have moved only eleven times. This is only an average number for military dependents my age. Even though we are all different races and cultures, collectively, we are one minority. We are often looked upon as being "out of control" due to our lack of stability; this could definitely be shown by the attitudes of most people in Columbia County towards the military dependents at Grovetown. The lack of stability we experience definitely affects us. As a military dependent who also slightly believes in the main points of anarchy, I am usually even more ostracized within the military community. Even though I appreciate and well know the sacrifice military members and families make, I use the rights I have due to those sacrifices to make my choices. It used to bother me when I was first forming my ideologies that I would be ostracized, but I quickly overcame that. I refuse to wallow in self-pity and will defend my beliefs if anyone tries to attack them. I do not need other people to try to make me who I am; I have formed myself and will not allow anyone to change me. I no longer feel like an outsider, like I would several years ago, but only because I stopped caring about what other people thought about me.
-Victoria Donahue
The authors of the stories both share feelings of anxiety concerning their races position in the world as well as a general feeling of being an outcast in racial terms, however this is their only truly solid connection. Maya Angelou's account in "Champion of the World," which tells a story of her youth in which she and a large group of black people listen to a boxing match featuring the famous black boxer Joe Louis fighting a white opponent, suggests that her as well as the people around her have an "us against them" attitude. They seem to have the mindset of an underground group of rebels: prideful, strong willed, and yet wary of their powerful and dangerous opponent. The boxing match between Louis and the white boxer symbolizes this war of will. It is, in short, a conflict. The attitude in Amy Tan's "Fish Cheeks" has a completely different nature. Instead of feeling like a soldier, fighting for her races pride, Amy instead feels ashamed of her races differences. The way her family acts around the "polite" white family mortifies her to the point of stunned silence. She feels like her family is unworthy to be viewed by these people. This shame starkly contrasts with the fighting nature of Angelou's work, and ultimately sets the two authors apart. However, in the endings of these two works a message of pride in one's heritage is made apparent.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am not usually one to feel outcasted, I did have a bit of trouble making friends when I first moved to Augusta in the third grade, and when I did make my first friends, the fact that they were female (a taboo in those times) did not help my chances of making any guy friends. However, slowly I began to collect a group of friends with whom I am still close with to this day. By middle school, I had a solid group, and as for the people who chastised me, I just shut them out of my life completely. I will note that my brief time of being a common target for poking fun made ultimately made me a stronger and freer person, as I learned to stop caring so much about what other people think.
In "Fish Cheeks" and "Champion of the World" the authors epotimize common feelings of ashamed adolescent asian-americans and a neglected african-american community. Amy Tan recalls her embarrising Chinese dinner with her white boy crush. Tan becomes flustered with the idea of flaunting her culture upon her guests. Her very apperance is regrettable, because of its lack of conformity to the white norm. All she wanted was to fit in at the time; however, later in life she learns to appreciate and find pride in her background as an Asian-American. Angelou in "Champion of the World" faces a different struggle when she finds herself a witness to a international breaking of a corrupt caste system placed upon African-Americans. The great battle of Joe Louis Barrow symbolizes her people's fight for recognition among white dominance.
ReplyDeleteI have encountered problems with the popular theme of self-identity just like many, but I have learned that it is only a result of insecurity with who we are. I love to here stories from my family members about Nigeria and learning their language so that I may hope to truly embrace the best of both worlds. At the same time, There is a sense of misplacement among other African-Americans families and mine because were like fresh off the plane from Africa.
--Sam Odi
While reading through Maya Angelou's "Champion of the World" and Amy Tan's "Fish Cheeks," I found that there was a distinct similarity between the two. Both of these accounts depict the life of a person facing the uncomfortable circumstances of being in a predominantly white setting. The whites of society oppressed these other races. However, several differences arise when examining the perspective of each of the protagonists.
ReplyDeleteAngelou describes the environment of a neighborhood during the match of this "champion." During this time, the white race completely discriminated against the black. There was no sense of equality at all. Angelou focuses on how she wishes the rest of American society accepted that African-Americans can be equal, if not better, than the whites. In "Champion of the World," Angelou describes how the African-Americans put all of their faith into this man. The actions of this man represent the entire African-American race rising up against the oppression. When Louis wins the fight, he wins not only a physical battle, but a mental one as well. This victory gives African-American's hope for equality. Angelou's use of this event deliberately shows how she really wanted the equality of African Americans. The emphasis on the effect of each blow on the crowd inside the store shows how big of an impact this fight had on the rest of the African-Americans. Angelou believed that with a fight, equality could be reached.
Tan, on the other hand, focuses on her own personal experience when the family of the local minister has dinner at her house. When looking at the attributes of her family from her perspective before she found out about the family arriving, Tan found nothing wrong. However, once her mother told her about the dinner, she began finding faults in her family because they were not "white" enough. Her observations and thoughts show how she was embarrassed of her culture. She couldn't stand the thought of the white family seeing all of her family's chaos. During the entire course of the dinner, Tan points out the strange actions and food her mother had prepared. However, once dinner was over and the family left,she realizes her mother made all of her favorite foods. This fact shows how simply because Tan wanted to fit in with the white family, she categorized a normal dinner as strange and shameful. She was ashamed of her culture and couldn't bear to think of what Robert thought of the dinner. Finally, Tan's mother explains that there is no need to be ashamed of her culture. Her culture was a part of her and she couldn't change it. Rather, she should embrace it.
The difference between Tan and Angelou is that Tan focused on trying to be more like the white people. On the other hand, Angelou focused on attaining equality while maintaining the African American culture. Angelou maintains a sense of pride in her culture, but Tan initially is extremely embarrassed or ashamed.
I've dealt with feeling like an outsider throughout my lifetime. Having moved several times, though not as much as Victoria, I do know the feeling of being in a new place. The feeling is horrible. Everyone becomes part of a clique when they enter school and it's hard to inject yourself into these cliques after the fact. You can wear the same clothes, talk the same language, and go to the same school, but something sets the new kids apart. There is always that period of time where no one talks to you, aside from the occasional, "Nice to meet you. I'm ________." While I have enjoyed moving around, seeing new places, and meeting new people, I couldn't bear to do it again. Especially now that I have fully developed my mindset, I don't think it would be possible to associate with other groups. I have built my life to encompass my culture, my morals, and my views. I do not plan to change. The right to my own views is what makes me an individual.
Both Maya Angelou and Amy Tan tell their similar-but-different tales of the struggles of two girls living in a “white” world where they are discriminated against because of their racial differences. The main focus of Angelou’s story “Champion of the World” is to expose the need of African Americans, of the time, to prove that they were equal, if not better, than a white man; they needed to prove that their race was not inferior to the white man, but were worthy of being considered a white man’s equal. The girl from the story prides herself in being different, but wishes for the acceptance and acknowledgement from the white man that she is equal to them. On the contrary, Tan’s “Fish Cheeks” reveals the emotional and social shame of a girl caught between the American culture she lives in and her Chinese heritage. Although she is shameful of her family’s traditions and customs, she grows to accept and embrace her foreign ethnicity. Although written in different tones and viewpoints on racial differences, both stories exist to provide the reader with the insight of those that are slighted and discriminated against everyday for their differences. Although I was never discriminated against, I was an outcast when I moved to Georgia in seventh grade, because I was the weird new kid. I had lived in Germany for three years and had grown accustomed to a completely different way of life there. Returning to America and having to start over again by making new friends and figuring out who I am—an American or European— was an endless struggle. Over the years I have slowly laid down roots here and made long-lasting friendships, but these things didn't come without that awkward period where I was the new girl from another country that no one knew and no one wanted to talk to. Being a new kid and an outcast was hard, but I cannot imagine what it would be like to be an outcast simply because of my race or religion and the discrimination that I would be forced to endure because it.
