Comparing books so far

Before this semester began, I was not aware that authors wrote different poems that would connect into a book. Notes from a Divided Country has given me the best understanding of how individual poems connect to create an overall theme. We have read Zami: A New Spelling of my Name which was the most different type of book that we have read this semester. This book was a biomythology of Audre Lorde's life which was a book of facts with fictional aspects. Poems by Phillis Wheatley seemed more like a bunch of random poems thrown together rather than a book like A Walk in Victoria's Secret, Loose Woman, or Seam, that were all similar to Notes From a Divided Country. All of these books of poems have their own themes that overall connect to the whole books, but I think Notes From a Divided Country does the best to connect its theme to nearly all poems in the book. I make this connection because when Suji Kwock Kim uses words to refer to people like she, he, us, them, and we, these words are spoken mainly referring to the same people at the beginning of the book, as in the end as well. What I mean by this is that Kim's theme of family and war is displayed throughout nearly every poem of every section of the book, which I believe is much more recognizable in Notes From a Divided Country than any other books we have read thus far.

Li Po's quote before Chapter IV

The Chinese quote preceding part IV of "Notes From the Divided Country" is from an 8th century Chinese poet, Li Po, who is widely recognized as one of the most important Chinese poets of all time. I originally wanted to analyze this quote and how it relates to the remaining section, but I found something interesting when I researched the quote.

"We sit together, the mountain and me,
until only the mountain remains." Translation by David Hinton

My reading of this quote as it relates to the chapter is that human life is not necessarily insignficant, but is inconstant. Nature remians, but people are mortal and nobody lives forever. This definitely makes sense with the earlier images of death and destruction during the Japanese occupation of Korea.
In "On Sparrows", Kim, while admiring the ocean, says "Now I am afraid my listening will erase all that is not you." (pg 56) While the message in this quotation is slightly different, we still this message of inconstancy, and that things can wash away with time.

Interestingly enough, I discovered an alternate translation by Sam Hamill

"We never tire of looking at each other -
Only the mountain and I."

I read this translation as the complete opposite: here we see a message of constancy and immortality. In "Levitations", Kim's great-aunt comes back from the dead to appear before her and explain that being dead is not easy. Aside from this brief passage, I admit that it was difficult to find other examples that support this alternate translation. In the end, the fact that there exists an alternate translation that has the potential to completely change the interpretation of the text is very interesting.

Belonging within Faizullah's and Cisneros' Work

This post is perhaps in hindsight when we talk about themes we could've discussed in class. Even so, I think that there is one connection that is important in linking two of the most interesting books we've read thus far. On the whole, I think that Culture, in its broad terms, acts as a major element of identity for Tarfia Faizullah and Sandra Cisneros and their work in Seam and Loose Woman.

This also can further lead to considering the equally broad idea of belonging, whether it is to a place, an idea, or an aspect of a specific culture. Such a tradition or custom can have a definite locus or origin, from where the poet can derive biases and reflect as a kind of "omnipotent" onlooker to that element or history.

I think this is applicable to trying to understand both Faizullah's and Cisneros' work, because both their subject matters entail some sort of origin from where they area able to comment and assert themselves. Cisneros does this by employing stark or aggressive (I use that word very loosely) images or aspects of her Latin culture, to where she is able to comment on the desirable behavior of the strong and effectual woman as a lover and as a force to be reckoned with. And I think that Cisneros was very pointed and intentional about making that connection, otherwise, I think that her work would've been much more "hollow" in giving great meaning to otherwise normal situations. Cisneros injects purpose to the subject matter.

On the other hand, Tarfia Faizullah's sense of belonging and identity entail some relatively complex twists. The origin, of course, is the War of Independence that Bangladesh waged with West Pakistan in the early 70s. Faizullah, though, doesn't try to answer her own concerns about the political ramifications of the actual war, but accentuates her personal connection as a woman of Bangladeshi decent with the Birangonas. While not truly employing a sense of broad culture like Cisneros does, Faizullah still makes a cultural connection with the actual nation from where her blood derives, where she takes on that persona of that all-understanding onlooker.

It would be interesting to see if the idea of actual belonging took precedence in the work which we will read later on in the semester. It would also be cool to see if culture, in all of its broadness, also plays a part, as I am sure that it will based on its already heavy bearing in the work read thus far. Obviously, we can in much more detail than just what I've put here, and would be interested in knowing if there was that same sense when reading both books.

Faizullah Admires America

Tarfia Fiazullah's parents immigrated to New York in 1978. In 1980, Tarfia was born. 30 years later, Faizullah returned to Bangladesh to interview several woman that were involved in the corruption of the Bangladesh government in the 1970's. Faizullah made her interviews into poems, and published her book, Seam. When I figured out the true story behind her poems, I began to realize that Faizullah made several references of her preferring to live in the United States as opposed to her parents homeland of Bangladesh. Faizullah says:

In America, the bodies
of men and woman march forward
in protest, rage candling
their voices-in Vietnam, monks
light themselves on fire, learning
too late how easily the body burns (p. 5).

Faizullah displays the difference between American men and woman and Bangladesh monks in their times of oppression. Faizullah admires Americans for their courage to fight back against the power and earn rights before it was too late. She denounces Vietnamese monks because they did not fight back against their oppression until it was too late. Faizullah embraces being American when she says:

Dark horde of men
and woman who look like me-
because I look like them-
because I am ashamed
of their bodies that reek so
unabashedly of body-
because I can-because I am
and American, a star
of blood on the surface of muscles (p. 12).

