An-mei and her Mother's opinions on the importance of family honor and individuality

True or false? "Family and honor should take priority over the rights of the individual family member." How do you think An-mei and her mother would respond? Would they think the statement is true or false? Would they be somewhere in-between?

I think An-mei’s opinion would be the same as her mother. I believe, dependent on how her mother was treated, An-mei would probably think that individual will is more important than family honor. However, during the last scene, when her mother sacraficed herself by cutting a piece of meat off her arm into the stew in order to try to save Popo’s life, An-mei’s mother’s actions show mixed feelings toward this question. Even though she performed this painful routine, it doesn’t mean that she is sorry of her actions and that now she hold the same opinion as Popo. It may also be that she still hold her own opinions but loves Popo so much that she wants to saver her. An mei’s mother still respects Popo.

During one incident, Anutie spat in An-mei’s brother’s face when he accused her of driving their mother out of the house, Auntie exclaims that An-mei’s brother is not one to talk because of thier shameful mother. She continues to make points that seem to make An-mei and her brother seem like they have no rights, that they are the lowest, all due to the disgrace their mother brought to the family. Because of this, I think An-mei would have strong feelings in having individual rights.

Throughout An-mei’s whole life, Popo and Auntie always told her how shameful and evil her mother is. Her mother was compared to the devil and ghosts; even her name was unspeakable. An-mei’s love and admiration for her own mother deceased and only turned to fear. I think An-mei fears her mother only because she is afraid of Popo and Auntie turning against her and treating her negatively. As she said in the end, after witnessing her mother’s attempt to save Popo, “I worshiped the mother from my dream. But the woman standing by Popo’s bed was not the mother of my memory. Yet I came to love this mother as well... Here is how I came to love my mother. How I saw in her my own true nature. What was beneath my skin. Inside my bones” (Tan p.48). During this powerful moment of sacrifice, An-mei realized that she is not really afraid of her mother because in her shameful mother, she sees her own true nature. The respect her mother showed to Popo is a more prominent part of her mother that she loves. An-mei is tied between the importance of family honor and individual rights. From this witness, she learns that even though her mother brought her family shame, she still loves her family and what she did individually did not change her respect for her family. I think An-mei may be a bit tied in the middle of these two answers after all.

Response to Amy Chua

In Amy Chua's article, "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior", She expresses her experiences as a Chinese mother and the many techniques she uses to "motivate" and "sculpture" her children into perfect people. Many of her techniques include threatening to throw away her clothes, toys, threatening to starve her, and threatening to not provide Christmas and Haunika presents for 2-4 years. She repeatedly insults her children and thinks all this is alright. In comparison to Western style parenting, she thinks that western parents care too much about their children's self-esteem. They do not push their children enough is what she is saying. She concludes that all her hard work would make her hated, but in the end it is all for the children's good and therefore the children owe her everything!

I disagree with this very much. I agree more with the Western view:

She says, "My husband, Jed, actually has the opposite view. "Children don't choose their parents," he once said to me. "They don't even choose to be born. It's parents who foist life on their kids, so it's the parents' responsibility to provide for them. Kids don't owe their parents anything. Their duty will be to their own kids." 

First of all, I think Amy is overly pushing their children. She is actually risking so much more by behaving this way. Her goal to produce perfect, successful children seems to be like enslaving them. They are not given freedom to actually have fun. Although her techniques did work, it may build a child that is very good academically, but maybe that is not everything. She seems to think that being good at school is everything. She has given all her faith into the school systems, that may not even make your children successful! In my opinion, there is more to loose than recieve. They are rasing children that have no freedom to have personal opinions and Amy seem to take everything little thing in her children's life as a big deal. They is no time to relax and everything has to be perfect. It is hard life if there is no room for mistakes. For example, in her children's piano experience, Amy treats her performance like a life and death situation, when it is alright to go freely.

Therefore, I think Jed is right. I think as a children, they do have responsibilities to take care of their children because the parents raised them and provided them with food and shelter. However, if the parents are really bad parents, than the children may choose that they don't owe them everything. In Amy's case, it is difficult because she did succeed in making her kids successful, but her parenting techniques does not allow any independence and fun in life. Without these things, life is not as meaningful because you can't really learn- not academically, but how to be a good person, which is way more important than succeeding accademically.

Revolutions of the World and Animal Farm

Between George Orwell's Animal Farm and the actual revolutions around the world, there are many similarities and also very important differences that lead to the different results. The book is definately not as realistic as the actual revolutions, but many of the factors that contributed to their revolutions is relatively similar to those in Egypt and Hondoras.

In the beginning of every revolution, there are always uncertainty. In Hondoras, the citizens won their democracy again and the first thing they did was construct a constitution, just like what they did in Animal Farm. The Hondoran president, Zeleya, was brought down from power by the soldiers who "kidnapped" him and shipped him off. The soldiers refused to follow Zeleya's orders of attacking the citizens who are rebelling. Instead, they went off and kidnapped him. They were able to disobey Zeleya because Zeleya had no control over them. The weapons were in the soldier's hands, not Zeleya. In this event, the soldiers can be assumed to have more power than the president himself. In Animal Farm, Napoleon could hav ebeen stopped, but the 'lower animals' who worked for him did not have the power to disobey because they are not in control of the resources.