ReplyDelete-Rebecca Pakradooni
Both Angelou and Tan tell of children who felt like outsiders in predominately white America, however for different reasons. What sets Angelou apart from the rest is her race. African Americans were viewed lower than whites and were highly mistreated. Angelou describes some of the white nation’s misdoings upon their race when writing “It was another lynching, yet another Black man hanging on a tree. One more woman ambushed and raped…” so on and so forth. This puts into perspective the reality of their suffering, and shows how people were negatively viewed and judged simply based on their skin color. Louis’s boxing metaphorically represents African Americans overcoming whites and proving that they are strong people and are capable of rising above the standards others have set for them. Tan, on the other hand, is ashamed of her culture. In her story, she doesn’t talk about others being prejudice against her for being Chinese; however she describes how she’s ashamed of where she comes from and her family’s customs. Instead of embracing her individuality and being proud of her culture, she tries to hide it from the minister and his son. Only after their dinner and her mom explaining that “your only shame is to have shame” does she realize that she shouldn’t be ashamed of being different. This story, in essence, portrays the contradictory feelings and advantages of a girl in two different cultures and that just because you go against a part of society’s norm doesn’t mean you should be embarrassed of it.
ReplyDeleteI can relate with feeling like an outsider in my transfer to Lakeside. Though I knew previous to my transfer other people that attended Lakeside, nobody I knew were in my classes. Also, I had to make many more adjustments than just making “new friends”. I was used to a school with 6th-12th grade, and approximately 80 kids within each graduating class. We were all a closely knit family, where everybody knew everybody, and everybody with our various fine art majors worked together to produce performances and plays. Lakeside, however, has many more students, and as opposed to people being recognized as dancers, musicians, actors, and artists, there are the football players and the cheerleaders etc. Lakeside was completely different from what I was used to, but over time I became accustomed to it and made friends.
-shelby
After reading through the two selections, I found that in both "Champion of the World" and "Fish Cheeks" the narrator feels left out or discrimnated from a dominant type of figure. Angelou describes how her race is seen as inferior to the others. All of the people in her race are gathered around the radio to hear if Joe Louis, a boxer will win. If he wins it will definitely give them hope and prove that they are no longer inferior. They have to be seen as at least equal, especially since Louis wins. Tan, in "Fish Cheeks" has a crush on an American boy named Robert and is afraid that he will think her culture is weird. She is so embarrassed and afraid for him to come to her house and see her family in their natural environment that she goes to an extreme of ignoring him when he arrives. Her mother tells her "your only shame is to have shame," which means it would be easy to not become shameful if she is not ashamed in the first place. She should have accepted and appreciated her culture despite what others think, which she did do by the end of the story. In "Champion of the World" Maya Angelou wants to embrace her culture and race to help them be considered equal as compared to "Fish Cheeks" where Tan is ashamed of her culture and will do just about anything to deny she has any part to do with her culture.
ReplyDeleteI can identify with feeling like an outsider because each summer my family has some type of reunion and whichever side of the family I go to I always feel like I don't belong. On my dad's side everyone is darker and my sisters and I stick out because we are lighter. On my mom's side everyone is lighter than us and we still stick out. So either way we tend to be the outcast, then there is always some people on each side of the family that have the largest objection to inter-racial dating and make sure you know they don't like it, as if its your fault you are the way you look.
Both Tan and Angelou wrote about their experiences with discrimination. "Fish Cheeks" focuses on how Tan hates her heritage and how she wishes she could be like the typical white American. She was ashamed of her culture because society told her to be. She was embarrassed by her family's behavior because society said that is not how people should act. Along the same lines, Angelou wrote about how she felt that her race was discrimnated against and was considered different. The African Americans were seen as inferior and of lesser value than the White Americans. However, Angelou reveals how she wants to overcome the stereotype given to African Americans. She wants to embrace her race unlike Tan. The African American boxer against the white boxer symbolically shows how the African Americans can overcome whites and show that they deserve to be treated equally. Both stories demonstrate issues that different races face; however, they confront the issues different.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the feelings of isolation and being judged because of my faith. I have a strong relationsip with God and a strong desire to follow his word. Because many people do not agree with me, I am faced with the issues of not being in the "popular" crowd. I choose to go down a different path than many of my friends and I'm okay with that because I know that it is all worth it in the end. Of course, I still love my friends that do things I don't necessarily agree with. I screw up just like them, only in different ways. Discrimination happens in many different ways, but I think it is up to us to decide to put aside our differences and accept each other.
After reading the pieces from Tan and Angelou, the reader is faced with two types of issues that arise from social differences. In "Fish Cheeks", the audience is exposed to a Chinese girl that is interested in a White boy and who is ashamed to show him her family and more importantly her cultural. Her mother tells her that her "only shame is to have shame." After this resonates with her she realizes that her cultural is not something to be ashamed of but embraced. On the other hand, in "Champions of the World," we are faced with a young girl who is not ashamed of her heritage, but with someone who is proud of her people and only wishes for them to get the recognition as equals that they deserve. The fight of Joe Louis and how it represents the entire struggle of the black community is highlighted in this piece. So while "Fish Cheeks" and "Champions of the World" are both dealing with race differences and hardships, they differ in the types of discrimination involved. Where Tan focuses on the awkwardness and drastic differences between White American society and harsh Chinese culture, Angelou focuses on the pride of the black community and its oppression from white people. Where one girl is ashamed, the other is proud. Where one girl begs to conform to society, the other begs for society to conform to her.
ReplyDeleteWhile growing up in the typical middle class, suburban lifestyle, I have not been exempt from being an outcast at times. The most evident case in my life was easily when I moved from Augusta to Vicenza, Italy and I could not have stuck out more in my elementary school. Not only could I not speak the language but I didn't exactly have the black hair or tan skin to fit in physically either. After the original first month or so where all the other six to seven year olds still thought I was a freak who spoke English, I actually made friends. It was difficult because people looked at me funny and didn't want to associate with me because of the language I spoke or where I came from. It was something I couldn't help which was difficult for a six year old to understand. But eventually things got better and I was accepted and made friends. Still looking back on it though I was glad it happened because it taught me many things about how I treat others not like me and also the value of little gestures I can make to make someone feel accepted.
The excerpts “Champion of the world” by Angelou, and “Fish Cheeks” by Tan are quite interesting. They provide two different outlooks on the subject of feeling different and out of place. As both authors target the fact that each of their races is ridiculed, they each describe a different aspect of discrimination. Maya seems to focus more on the actions that African Americans were taking to become the white man’s equal. She wanted her race to prove that they could be as good as or better than white people at everything. The reason the white people hated blacks was due to the thought that blacks were inferior to everyone else because of their skin color. However, Maya kept hope that one day her people would not be assaulted for being who they were. She kept hope for a day when the world would realize that African Americans are not so different from other people. Angelou feels that African Americans are humans too; so they have the capacity to excel at anything they choose.
ReplyDeleteAmy describes how she felt that other people looked down upon her Chinese family. She always feels that whatever she does is unlike the American children, so they cast her out. Hence, she becomes ashamed of culture because no one wants to accept it at first. She begins to change and wants to be like the American children. She never makes the effort to explain her culture to others but rather accepts the fear and shame of being “weird.” This causes even the simplest things about her culture and her favorite food to appear strange. All she wanted to do was fit in; so she tried to change everything about herself. However her mother is absolutely correct when she says to her “You must be proud you are different.”
Personally, I can relate more towards Tan’s passage. When I moved to America I was only about ten months old. At the time, I did not understand what it meant to be accepted into society as my society mainly consisted of other children and my parents. However, as I grew older I came to realize that not everyone that I knew was so accepting after all. Kids did not want to talk to me in school and I was always the one left out and by myself in a corner. I was shy and naïve at the time and avoided confrontations because I was afraid they would not like me. Since I did not communicate with them much they always made fun of me for not understanding when they made fun of me. They always gave me the harder tasks in school and were only disappointed every time when I was able to do them with ease. I was the classic case of the kid who was always “alone.” I realized that I had only one friend, my neighbor. He didn’t care about what I looked like or where I was from. He just wanted to have fun and get on with life. After third grade, I moved to a new town, with a similar guy as my previous friend being my neighbor, and we became friends quite quickly. The new school gave me a chance to make new friends, but no matter what I did, kids still treated me the same way. Finally when I entered Middle School, a guy in my World Geography class came up to me and said “Hey, you have been pretty quit over there. Why don’t you come join me for lunch?” At lunch he introduced me to his group of friends. After that day I never felt alone, and I never had to deal with the fact of being ridiculed for being different alone. My friends were also the “oddballs.” They were the weird ones out and not everybody liked them much. It is a shame that I only got to send two years with them before moving to Georgia, but the social skills they gave me helped me make new friends here.
