Five Decisions Made By Lee

Pick out five decisions that Lee makes and talk about how they change the reader’s perception of the story, its characters, etc.


I think that one decision that Chang-Rae Lee makes that affects how we view the Korean lifestyle is when he is talking about Janice's ex-boyfriends John Kim. It talks about how his silence was probably just as frustrating for him as it was for her (pg. 96) and how it was much more complicated then she thought. This helps us to understand the Korean lifestyle a little better because it shows that Koreans don't stay quiet because they don't feel like talking about their feelings. They stay quiet because that was the way they were taught to handle difficult situations. It's not by choice.
Another decision that Chang-Rae Lee makes our view of the story different is when he starts talking about Mitt (pg. 100). I think that that has an affect on me as a reader because it made the characters seem more human. Their pain and strife made me feel like they had more in common with me. Mitt brought out different aspects of Henry and Lelia during his life and after his death. It's interesting to compare how these are different and the storyline of Mitt brings these emotions out. Chang-Rae Lee also changes our view of John Kwang when he describes him as having his picture in mom and pop stores right by their first dollar they earned, their son's Ivy League diploma, and their U.S. citizenship (pg. 83). This shows us how important Kwang is to his supporters. He is on the same tier as some of the most important things of their lives. He has that much of an effect on people. This seems to cast Kwang in a godlike light. Chang-Rae Lee changes our view of John Kwang again when he shows Kwang yelling at his wife for 10 minutes (pg.145)in their car. This seems to show that even the godlike Kwang has chinks in his armor. This shows us another aspect of Kwang that the public doesn't see. It will be interesting to see what other chinks Kwang has and how the public reacts if they are exposed. The final decision that Chang-Rae Lee makes that changes our view of Korean life is when Henry is talking to his father about the girl he is taking to the dance (pg. 73). His father tells him that the girl is just using him for a free dance ticket and that she doesn't have romantic feelings for Henry. His father can't grasp how a pretty Caucasian girl could like a Korean boy. This gave a different view because it shows how racist Henry's father was. It seems like his father was racist towards himself. He sees himself near the bottom of the races and Caucasians at the very top. It will be interesting to see if Henry forms these views later on in his life or not.

Native Speaker Section

A section that really stands out to me is when Henry is talking about how he and his father used to wash the screens from the windows together. Henry's father would scrub the screen then Henry would spray it down. Henry decided to shoot his father with the hose. On his second try he hit his father right on the butt and ran. Henry "sprinted for the back door but he (his father) caught me from behind." (pg. 76)I think that this event holds significance to Henry because it was a time when he and his father got along well and played together. They had this fun relationship which deteriorated over the years. It seems like Henry misses the way he and his father used to be and is remorseful that they didn't keep their relationship like that. This is very similar to the relationship that I have with my cousin. We used to be very close and play together all the time. But over the years our relationship slowly dissolved. This was most likely due to the age difference between us and our different interests. When I look back on the memories from that time, I feel sad because our relationship is nothing like it used to be. It's unrealistic to think that all of your relationships will stay the same and that you will be close to all the same people your entire life but it's still sad to compare how a bad relationship used to be good and look and the decline.

Person Whose Life I Would Infiltrate

If I was able to infiltrate the life of someone else, I would infiltrate the life of Andy Irons. I picked Andy because he is good looking and he is one of the best surfers in the world. I think its awesome how he gets to spend his days at the beach surfing. I love the beach and I think if I were in Andy's posse I could learn some cool stuff like surf photography and how to surf super nuts like Andy. Also I bet I could get a lot of awesome free stuff from companies like Von Zipper and Billabong. Andy seems like a super mellow and laid back guy and I can just imagine cruising with him, surfing at the beach then kicking back at his house on Kauai with a couple of beers. In my opinion, he has one of the best jobs in the world and he loves doing it.

Native Speaker Lists

Other Person:
You are sophomoric
have a piece of me
impeccable student
hidden by the shadow cast upon you
a tease
shaped by the hands of others
énervant
under my skin
glucose
my sister from another mister

Me:
I am whipped
Shaq at 15
cruiser
underrated
likes confrontation like the chicken pox
scarred
keiki o ka aina o Hawaii
gimp
talk shit get hit

Gay Rights

Based of this story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081105/ap_on_el_ge/gay_marriage;_ylt=AvA8cdCwqWL8x9oqRFKzOjwDW7oF

Heartbreaking defeat,
Uncertain future,
One step forward three steps back.
Equality ripped away,
Becoming extinct like dinosaurs.
Discrimination should be extinct instead.
What good does Proposition 8 bring?
Nothing.

Fashion Week

Do you know what happened this past week? Only one of the biggest events in New York City: Fashion Week. For one week, all the hip designers show off their latest styles. They show off what they think the "in look" will be. The in look for who? When I searched "fashion week 2008 new york" I came across about 9.7 million webpages. One of the websites that I clicked on(http://www.wwd.com/fashion-season-microsite/spring-ready-to-wear-2009/new-york/review) showed me pictures of some of the hottest looks from Fashion Week. One of the dresses that they showed starts at the top of the dress with a light tan color and the color ends up at black on the bottom of the dress. The top is very low cut and there is a fabric flower that looks to be the size of my head around the left hip area. This dress was seen at the 4xF show. On the website it is described as, "...the best look in the show — Magalis Garcia’s earthy, hand-dyed chiffon dress with a burlap and twig clutch." How was this dress the best dress of the show? I really have no answer for that. How many of these dresses do they sell? I can't see them selling more than five. After all, what kind of socialite wants to be seen wearing the same dress as someone else. Who would wear this dress in real life? Women who want to be known as women who can afford such "high class" articles of clothing. It seems like most of the time many people are too concerned with the name of the brand then the actual clothes. What makes a person, their personality or the clothes that they wear?

Wanting To Live In A Sovereign Land

On Statehood Day, an event happened that shocked some people. A group of people calling themselves The Kingdom of Hawaii, Nation lead by their self proclaimed king Akahi Nui stormed Iolani Palace and took over (http://starbulletin.com/2008/08/16/news/story01.html). They chained the gates shut, broke into the palace, and allegedly assaulted a palace worker. They held the palace but then police came and arrested members of the group. Iolani Palace stayed closed for a couple days after to asses any possible damage. This event really caught my attention. Why did these people feel like they needed to take such drastic action to prove their point? A different Hawaiian sovereignty group has been occupying a portion of land at Iolani Palace for months (they file for permits to be on the land). I guess they do it because they feel it best represents their identity. That this is the only option that's left. That the people legally occupying the land at the palace are conforming to this other government. The very same government that took over their lands, that changed their society, that turned their people away from the old ways. Some would argue that while what the United States and Annexationists did was wrong, it all worked out for the best and we can never go back to the ways of Hawaii as it's own nation. Obviously this group doesn't feel this way.

How much does someone's ethnicity's shape their lives?
Are some ethnic groups looked down upon because of things that have happened in the past? Do these events keep people of that certain race from getting a job, or being accepted by other people?
Does a wrong-doing of the past justify a wrong-doing of the opposite party in the present? Or just the past just be left as the past?