In reality, in relation to the Hondoran Revolution, their people are not as captivated as those animals. Unlike the animals, revolutionists in Hondorans were more literate and revolutionists in Tunisia were not kept in the dark as much because they had wikileaks. George Orwell possibly exaggerated the inabilities of the 'lower animals' to show the cruelties of a government ruled by tyrants. Current revolutions are able to use modern technologies, especially the internet. Websites like Facebook and Twitter serves as an important tool that the animals in Animal Farm did not have, which lead to their failure in overcoming Napoleon. Furthermore, the animals were portrayed as extremely stupid. They had bad memories, could not learn, were oblivious of everything and are neutral of life. They were never suspicious of Napoleon enough to find out about the truth. In real revolutions around the world, people still had their intelligence to help them overcome bad governments. The animals had a brain wash- this is the the main differences between the revolutions in real life and the revolution in Animal Farm.

Here's some more current news on Egypt's Revolution:
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/egypt/index.html

Ch.11 Animal Farm CARLY & VANESSA's story

  “Sheep, it’s time.” Clover announced. The entire clan of animals met outside in the usual spot, the apple tree. They needed to discuss their method to get rid of Napoleon. The group consisted of the pack of sheep, the new generation of young pigs, Snowball, and the leftovers of the ‘lower’ animals; the ones everyone believed to be less capable of doing anything right the way Napoleon insisted. The incredulous scene they had witnessed at the barn house left the animals speechless. Snowball dropped by for his weekly scheming with the animals, just in time to hear the news. Snowball had warned them this day would come, the day that the pig tyrants would evolve human-like characteristics, but they didn’t know it would be this soon. Over the years, the animals have tried not to be optimistic any more. “If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed.” That was their motto.  

The apple tree was the perfect spot. At the front, one can only see the the hind legs of the animals shuffling in the dirt, seemingly to be hard at work. The apple tree was big enough to allow its branches and leaves to spread evenly, creating a dome that protects and hides their hideout. No pig had ever suspected them because this spot was the dirtiest, filthiest place in the whole barn- which is another great protection. The pigs see the animals as uncivilized beings and refused to even near the apple tree, which was too old to produce any edible fruits anyways.

   
            Clover began, “Now fellow Animals Farm members, we are gathered here on this night to discuss that of the tyrant, Napoleon! Now we will take suggestions of what to do about him.” The sheep beat their legs in a rhythm to mimic hard work, and one said, “Clover, I believe what we need is a more efficient network of spies. In order to do so, we must teach the young pigs of the truth, the wholehearted truth of the beginning, from the telling of Old Major.” The sheep ruffled in his fur and took out the diary of Old Major he had found hidden in Napoleon's belongings. “Currently we only have Georgia and Jose (the two loyal pigs) as our spies.”, he continues. Clover agrees, “You’re right sheep, but we must begin the revolution while persuading the pigs. We are running out of time! If we let the other pigs continue with doing what they desire, we will all end up DEAD!”

Just then, two quick scratches and a knock was heard as Snowball entered the apple tree dome. “Hello animals. I have heard the news of the fast evolution of the pigs. Fortunately, I have come to announce to all that we may have a chance at enforcing justice! Whymper has connected us with The Secret Association Of Animal Rights. My past experiences with certain humans have been great. Animals, I have learned that not all humans are bad.”

The animals carefully observed, especially the secret pig spies observed what activity was occurring between the head pigs throughout the next couple of weeks.  They had brought in the new information daily for the sheep to look over and plan the accurate date to begin. Napoleon was not oblivious of The Secret Association Of Animal Rights though, but he was too conceited to care. According to him, him and the humans were close allies now.

Mary was one of the most efficient sheep spies. She was the one picked by the pigs to serve them food because all sheep were thought to be extremely stupid by the pigs. Therefore she was able to eavesdrop easily on their plans. and read the documents they leave behind. One day, Mary brought back the news that the pigs have decided to slaughter a certain amount of them each day to sell to other farmers since their population is growing larger than ever. That same  day, the Revolution began.

The animals were ready and signaled The Secret Association of Animal Rights. One their way to Animal Farm, some of Napoleon’s farmer friends joined in hopes to slaughter some pigs for dinner. Bangs of guns sounded and before they even stepped inside, two of Napoleon’s guard dogs were dead on the ground. The plan was to get Napoleon wounded as soon as possible. In less than an instant feet were stomping, hooves charging, paws clawing, claws snatching, and the whole farm was thick with dusty air. During this moment of chaos, the pigs’ weaknesses were finally revealed. The herd of pigs were immobilized by the fat that have accumulated on their belly, legs, and especially their eyes. The pigs have evolved similar to disabled humans. They acquired canes to heave their overweight bodies into walking positions and their eyes have reduced half in size. But it was too late, the pigs were surrounded quick and easily. The animals gave loud triumphant cheers as the pigs were thrown into the back of the truck of the Secret Association of Animal Rights. It was later found that the pigs had became so emotionally hyped with anger that they died of heart attacks and were cooked into a delicious batch of crispy bacon.

After the revolution, the animals were given rights under the law. They never had so much power to decide their own future. News of the animals’ freedom spread and people came to the Secret Association of Animal Rights’ office in groups to witness this day. Some animals decided to become pets to caring owners. Others still enjoyed working in the farm-they were fed fairly and worked an appropriate amount of hours. More radical pigs who had mixed feelings about life with humans again rejoined their natural habitat in the wild, away from industrialized life and back to where their ancestors lived.