-Pratik Gangwani
Maya Angelou and Amy Tam are both people of varying ethnicities who feel discriminated against by the white race. Maya Angelou speaks more from a group perspective and balances more on a single man who has no relation to her. Joe happens to be a great, African American boxer who beats a white contender. Every blow, and hit, and unfair move given during the match represents all of the events and struggles between the two ethnicities. Maya later relates that many of the people who live on back roads make arrangements to stay in town because of their fear of revenge. Maya's story is one where the entire African American nation is gaining strength, courage, and hope to over come oppression. Tan's "Fish Cheeks" is much more of an internal struggle. Tan has to overcome her self consciousness about having very different customs that what her white, preacher's son crush has. Tan is embarrassed by not only her family, but the food that her mother slaved over. It is only after she comes to terms with being Chinese and not Caucasian that she realizes all of fer favorite cuisine is traditional Chinese. Once she stopped letting another's impression of her define her, she becomes much more happy and grateful to her family and history. I have a few friends who are of a different ethnicity that myself. These friends usually stick together and speak of people that I do not know even existed of their same ethnicity. This lack of inclusion even though the exclusion is not intentional is still hurtful. It is also tough to be an athlete gone through surgery to have people speak of sports as though I could have no inkling as to what is being said.
ReplyDeleteI really like what Luke brought up about people being prejudice towards him for something he's chosen and Sharon not having a choice. I also know how it feels to be persecuted and judged because of what i believe. In general, it's different coping with things you've chosen and things you can't change so you're forced to do the best with what you're given.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading everyone's blogs, many of my classmates share similar perspectives of the two narrative works that we already have read. Both authors feel discriminated against the dominant white culture because of their differences. Not only Angelou and Tan, but it is apparent that everyone has experienced this "outcast" feeling from his or her religions, moves, or ethnicities. Seeing how people such as Pratik, Rebecca, and Tecie sharing their experience from many years ago, the act of isolating someone is very powerful and impacts an life greatly. Similarly like Luke and Alex Gilmore, I, too, face many hardships due to my Christian belief. However, my choice to be different from the world will reward me with the most ineffable gift. Nevertheless, the calamities that we face due to our "differences" portray the evident stereotypes and judgments that one possesses about every aspect of the world. Although we acknowledge the effects of exclusion, people still judge and have a tendency to isolate. Now that we can observe the power of this "outcast" feeling, we should rid ourselves from the judgments and start appreciating all individuals for their beautiful characteristics.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting to me to see how some many people’s differences actually correlate with each other and are turned from people with attributes that set them apart to people with attributes that make them fit into a specific group of society. So many people say that their belief in and love for God and Jesus Christ set them apart, but since so many are different from those who don’t seem to believe, the believers bond together. This would appear to create an instance where nobody is really outcast. Another form of discrimination that people face is when it comes to their skin color and ethnicity. However, if people are cast out because of being white, they bond with other. The same goes for blacks, Chinese, Koreans, Indians, Mexicans, etc. Sure, we can all say that we have differences from the rest of society, but those differences make us who we are and ‘force’ us to fit in and bond with those like us.
ReplyDeleteTo Luke: I liked how you ended you post.
To Brandt: It was powerful to me when you said, “…the "polite" white family mortifies her to the point of stunned silence.” I feel like this, in one way or another, is a way that everyone has felt whether they noticed or not. Nobody ever wants to mess up or do wrong so that they may be looked at different or out casted. I tremendously agree with what you said when you talked about your difficulties only making you stronger and into the person that you are today: like I always say, “If it doesn’t kill you, it just makes you stronger.”
Though both authors convey that they feel like outsiders in America, each of them do it in very different ways. In "Champion of the World," Maya Angelou describes her African-American culture as having been repeatedly degraded by the white race through actions such as "another lynching [. . .] One more woman ambushed and raped. A black boy whipped and maimed." Angelou feels that this treatment has made her race inferior, but she still feels proud of her origins. Angelou feels like the championship fight is a step towards gaining equality with the rest of America because it proves that her race is just as good as others. The boxing match is allegory for the long struggle that African-Americans endure to prove they are just as good as the white race, many of whom view African-Americans as inferior. This can be seen through how each blow that their "savior" Joe Louis makes invigorates and captivates the crowd. Angelou description of the scene in the store also serves to show how unified the African-American race is in their battle to achieve equality.
ReplyDeleteIn "Fish Cheeks," the author Amy Tan is similar to Angelou in that she views her culture as inferior to the white culture, but is different because Tan is ashamed of her background. During dinner with the minister's family, Tan repeatedly expresses how she is embarrassed by her family's actions and behavior. Unlike Angelou, who is proud of her race, Tan feels like she has to do everything she can to be perceived as white by her peers. This shame can easily be seen by Tan's diction in the narrative. During the dinner she describes the food as "appalling," and "slimy," while after the dinner she regrets her previous words and realizes that the dishes her mom made were her favorite foods. The perceptions each author has of their cultures can be seen in their respective titles. "Champions of the World" summarizes exactly what Angelou feels about her race while "Fish Cheeks" describes the blushing and embarrassment that Tan goes through during her dinner with the minister's family.
I personally can relate to both of these author's experiences. Earlier in my life, I used to feel very embarrassed about my Indian heritage and often wondered why I could not follow the customs that my white friends did. However, as I grew older, I have befriended many more Indian people and while hanging out with them, have felt a sense of unity and pride that Angelou describes in her story. I am sure that my experiences of shame and pride have shaped me into the person I am today.
I found it incredibly interesting how there were people who felt outcast both because of their religion or lack of it. Luke and I have both felt uncomfortable around people with more "worldly" morals, but Lillie has experienced a feeling of separation from her religious family. Other people have felt discriminated against due their race or because they moved in to a new community. This shows how universal the messages presented in "Fish Cheeks" and "Champion of the World" are. The purpose of a narrative is to show through events the universal truths of humanity. When I write in the narrative mode, I will be sure to keep in mind how everyone feels "weird" every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteAs I read through the posts, I noticed that our entire class has come to the general consensus that Angelou's narrative deals with pride for her race and a want for equality, while Tan's narrative deals with the need for acceptance of her race by the majority. Furthermore, I noticed that many of us have experienced similar forms of being an outcast. The majority of us have faced being the new person in a new city and school with different cultures or even languages that act as barriers to being accepted. The other few are similar in that they involve an unshakable belief in God that is not the norm amongst their friends and classmates. I find it really surprising that we all have similar experiences that tie us together. Hopefully we all have learned the same lesson, which is to be as understanding and accepting of any new person as you would've wished others would've been to you.
ReplyDeleteTo Luke: The things you say about how you have this strong connection with your religion is really (I can't think of the right word so i'll use one that I don't mean the way I mean it to sound) moving. I see so many "Christians" who do all the things you say you don't do and still call themselves Christians. This is one of the reason why I have such a hard time grasping religion, especially Christianity. But you, along with James, help show me that there are people who are actually devoted to their religious choices.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading majority of the comments, it's quite clear that everyone has once experienced a point in time, if not more than once, where they have felt like an outcast in society. Many people have felt like outcast due to moving to a new state or city. After reading Victoria's comment, i was surprised when she said that she ONLY moved 11 times. It must be quite hard having to move so many places knowing that you have to leave good friends to go to another place and start all over. Another thing that i thought was quite interesting was all the comments about different religions and races. Instead of being ashamed and trying to conform, i'm glad that everyone is proud of what they believe in or who they are. Everyone is unique in their own little way and that's what makes everyone special, not abnormal or weird. I really liked Luke's comment about all the "cool" kids who drink and talk about having sex. I'm proud of Luke for doing what is right and not giving into peer pressure. (: And i loved his adieu at the end of his comment.
ReplyDeleteAnna & Group,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that you see a message that sometimes takes much longer (in years and maturity) to understand. You will find that most of us have many connections. All it takes is for us to share those. It's easy to think that we are along in an experience, but I guarantee there's something next to you, in the room, or in your grade, who has experienced the same thing and felt the same way as you did.
Mrs. Field
Marley,
ReplyDeleteKeep the faith. There are few few true role models. Our (humanity) greatest weakness is our nature, especially when we surround ourselves with those who easily sway us in the wrong way. This is not a play on the nature versus nature argument from today; it's a reality.