Faizullah returned to Bangladesh to learn that she was no different than any man or woman their. After learning about Bangladesh, she comes to embrace the fact that she is an American. She does this by again denouncing her heritage. Although, Faizullah sort of bashes the American culture by saying she can judge the Vietnamese people because she is American and that is the right she has--but again, she is saying that she is an American. Faizullah's visit to Bangladesh made her realize how good she has it in America when she says:

Two weeks ago I crossed two oceans wide as
the funeral processions to your grave (p. 17).

Faizullah explains that her return to Bangladesh was like getting ready to be laid down in her final resting place. She feels that the people in Bangladesh are constantly at risk of surviving. When Faizullah displays her uncomfortableness with the Bangladesh culture, she is implying that she is better off in America than in Bangladesh. I believe that through her studies of 1970's in Bangladesh, interviews with woman involved, and stories heard from her parents, Faizullah appreciates the American environment that she lives in compared to the Bangladesh customs.

Most Engaging topics thus far

The three most engaging topics thus far in this semester have been Lorde's essay, Daniel's "Mr. Greenberg" poem, and "Phyllis Wheatley on Trial". These three pieces have been most engaging not only because of the topics, but because of the discussions sparked in class. These discussions have sparked further interest in these three pieces, more than any other in the class.

In Lorde's "Poetry Is Not A Luxury", she presents to the readers how to think critically and look at a certain something from many and all aspects, in order to get a full look at that certain something.

In Kate Daniel's "Mr. Greenberg", a full class discussion was sparked on the meaning behind the poem and furthermore the meaning Daniel's stances on race.

The first critical piece we looked at, on the authenticity of Wheatley titled "Phyllis Wheatley on Trial", also sparked my interest but not only because of the class discussion, but also my interest in critic's responses. Since this, I have read many critic's responses to other novels, in particular "Moby-Dick" in my English 310. It was great, and definitely a better critique of the novel than this of Wheatley's authenticity.

My main point here is that, this class has carried over into almost every other class this semester. I am witnessing the beauty of a Liberal Arts education each semester here at Wabash, and as an english major I believe it carries over into every aspect of education. I've had discussions in other classes on nearly the same topics that broaden my spectrum and increase my knowledge on these topics, making me more understanding and more knowledgable in these topics than before. I look forward to discussions every day because I know it will only help me by either challenging or teaching me.

Response to "1971"

I'm going to immediately debunk anyone who's thinking, "He's just responding to the first poem in the book." That's purely coincidental - this poem is absolutely fantastic and it's purely coincidental that the first poem of "Seam" was both beautiful and full of themes. (lucky me)

I'd primarily like to look at sections iii and iv:

From a historical perspective, this poem addresses world events in a very interesting manner: the Bangladeshi crisis AND the Vietnam War were happening at the same time. Yet I've never even heard of the Bangladesh crisis. Go figure. The lines, "the bodies of men and women march forward in protest, rage candling their voices." speak to the intense passion felt for Vietnam and the conflict there, but I feel like Faizullah is sort of seeking an equal response for the Bangladesh conflict. She could be saying, "Hey guys, there's even more F***** up S*** going on over here!"

Additionally in part iii, there are countless references to her mother, dresses, weaving, and other traditional feminine or domestic themes. As well, she speaks of soldiers who don't even know that they're soldiers yet, merely "lean[ing] against the cool stone walls of your grandparent's house." This sort of domesticity being paired with the upcoming conflict reflects that none are safe from the reaching arms of war. This is further evidenced by the appalling statistics at the beginning of the poem.

Part iv furthers this theme of "violence on the homefront" with a rape or sexual assault scene that is sort of broken up by bits of memories and sensory experience. While this soldier is attacking her, she can only think of her mother, saris, her home, the ever-present cool green water, etc. In this violence ravaging her people, Faizullah can only seek a reprieve in her culture and her family.

Gender and the Political Scales

There is one element that I have noticed throughout the literature and media we've seen up to last week or so. That element entails the place and influence of politics as far a race, sexuality, and society are concerned. Especially with our own campus controversy on transgender applicants, as well at the national caucuses, these elements of identity have been heightened. But I would just like to gauge some discussion in this.

Of course, politics can play heavily into social norms and customs, to where some aspects of humanity are not "appropriate". We see this played out in the situation of Phyllis Wheatley, where her skin color, perhaps more than her sex, barred her from basic freedoms. Slavery was an accepted system, and there were freedoms that were honored in keeping slaves (seems a little ironic to me). But this was truth, and the system could not be touched. So far along that it was against the law to teach a slave to read and write in almost all cases.

I don't think that we see much of politics getting in the way of Zami, but there is that law banning homosexuality that she always refers to. In that book, it is all about social customs and understandings, and Audre Lorde is conscious of that. Even so, the two are inherently mixed to create and enforce that code. In this case it has a negative effect, but Zami shows that such a person can stand to her own emotions, and not let such a concrete institution.

These are the most attainable examples I can provide now. I would like to see if any of us can pull out some other instances were politics are mixed in with the elements of gender and race, and how society is a factor in it. The main point I want to demonstrate is that not all of the major elements of what our authors are thinking about entails personal understandings. Indeed, much of those may be influenced by outside forces.