Mrs. Field
After reading through the post, I found that many people share the feeling of not belonging when moving to a new place, such as Pratik and Abigail. This seems to be a common feeling and many of us who have felt this way should remember when we see a new person having a hard time.
ReplyDeleteI also like how James is not afraid to sacrifice the prospect of a good time for the morals of his religion. Many people fall under peer pressure easily and forget what it means to be dedicated.
As I was reading back through everyone's posts, I saw the same recurring words--discrimination, prejudice, prove herself, equality, symbolic, ashamed, different, superior, and lots of other words. It seems as if most of us had the same ideas and impressions from each story and what each purpose was. Each story was different in the way it was told, but the same in the discrimination it addressed.
ReplyDeleteLooking back at everyone’s times of feeling like outsiders, a lot of people talked about when they moved to a new place or their religious views. As I have lived in Augusta my whole life, I have never had to deal with moving to a new place or starting a new school, other than that of switching from elementary to middle to high school. Anna Hedden’s post about how she doesn’t “feel like [she] can successfully argue my religion and moral beliefs against so many” stuck out. I can relate to exactly how she feels. Often times, my views may seem contradictory and flawed to others. Therefore, I usually don’t like to discuss my beliefs with others because of my fear of not being able to make others understand or even just see my side of the story. However, just because I don’t voice my opinion doesn’t mean that I don’t have opinions. As Anna said, “my anger burns.” I know what I believe even if I choose not to voice it.
I really liked Joshua's puzzle metaphor because it showed how very different people can come together. I can also empathize with the people who switched school's at some point in their lives and had difficulty adjusting to the people and enviornment, because this is my first year at lakeside. Also I think its really cool how everybody is really open to discussing religion, that way people with questions, like Marley, or curiosity can get input from multiple sources. Finally I feel the group reached a common ground with the stories "Fish Cheeks" and "Champion of the World" by agreeing that Tan longed to fit in, while Angelou desired equality.
ReplyDeleteJames:
ReplyDeleteWhile my religion has not necessarily prohibited me from partaking trouble, it has provided me with a conscience that often leads me away from trouble.
Luke:
I admire your ability to keep with the doctrines of Christianity and follow the teachings of Christ so closely. While I have not struggled to keep faith, I often find it difficult to follow all of the regulations and teachings of the Bible. I agree that staying true to your beliefs is more important than being accepted by the "cool" kids.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete(Alas, it seems my original post did not go through. So, with my newly created blogger account, I shall try to post my next one.)
ReplyDeleteTo Brianna:
Your personal story about the 2008 election really struck me. We, or at least I, live in a slice of the world where people are mostly accepted, and where we look at people of different skin tones and looks as intellectual and societal equals. Therefore, it can be easy to forget that some people are style trying to reach equality; the emotions that people like Angelou felt while growing up in a more discriminatory world are not gone. I'd like to thank you for reminding us, the "normal people", that we, as nation, still have steps to take until we are truly living in harmony with our fellow human beings.
All of us have mentioned some sort of discrimination or racism, but there's one kind that people tend to leave out. Prejudice against the so-called "average white American." These are the only people that it is okay to be racist against in most societies. As a child, I was often taught to accept those of different skin tones, only to turn around and be insulted by someone of a darker color than myself (Thankfully, no one that I still know. Over time, what was once majority is becoming a minority. As Erin B. put it, we who are "just plain American" have very little culture to call our own; we have nothing that stands out from the crowd. Hence, people tend to forget that we do still merit some sort of respect.
-Anneliese H.
Hey Niyathi,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your account because it explored an idea that has been touched upon, but not really focused on in anyone else's posts. The idea that a person who identifies with a certain culture or race can become so assimilated into the American super culture that they lose touch with their origins is both interesting a terrifying. The Americanization of different cultures reminds me of the how the pigs in Animal Farm transformed into humans. Of course, I do not mean to suggest that these cultures are sinister control freaks. However, the transformation and the danger of losing touch is all too real. As Indians, Blacks, Latino, and other races transform into Americans, they lose what makes them special. We should not make people feel accepted by eliminating what makes them different, but instead focus on destroying the prejudices that vilify those differences. We should not break barriers, but instead build gates through them.
Oh, and Niyathi, I don't think you're in danger of becoming too American or all that out of touch with your culture. I just built upon some of the ideas that were expressed in your narrative. I hope you don't think I'm a jerk.
Amanda: I said "only" because according to the last statistic I have seen, the average military dependent moves 12.3 times before he or she turns 18. However, this was a few years ago, and due to lobbyists encouring less moves per military families to help lower the violence and educational disparity rates, the rate of moves has probably dropped.
ReplyDeleteChewy: I really liked when you said, "she couldn't stand the thought of the white family seeing all of her family's chaos." This brings to point the Americanization of other cultures within America, its colonies, allies, and even adversaries. Other cultures that are extremely beautiful and purposeful are being destroyed due to the spread of the American mindset towards progress.
Considering Georgia is in the "Bible Belt," it really is not surprising that many people claim to partake in one religion or another. What is surprising is that people hold to their beliefs (Sharon, Luke, James, and Alex).
Most people in the class have moved at one point or another as well, and the examples of moving and religion were the two most common examples of feeling excluded or discriminated against. Like Niyathi said, we all have similar experiences that tie us together. It's just a matter of caring enough to delve into the inner workings of others, rather than judging them superficially.
-Victoria Donahue
As I read through everyone's posts, it became apparent to me how similar the struggles are among the class. Often times, we get caught up in our own daily activities that we don't think about other people. We deal with our own struggles and we judge without knowing what the other people around us may be going through. We often think our problems are superior to others, when if fact the person sitting next to us in class, could be having a far deeper issue. I noticed a lot of posts about the transition or being, whether it be a long distance or short distance move, as well as the battle of religious differences.
ReplyDeleteI would like to say that Luke, your post really hit home with me. While my family has drifted from going to church every sunday, we once did and wish that we still did. You mentioned that confiding in God and knowing his love is far more powerful than the weekend adventures that most of the people at our school consider "fun". I could not agree with you more on that. Often times, when i hear of these events I wonder why I'm not invited; However, after reading your post, I realize that I more or less chose not to be invited. Despite that fact that my family does not go to church every sunday, I still know where my faith is, and I know what is right and what is wrong. I know what I should do for God and for my belief in him. I think that there is a huge struggle that people face in religious differences, but I also think reading your post made me feel more comfortable about how I believe and I'm not ashamed of that. I think it could also help other people who face that same struggle.
Marley- I like your viewpoint on how you believe Tan has to balance her Chinese background with her new American culture. I feel like all of us have to balance many influences in our lives to form our "personal culture," so to speak. For the better or the worse, America is definitely a melting pot and no body can solely keep their past traditions when he or she comes here.
ReplyDeleteNiyathi- I really liked your personal account as it centered on the experience of an American in a foreign country, which is very unique and distinct from what other people are saying. It is also very intriguing to me as I have never had to feel like a complete outsider for a long time.
I very much enjoyed seeing how everyone else responded to these posts. It is so interesting to me to see that everyones' minds work so differently. There are so many distinct ways that one can feel like an outcast, and it is apparent when reading the previous comments.
ReplyDeleteErin (Beacham), I like your very objective view about your feelings when among your friends. Though the narratives described how Asians and African Americans felt so separate and judged by the white Americans, you say that you feel like an outsider for not belonging to a different culture or being of another ethnicity. I agree with you and believe that America has no real culture, especially not one that is positively viewed by other countries. We seem to be a society that is too fast-paced and too greedy, and the various cultures that form the structure of our country have been muddled or cast to the side and never truly appreciated by Americans. There is so much beauty in other cultures, and perhaps if we take the time to immerse ourselves in the way other people live, we all can feel a cultural connection. Good luck to you on your journey to making that ethnic relationship. :)
James, you posed a very opposite view on religion from what I discussed, and it was very eye-opening to see how much you devote yourself to your religion. Though it is difficult in this day and age to not adhere to societal norms, especially because of your beliefs, you seem to carry yourself very well and even keep yourself out of a lot of trouble. I hope that one day I can find the same spiritual and logical connection that you have, whatever that may be.
I found it interesting how many people pointed out that while Angelou seems proud of her race, Tan is somewhat embarrassed. I think that these are two important viewpoints on those from minority cultures; while some take pride in their differences, others try to hide them. I like how Anna mentioned, "Food that she [Tan] normally loved suddenly seemed disgusting and weird." I believe this is a good representation of how many people feel in regards to their own heritages, or even just their own preferences. Many of us are at times embarrassed of who we are and thus try to put on facades to hide our true selves. If we hide our true selves, we may feel that we are protecting them from the judgment of society. In the end, however, we are just making it more difficult to generate acceptance in society.
ReplyDeleteTo Rachel: I thought it was really interesting how you could feel like an outsider because you were not as competitive as the other archers. It's remarkable how many things can stand in the way of someone feeling accepted, from racism (such as with Sharon and Dorothy), to moral values (such as with Luke), to levels of interest.
After reading through most of the posts, I found that many people had a common experience. The transition between different schools, different cities, and, in the case of Sam and Abby, different countries. While we may come from different backgrounds, different neighborhoods,or different atmospheres, we all have had at least one time where we feel set apart from the rest of the crowd. The kids we designate as "weird" or "strange" are actually quite similar to us. We have these common misconceptions due to our own bias. However, I do believe that assignments such as these will help us get to know each other better.
ReplyDeleteI must agree with my fellow Indian, Niyathi. You stated how the conditions are so significantly different in India, it's quite preposterous. While I do not have to deal as much about the social taboos such as wearing shorts, I do understand the sense of distance that occurs when arriving in the homeland. It's surprising to see how much even my own race discriminates against me just because I have arrived from America. They see my clothes. They hear my accent. Immediately, prices are jacked up to almost ten times the amount. IF you guys thought you were discriminated against here in America, you have no idea. These people look to take advantage of your innocence and ignorance. They feed off what America has turned me into. I'm disappointed because I feel as if I've let my country down because they treat me this way. It's not even an option to act myself when I'm there. My family says I should keep quiet in the stores so that the owners don't catch our origin.Unfortunately, Indians don't always view America as a great place whose inhabitants should be respected.
Those of you who did factor in religion into your post did affect me to a certain extent. It seems as if religion itself has changed from an actual set of beliefs and principles to a mindless event that affects people on Sundays in church. It appalls me to see those people who pride themselves as righteous Christians and yet continue to violate most of the principles set forth by the Bible. After reading through Luke's post particularly, I am pleased to see there is still some hope of someone who follows through.
In her post Abby brings up the line "the only shame is to have shame." I think that this line is incredibly powerful, and wanted to spend a little time talking about it. I personally struggle with this. I sometimes feel ashamed in who I am because of what I believe in, and this is not because I'm ashamed of Jesus Christ, the one who loved me so much that he died so I could have life, but I'm ashamed sometimes because I'm all about something that the world hates. I'm just so wrapped up in the world and what it thinks, which is sick and wrong but that is of course for another blog somewhere far far away in another web, maybe the mars-wide web or something. But anyways, personally I think that the same goes for the girl in "Fish Cheeks". If no one looked down on her culture and its practices then she would have no reason to feel ashamed. So basically it is society's fault that people feel prejudiced against and feel ashamed of what they believe in. Which brings me to my debate regarding the American Dream and the American Nightmare. Society has somewhat twisted people's perception of the American Dream so that in some people's minds it has become nightmarish. American society, run by the big businesses and popular icons of the day, controls the American Public. With increasing corruption in big businesses and social icons the American society and all that it is and has been based on is becoming corrupt too. I just read Marley's comment to my earlier blog so I'm gonna kinda switch gears now. First of all Marley, thanks for commenting and (for a lack of a better word) praising my religious devotion (it's actually a love affair but I won't get into that now either ;) I had to kinda chuckle a little bit because it kinda made me feel good inside, but in response to Marley I try everyday and I fail, so I'm not a very good lover of Jesus, but he forgives me and everyday I wake up and try again.
ReplyDeleteTo Sam,
ReplyDeleteI was reading your blog and my heart leaped a little when I read the part about you embracing your family and its roots in Nigeria. Personally knowing you I think you're a great kid and it has to be somewhat tough connecting with two cultures, but from the sound of things you're trying to embrace both and I admire that. I think it's great that you love being American and Nigerian too. I know it has to be somewhat hard being both which makes me admire your choice to be that even more. I just wanted to comment on that and how I felt the openness from you. I want to give a shout-out to all those who said anything about my first post. Thanks guys for taking the time to read it and just having my name in your post cause personally I think that's cool. Tonight I will write a poem to sign off:
Slumdog Millionare, Bollywood Billionare,
I love that movie but hate the gangster gazillionare,
the girl is very pretty, and did I mention beautiful too?
but the poor Indian boy, stuck to her like she was glue,
many times did he lose her so,his heart dragged to and fro,
until one fateful sunny day, he landed on a T.V. show.
Love kept them bonded and love brought them back,
to be together forever more in this poem that does lack.
Anonymous
It is funny to see how a lot of people as a whole have insecurities with themselves about the same issue. There is a common belief that many people here feel like an outcast because of their religion. While I can understand where the feeling comes from, it is strange to me that most Christians feel outcasted when they are the majority. For me, actually being a Christiam is one stable aspect of myself and my life because there are so many other Christians around me. I feel like I am a part of the "norm." I think it is safe to say that the majority of or class and even our school are Christians so how can you feel outcasted when you are a part of the group? I think where the feelings originate is not exactly from who believes in God and who doesn't. I feel it branches from the degree of Christianity in which the person believes. That was just an observation I made and am still pondering. Now, where there are people like Marley and Lillie who are a part of a different belief and feel outcasted, it makes much more sense and it is easier to see where they are coming from. But for the Christians who feel inferior, I kind of compare it to a white person saying that he feels "outcasted and discriminated against" when he is living in predominately white America. I just don't fully understand...
ReplyDelete-Brianna Adams
Through reading everyone's blogs, a certain trend really jumped out at me. Everyone feels outcasted for different reasons whether through the religion they choose (or choose not) to participate in or the race that they belong to. I admire Luke's devotion to our religion and his broadcasting of it in a society that is very resentful of those that highlight its own human flaws. I feel for Sharon and others who have felt prejudice due to their countries of origin. But I have noticed that everyone always seems to end their telling of isolation or prejudice that once they accepted their situation they were able to move on and find their peers. I feel like the worst thing we can do is to be on the fence about something, especially if it is the cause of isolation or the like. If you are going to be part of a religion, do it with every thing, every way, every time, not just on Sundays or in front of your "church friends." If you are part of a unique culture or group of people, be proud of it and accept that it will not change. Although we may be isolated at times because of certain issues in our lives (chosen or not), when we find a group of like minded peers by being proud of who or what we are, while we cannot always end outside prejudices, we can choose to end the isolation. Oh and Luke, Slumdog is boss. Jamal and Latika for life. Holla.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading numerous posts on this topic, it is clear that everyone understands the effects of discrimination and accepts it. I have to say though, what intrigued me most is what you said. Even though you are “white” and have lived in America all your life, you still feel like an outcast. This is quite interesting as usually people from other cultures or religions are condemned from society. You feel like an outcast because you are not different or pertaining to a special group, but because you are too normal. Today in our school, when a group of people get together, we realize that there not more white people than Asian people. The number has come to a balance with other ethnicities, or is sometimes even less. For a change, the white people are realizing that there are a lot of people from different ethnicities in America, and that they need to deal with it. Americans have their own culture and style, which is quite unique. It brings together numerous things from around the world to form its own flare. Erin, you are disappointed at the fact that you have no unique trait to bring to our now very multicultural society. When in fact, you bring a mindset and style that is ready mix with the numerous cultural styles you will encounter in your life. Oh, and you bake AMAZING food.
ReplyDelete- Pratik Gangwani
As has been numerously noted, how the class came to an almost unanimous synopsis of the two stories and their differences is quite astounding. Everyone in our class is so different and yet all of these minds can come to the same conclusion. The diversity in our class is actually our similarity. As we have all faced some sort of discrimination, we all know how that feels and it is our natural reaction to not wish to cause someone else the same hurt.
ReplyDeleteTecie, I do not think the the African American race "boasted" as they were scared to travel home that night in fear of retaliation, however I do think they noted it as a huge victory.
Chewy and Niyathi: You are quite the over achiever. It is really interesting to see how you and Niyathi have to overcome adversity and discrimination not only in America but also in your homeland.
Luke: The strength of your faith is by far the most miraculous thing I have ever seen. You say you fail everyday, however the fact that you try again every day makes the poster child for what Christianity should be.
To Sharon: I really liked your closing sentence that our “differences are the beauty of the human race.” If humans all looked the same, acted the same, had the same religions and viewpoints, then our world could not have achieved the great achievements that it has done so far. It is the combination of differences that allow us to progress forward.
ReplyDeleteTo Chewy: Your mention of Angelou’s “emphasis on the effect of each blow on the crowd” made me think that maybe her emphasis was also meant to parallel with each blow African Americans have received from whites in their struggle for equality, that each blow was another instance where they were beat down and told that they were not equal to whites.
To Amanda: Being a fellow Chinese, I was also teased and made fun of because of my race. When I read your post, it made me feel very happy to know that people grow out from all the teasing and name calling and see a person for he or she really is.
ReplyDeleteTo Rachel: I never knew you were part of an archery team and I never knew you quit archery before teaching the classes. I am very impressed that, even though you thought you would never do well archery, you were still willing to redo it and do it just for your benefit, and not to just make it seem you are up to par with other people.
-Dorothy Li
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ReplyDelete(Though it is rather belated at this point, I'd like to make another attempt at getting my original post up for you all to read. I hope no one minds, and I hope this doesn't happen again!)
ReplyDeleteWhile it is true that both Angelou and Tan write as young women who come from a "different" culture, their two stories are so radically difficult that it is hard to find many similarities, but easy to see where they deviate from one another. In "Fish Cheeks" Tan writes of one of her own experiences of standing out; her struggle is intensely personal, for while there are other people in the world who feel as she did, she was not in contact with them-- she was alone. Angelou's view as an outsider comes from a group setting in "Champion of the World". She is from a community of people that are not like the others, for while African Americans were "inferior" to others, they still united for a common cause, like the one about which Angelou writes. Both women are in completely different scenarios, but still desire equality with what they see as America.
I, like everyone else have had my share of being left out. One particularly interesting experience was just this past summer, at a summer camp I attended at SCAD. I felt at home among the artsy people, but at the same time I was left out, for many of my peers were entirely focused on their artistic careers. I met people who devoted all their free time to drawing comics or painting masterpieces, while I was more of an amateur. Several days into the camp, however, I realized something. These people, as incredible as they were, were focused solely in one area. I, on the other hand, had experience in many different fields; I could relate to almost everyone. Sometimes being different is not as bad as we think it should be.
-Anneliese H.
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ReplyDeleteI think it was James who commented on how all our differences in some way connect us. From reading all the blogs I have seen how many of us are alike despite our differences. Everyone has different opinions and views on certain subjects. However, these blogs show that many of us have been through some type of personal struggle because of prejudice. Sharon and others are judged by their race while Luke is judged for his religion. It is also amazing to me how we all can get along so well despite our differences. We don't all agree on certain topics, yet we still respect and listen to each other. To me, the ability to be friends with all types of people no matter their race or religion is what sets us apart, not how we look or what we believe
ReplyDeleteTo the group: Thank you for posting such thoughtful ideas and having such respect for the exceptional differences in our class. This week, and our debates, has re-lit a fire in the AP program.
ReplyDeleteIf you know me at all, you know that I don't haphazardly pass out cudos. Know that you've earned this!
Mrs. Field
I know it is late right now, but I decided to read over our class' comments and wow! I truly love how our class is accepting and open to everyone's opinions and religions. (: Many are moved by personal experiences, and don't you think this sharing of experiences show us an insight of everyone? (:
ReplyDeleteIt seems that no matter who you are, or what background you have come from, everyone has experienced some sort of outcasted feeling in their lives. I am sure that you could apply the inverse as well, that everyone has at some point contributed to making someone feel like an outcast. By excluding we feel included. Often, times making someone feel like an outsider is just a way of making yourself feel like an insider. It can be comforting, in a way. However, if all tried to pull together in the first place, there would be no need for this behavior, but unfortunately there will probably never be a time where there won't be social groups and castes and, therefore, never a time without outcasts.
ReplyDeleteThe world is made up of so many diverse groups of people, whether they are of race, culture, religion, social class, or even common interests. However, this exclusivity can cause others to feel shut out and as though they do not belong. It seems that there will never be true equality on any front, as people tend to band together when they can relate to each other and deny anyone who does no share their beliefs, interests, or experiences. This is shown in both "Fish Cheeks" and "Champion of the World," as Tan and Angelou's races and cultures were recognized as strange and not socially acceptable, and were treated poorly and as subordinate people because of this. While Tan focused more on how her culture embarrassed her and Angelou conveyed how discriminated against her race was, there was certainly a universal theme of how discrimination can lead to anyone feeling like an outcast in any way. Our class connected with these stories on some sort of level, whether it be through religion or even moving to a new place, and this goes to show that no matter who you are or where you are from, there is always a time when one will feel like an outsider, and all that matters is how one deals with that feeling.
ReplyDeleteWe are all outcasts. We all have people that we feel like we do not belong with or places we just do not fit in with the crowd. Going on what Brandt said, we all make others feel like outcasts at some point and time and all feel like outsiders ourselves at other times. However, this is not something that we can avoid and it is not something that we should be ashamed of. Yes, making others feel excluded is not the nicest thing in the world, but being an outcast just proves that we are an insider somewhere else. There is some place else where we truly belong. And not just "fit in," but a place where we are with those who love and care about us, just as in Amy Tan's mother and family in "Fish Cheeks" and in Maya Angelou's experience with her people in "Champion of the World." We can all connect to being an outsider on many different levels: racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, and even simple experiences. We are all outcasts somewhere. We are all insiders somewhere. This is what makes us unique and who we are.
ReplyDeleteFrom a member of an invincible football team or a contestant of an intelligent math team, every human being wants to be an appreciated team player of something. Each wants the same opportunity to play on the field and be a part of the celebration in his team's victory. However, our desires to choose the "best" players to win the game prevent everyone from having the opportunity to cooperate. Due to their differences, both authors have faced hardships from other individuals. Although both women face a similar battle, Angelou and Tan are confronted with two different enemies. Angelou and her people engage in a fight with demeaning stereotypes of their ethnicity. On the other hand, Tan struggles with her self- confidence. Her lack of esteem leads her to view her unique culture negatively and to possess a desire to become something she cannot be. Even though the soldiers (Angelou and Tan) are injured couple times by their enemies, Angelou and Tan are able to withstand and overcome the pain, thus, leading both individuals to their victory. The battle not only provides experience to the authors, but also fortifies each being's maturity and outlook. Unfortunately, we will also be participants of the same battle continuously; everyone will face this outcast feelings and hardships due to racial, cultural, religious, or other experiences. People will be looked down upon and hurt, as a result. However, it is how one deals with her or his struggles that leads to the prize of truly knowing and appreciating oneself.
ReplyDeleteRather than people using their differences as an excuse for their weaknesses, we all need to learn to adjust to our differences and make them our strengths. Those who don't 'fit in' with the groups they may desire to accompany themselves with do not usually realize that if they would just turn around, a group would appear before their eyes that would be a grateful, happy, and eagerly welcoming clique. Tan and Angelou, in my opinion, entertainingly show how to stay true to who you are because someone-somewhere-will be accepting to who you are. In "Fish Cheeks", her mother and ethnic family were there to accept her if the boy she was ever-trying to impress the boy. In "Champion of the World", even though the rest world may try to outcast the blacks, that just brought blacks together in unity fighting for their equality. We all know what it's like to feel like we don't belong, but at the same time, we all in someway or another know what it's like to reject somebody from our group. I think that it should be the goal for each one of us to not go along with our day if we see someone trying to get in you 'clique' and you are not allowing it. Just think, if we all accepted each other, we'd each have abundant friends and everybody would be more considerate and kind. We all need to remember to keep our hearts, minds, and eyes open for those reaching out for someone.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading everyone’s post, I think that it is safe to assume that the class has come to a unanimous agreement that we all can be an outcast at times. However, this difference that separates each of us and sometimes makes us feel like an outsider can be understood. It is amazing to see how supportive my classmates can be to someone who has a completely different problem than themselves. It is relieving to know there are other people out there that struggle with same problems I do and that those people are willing to listen and help if needed, not just for me but for everyone else in the class. Everyone can be an outcast at times, or at least feel she is the outcast. I think this is a normal part of growing up. I think we can also all agree that we have, at some point or another, made someone else feel like the outcast. I also think this a part of growing up. Often times, we do not understand how harmful our actions are until they are reciprocated toward us. Through our reading and class discussion, I think this lesson is taught well.
ReplyDeleteWhat really struck me in our discussion about this selection was how different all of our class itself is. On the surface, I feel like our class seems fairly homogenous. It may be slightly more diverse than would typically be found in an American school, but in general, it appears wholly unremarkable. However, this is evidently not true in the least. Everyone has something unique about himself or herself; this something, for better or for worse, sets him or her apart.
ReplyDeleteSocial pressure in addition to other factors seems to influence everyone to try to conform to society. For some reason or the other, people have retained the idea that it is most beneficial to fit within certain social constraints. This is not always detrimental; due to certain social norms, society has become cleaner, safer, and more technologically advanced. But this pressure to conform hits all of us at some point, be it in our values, beliefs, opinions, or feelings. This pressure is made very prominent in Tan’s anecdote, but I believe we see it also in “A Crime of Compassion” and “Indian Education.” In “A Crime of Compassion,” Huttmann is ridiculed by the public for a deed she considered wholly just and moral. She defends herself boldly and without doubt that she made the right decision. In “Indian Education,” Alexie repeatedly depicts the scorn he once received for wanting to make something of himself. He persevered, and no one can admonish him now. Angelou, in “Champion of the World,” never lost faith in her people. And Tan, despite all the resentment she displays in her anecdote, leaves us with her mother’s quote, “Your only shame is to have shame.” And truthfully, our only shame is to have shame. We all have our own view of the world, but it is not a lesser view than anyone else’s. We can only be ourselves, so let us be proud.
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ReplyDelete(I procrastinated horribly, I know, but I'm just going to go ahead and do my posts anyway.)
ReplyDeleteIn the two narratives, Champion of the World by Maya Angelou and Indian Education by Sherman Alexie, the narrators of each tell about their experiences as a minority race in America and their struggles to overcome the prejudice associated with their race. The difference between these accounts however, is that Angelou's story tells of hope for a better future for her race overall, while Alexie's shows a cynical portrayal of the insurmountable stereotypes, no matter what an individual may do to overcome the standards set by others of his race.
Angelou narrates the events of a group of people listening to a boxing match taking place between Joe Louis, the heavyweight champion of the world, and a white challenger. The reason the people listening are so desperate for Louis to win is because he is symbol for their race. Everyone will see his actions and use it as proof that blacks are not "lower types of human beings," (88). Angelou uses this story to show that one person can change the public opinion for an entire group of people.
On the other hand, Alexie's narrative demonstrates many factors of Indian stereotypes as well as giving a picture of life on an Indian reservation. He uses specific details such as his cousin Steven sniffing rubber cement and the papers telling about the white girl raped by her foster-father, without mentioning their race. By including these details, Alexie gives readers a more personal understanding of his experiences on the reservation. His story shows that even though he chose escape from the reservation and received a good education as well as many awards, his race still continues to live as they always have, unaffected by his actions. He uses this evidence to prove that one person cannot change public opinion of a specific racial group.
In my own experiences, I am fortunate enough that I cannot actually recall any instances where I felt excluded from a certain group. While at a younger age I was often outcasted from the "popular crowd," I actually had no intention to associate with them or be in any way like them in the first place. No one ever prejudiced me because of any factors about my appearance or the people I associated with, so I cannot relate to the experiences of Angelou or Tan. What I can relate to is the sympathy that their narratives try to instill in readers. I have grown up around people who are not always the most tolerant of people who are different from them, so as I have matured, I have striven to be more accepting of others, despite being surrounded by prejudice and insensitive comments. Because of this, I felt a connection to the plight of the two narrators and was supportive of their cause.
Feeling like an outcast, or that you don't belong is normal, and apparent that most of the class has felt this way at one time or another, espcially when moving to a new place. However, letting this paticular emotion take you over by affecting the the way you act, such as Tan in "Fish Cheeks," is not healthy and usually is a sign of immaturity. When Tan realized that her thoughts of embarrasment when the American boy came to her house were immature, she mentally grew up. Becoming the young adults we are, we have to take some of our immature thoughts, such as feeling left out, and try to take action. Our minds can do great things when we learn to minimize outside aspects that affect us.
ReplyDeleteIn school everyone appears to be somewhat the same on the outside. It is only when you get to talk to people, that they reveal who they truly are and what they believe. I have noticed that our class is very diverse and exceptionally open-minded. We are ready to accept new cultural backgrounds into our minds and learn to accept them. Part of that, I believe, comes from the time we have grown up in. By the time we were able to actually completely think on our own it was the turn of the century. The whole world had finally learned to accept everyone for who they are and that it is actually very important to have different types of people. Since children learn actions of their surroundings and react to personal experiences in life, we developed with the mindset of acceptance and tolerance for others. Our world would not have been able to progress if people had not learned to accept others. Even the future involves just more mixing of people and cultures. It is good to know that most places you go people will not judge you by first glance. I am proud of my heritage and my culture and I am not afraid to show it. I only hope that everyone can learn to accept themselves and show the world that they can do something regardless of their background.
ReplyDelete- Pratik Gangwani
No two people are the same. Somewhere in a person's life, they will be different from others. This goes for our class as well; everyone has different beliefs and ideas, but that does not stop people from reaching out and accepting each other. Though what people do not see is that their differences make them special. Sure, people can say that their differences make them outcasts, but that's only one side of the coin. In "Indian Education," the author was definitely an outcast in his society, but that did not stop him from achieving something that most his former classmates could not: an education and a chance at a better life. As we get older, I believe that our differences is what will set us out from the other people in the world and make us who we are.
ReplyDelete-Dorothy Li
(Yes I realize my previous post was on the wrong story (Indian Education instead of Fish Cheeks) but I posted it anyway cause I felt my argument for those two was stronger than it would have been for Fish Cheeks. If this affects my grade, at least I'll be proud of what I wrote.)
ReplyDeleteAs I was going back and reading the posts of everyone else, I was reminded of one trait about me that actually has led to be being an outcast of sorts. While I was fortunate enough not to receive much direct antagonism, the world overall has been in a constant state of uproar over the topic. Something a majority of you may not be aware of is the fact that I am a bisexual. I feel no shame in admitting it, but instead feel a twinge of fear of the repercussions. I feel confident enough in my self-esteem to not feel guilty or anything like that, but not knowing the reactions of other people is what worries me. I try to avoid confrontation on principle, but sometimes I feel like I have to stand up for myself and my friends who share the same opposition and feel confident doing so.
Luke mentioned in his post that he was prejudiced against because of a lifestyle he had chosen instead of being born into. This made me consider the debate going on about whether homosexuals are born gay or "turned" gay. While personally I didn't realize until around the end of middle school to the first year of high school, I can trace signs back to my years in elementary school, and never have felt that something "made" me feel the way I do. While I can't speak for everyone, I feel that I was essentially born this way. So unlike Sharon and Pratik who talk about being excluded based on their outward appearance, something they can never escape from no matter the clothes they wore or language they spoke, I've been able to live under the assumption that I'm just like everyone else until I prove otherwise. This pressure of "coming out" has been an overbearing presence on my life ever since I came to terms with this part of who I am, but I try not to make a big deal of it. Luckily for me I've not received much negative response from those I've confided in and am hopeful that this type of reaction will continue the more people who know. I am proud of who I am no matter what people may think of it or how I might be labeled because of it, and can hold my head up high saying this with total confidence. I would also like to thank everyone else for being so open about their feelings about their own insecurities and such, even though that was part of the assignment (so thanks Mrs. Field I guess) because it made me feel safe enough to be open about about something that has more or less been a secret for several years. Admittedly I'm a little nervous about the kind of response this is going to get but I'm hopeful that everyone will try to be tolerant and not change their opinion of me over one small facet of who I am. Most of you I've known since elementary school and I would hate to have opinions of me change for something that isn't really that big of a deal.
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ReplyDeleteEveryone in this world is unique in their own way. There won't be a single person who is exactly like another. Therefore, each and every person will come across a time in their life where they will feel like an outcast. It's clearly evident after reading everyone's stories, whether it be different religions, beliefs, or race, we've all felt like outcasts due to our differences, but that didn't hold us back. Everyone has come to realize that it's not bad to different. It's what makes us who we are. Instead of being ashamed, we've all come to learn that we should embrace who we are and be proud. After reading the selections for class, i believe it has brought a better understanding that being different is what makes us normal, if not unique, and as everyone in our class has grown since they were younger, we've all now understand. As we grow even older, i believe we will come to love ourselves even more.
ReplyDelete-Amanda Cheung
Our class is really something special. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that, despite coming from many different backgrounds and cultures, we could all relate to the themes
ReplyDeletepresented to us in the assigned pieces. Everyone has had "Fish Cheeks" moments, and everyone has conquered these feelings in a very "Champion of the World" like way. We can only hope that we can make the best of our lives in the way that "Indian Education" shows us is possible. I believe that we, as a group of peers, make it easy for everyone to find a place. No one is scorned for their beliefs or culture, and we know how to just laugh it off.
It was also nice that, despite the fact
that we had "winners" and "losers" in the debate, no one really seemed to take personal offense (perhaps that's because we're all just happy to be done with that crazy project!). I really am proud to be part of such a
group.
-Anneliese H.
(As I write this, my internet is
not working correctly. Alas, it seems my troubles with this blog have not come to an end.)
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ReplyDeleteI believe that the discussions we had on Friday helped forge several connections. While the initial posts on this board brought to light many of the different experiences our fellow classmates had, throughout this week, we have learned many different things about everyone. I find the fact that everyone has experienced some sort of situation where they are uncomfortable with some part of themselves shows how we really are all part of the same path. People are inherently the same , but they diverge off of each other.
ReplyDeleteII really found the comments made by Victoria interesting. She questioned exactly why did people feel the need to "Americanize." I didn't get a chance to address her question during the discussion. To answer her question, the reason that we (foreigners) believe we must assimilate is because we feel pressurized to do so by society. We know our cultures are beautiful and worthy of being maintained. Unfortunately, in this nation, surrounded by a majority of white people, it is difficult to sustain many aspects of our culture which may seem unusual to others. Especially as a child, I know I subdued many of my normal tendencies so that the other American kids would accept me. We still have our culture in our heart, but we don't always feel the need to broadcast it to the world. This is simply my own opinion, but I feel like some others may share it. Hopefully, as the years go on, everyone becomes more accepting of other cultures.
As I read through the novels in this mode, I found that the different emotional appeals influenced the amount of power each story had over me. Champion of the World really triggered my thought processes. The thought of this single event affecting an entire culture was incredible. These people put their faith in those that can represent them. It reminded me of a government. The governments we elect are the ones that can pose the greatest threat. We can strike, protest, and fight, but they make the bigger difference. They represent us as a whole.
Finally, like many of my other classmates, I do believe we have had a very intelligent, well rounded, and open-minded discussion thus far . I really appreciate everyone being so welcoming, especially regarding those topics which are normally controversial. While, as a child, I rarely talked about my heritage, I feel as if I can talk openly about things such as my dad's haggling techniques. I am glad to be part of a class that accepts my culture.
Note to everyone: Remember, if you never let people know who you really are, they never have the opportunity. We spend so much time fearing what we don't know, especially about different cultures. Let's make sure that if there are questions, we open the door to them and resolve any of those unknowns. You never know until you ask.
ReplyDeleteSome of you are comfortable posting your thoughts, now venture out and let's hear that voice in class. Some of us are very comfortable and want to share. Don't let us intimidate you.
KF
For some reason my post didn't go through yesterday so I'm reposting it and hoping this time it shows up.
ReplyDeleteTo be in a class of so many people, people who are so diverse, is a privilege. As I read through everyone's posts I came across numerous opinions and viewpoints on a variety of subjects, but the surprising thing was the ability of our entire class to accept others even if their opinions differ from one another. Our ability to accept the differences of others and not pass judgment on them shows that we have taken the next step in our struggle against discrimination. In our class discussions I saw that many of use have been through discrimination of some kind, be it racial, religious, sexual, or simply being the new kid. Our experiences with such bigotry are most likely why we are able to relate so well with one other’s experiences. Even if we do not agree, we have the ability to open our minds to another's way of thinking, which, in my opinion, was the key to our step forward towards the end of discrimination of all kinds. In years to come, my hope is that others, outside our classroom, will find the same ability to accept others regardless of their varying beliefs.
-Rebecca Pakradooni
I wanted to address something that Victoria said in class that I was thinking about. Victoria wasn't able to understand how a little kid of a different culture in America could want to forego their culture to fit in. However, as a a person who had to go through such an experience, I know that a little kid doesn't understand their culture and the meaning behind it. All they feel is that it is something tedious that they have to partake in that is different from what everybody else does. All a parent can wish for is that their kids learn to understand their culture and embrace it as they grow older, and in my experience, that's exactly what happens. On a further note, I'm really glad of how accepting and understanding our class is. Many people throughout the world don't get this privilege and I'm grateful that I live in such an area that appreciates the different cultures we have in our community. (Sorry this is late. My internet was being glitchy last night.)
ReplyDelete~Niyathi Prasad
When reflecting on the posts and the discussions in our class about these topics, I am so proud to be a part of such an accepting and diverse group of people. Everyone has a particular trait that sets them apart from others and we all accept that and embrace it. Our class is helping society itself take steps towards ending discrimination such as Rebecca said and it is a wonderful thing. No one got defensive either, which is usually the case when someone questions such a sensitive subject such as race or religion. It is our willingness to answer others questions with calmness and to try to help those who do not to understand that is really special. Even in the debate, both groups of each topic made fantastic points and understood exactly where the other side was coming from. In the end we had to pick which argument was stronger of the two but no one was upset if they didn't win because we all took a lot away from it. In reading these selections and discussing it with the class, I learned a lot about the backgrounds and past experiences of my peers. By understanding where they came from and what shaped them, we can move to who they are and there opinions as we further our reading and understanding of each other.
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ReplyDeleteI think that it is very interesting to be in such a diverse class. Everyone can give very different opinions based on there own experiences. I share some of the same ideas as others, and while I do not necessarily agree with others, it is interesting to hear what they have to say; I also find it interesting to try and understand why some people think the way they do. I like how everyone in the class is respectful of other and listens to their opinions. For instance, during the discussion on Friday, even if someone disagreed with what another was saying, they generally let them finish speaking for before stating their own ideas. I find it truly enriching to be exposed to such a diverse group. Exposure to so many different view points makes the class much more interesting and worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteBy discussing the topics brought up in the four selections of the Bedford Reader, I learned a lot about my peer's backgrounds and some of the ways that discrimination and the 'American way of life' can affect foreign cultures that are brought here. Through reading this blog, it's evident that though our class is very diverse when it comes things such as religion, race, etc., these differences and feelings of being 'outcasts' we share show that we're more alike than we thought. Because we've all struggled and gone through different variations of the same situations, we're able to relate to one another. All in all, I thought it was really comforting that, during the class discussion and through this blog, everyone was really accepting of each other's cultures and views on major issues.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see how we can all come together on our differences. It seems that doing that has become much more common than discriminating based on differences which is a good step forward for mankind. The narrative stories helped everyone look within themselves and open their minds to others which is a very good growing exercise for young adults.
ReplyDelete- Marley D. Griggs
It continues to surprise me how everyone in our class has, in some form or another, felt different or out of place. Usually they experience this because of some characteristic they were born with or a lifestyle choice they have adopted. I have never felt like other people should change because of me, or that I should change because of other people. Victoria echoed my thoughts when she asked why anyone from another culture would feel like they had to become more American.
ReplyDeleteI cannot decide whether I feel reassured because of this realization, or if I have taken a blow to my pride. An undue amount of my self-image is made up of the perception that I am different from everyone else. That so many others share my feelings (though they probably do not take pride it them) is disconcerting. Ms. Field, if I suffer an identity crisis, it is your fault!