When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka

The Tortoise

In a letter that was sent to him by his father, he was asked if he had a best friend.  I believe his father asked him this question in hopes that someone was there to help him through this ordeal.  He was going to grow up faster than his father had hoped he would and it was his job to guide him through this terrible time.  His father was hoping that a male figure would take on the responsibility of teaching his son how to do things right.  He knew it was his job to perform and now he couldn’t. 

His son was reaching out to him through their letters.  Although his son did not have a best friend or a mentor as his father had hoped, he did have a pet tortoise (p. 60) which he kept at the barracks window to keep it cool at night.  Its home was a wooden box with sand with a white stone on top to prevent it from escaping.  After all, if anybody was to leave, it should be him and his family.  They did nothing wrong.  His tortoise was not given a name.  Instead, it had an I.D. number etched in its shell.  This I.D. number was the same number that was given to his family.  In a place where you are housed like animals, you do not have a name.  “After all, it is your name that identifies you as a person/human being.”  Those in charge did not want that to occur.  

In his dreams he would hear the tortoise clawing at the inside of the box.  The tortoise probably felt the same way as the boy.  He, too, would have liked to remove himself from this environment, these people, the food and the temperature.  This became home to all of them. In his return letters he did not mention any of this to his dad.  This was probably done to keep each other from losing their sanity.  If the truth were told, the sole reason they were there was because they were Japanese. 

It was very difficult for his father to accept and now he had to explain it to his son.  It was easier to keep the lie going.  A boy of this age should be playing with his friends or going to school, doing the normal things, not caged up like some animal because he is different.  How was his dad going to explain such a thing through censored mail?  How was his son to understand that his government placed him in this camp to protect themselves from people like him?  

I believe they needed to say only what needed to be said.  It was the only way to keep the lie from exposing the truth.   “We should not hide ourselves behind the mirages of ourselves.”

When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka

The little girl was not able to contain herself.  She needed to say something.  The man in front of her tapped her on the shoulder.  He began to speak to her in his language -- it was Japanese (p. 28).  The little girl could not answer him because she did not speak Japanese. He was probably thinking to himself, “How is it that this little girl does not know her own native tongue?”  Thinking once again to himself, “I know why I am here.  Do you know why you are here?”  All the little girl could do was to watch the man go all the way to the end of the train as he slowly placed his hand on his gun holster just to make sure it was still there.  The little girl was probably thinking that he is here to protect us.  After all, it’s not everyday you are on a train and somebody decides to throw a brick at it.  Although it was not time to sleep, all the shades had to be pulled down.  As the last shade was brought down, the inside of the train became very dark.  Anybody looking in probably only saw shadows or images of people.  Just like the train passing by, no one would think anything out of the ordinary.  These people were going somewhere far away.  

The little girl thought of positive things like horses, specifically, Mustangs she remembered reading about in National Geographic magazines.   Nevada had a lot of them and they all were wild horses.  She would imagine the cowboy snapping his finger and there it would be -- his new horse.  This inspired her brother to want to be a Jockey but he had never been on a horse before and mother reminded him that Jockeys are small men.  She asked him if he wanted to be a small man.  This thought never entered his mind.  They truly embraced the Western Fairy-tales.  This gave them hope and a sense of returning home soon.

Push by Sapphire

I believe there is a lot more in store for Precious’ future.  Through hard work, determination, and utilizing the proper resources, she is now capable of a future she has always wanted.  If she continuous to use these resources a guide and not as a crutch, she will succeed.  Unfortunately, some people have used the system as a crutch and this has given a bad name to those who use the system for its true purpose.  Precious chose not to become one of them. She chose to forge forward.  With this type of motivation, no one or nothing can stop them from achieving their goals.

In class we mentioned cycles.  Well it’s pretty obvious to me that she was the one to break the cycle of abuse.  She was the one who initially knew something was wrong with her so-called parents’ behaviors.  She was the one person who wanted to move forward with her life.  This to me is the beginning of breaking the cycle.  I think if she keeps going in this direction, she will be successful in finding her own place in the world. That, in and of itself, would be a huge accomplishment for Precious.

I believe she will be seeking (and obtaining) a job.  She will then seek childcare services for Abdul or utilize the one she is currently using.  She will need to keep everyone in the loop by communicating with them.  Once all of this is in place, I think she will talk with her social worker about Mongo and wanting to bring him home.  This would bring Precious to another level of adulthood and motherhood.

There should be more people like Ms. Rain in this world.  I like the encouragement she has been giving Precious -- work hard, push and keep pushing yourself.  You will get there.  Only you can make your future come true.  She now has the ability to look at Mongo as her other son.  She wants Mongo and Abdul together with her.  She has acquired a good sense of how the system works.  To me that shows responsibility and commitment to her children.  She has learned to accept help and to utilize the resources around her. 

I think once she gets her own place that she can truly call home, all of these pieces will come together.  She will be able to find work, utilize the caregiver she has been using for Abdul, maintain the medical assistance for Mongo and be able to find love with another.  She has accomplished a lot since the beginning of the story.  She is an inspiration to all of us.  

Push by Sapphire

Is this an American Dream story or the opposite? Is it a story of hope or a story of despair? Or is it not that simple -- and why?

This is and is not an American dream story.  Here we have a young girl named Precious who was molested by her so-called father.  This abuse continued until she was in her teenage years.  When she became pregnant with her first child by her father, she unknowingly exposed the dark secret.  The hospital staff knew about it and they gave that information to the proper authorities who did nothing.  So what was Precious to do about it?  

We could say the American Dream began for Precious the day she got kicked out of school.  One day Mrs. Linchenstein (p. 15) went to her home and explained to Precious that there was a school that she thought would be able to serve her better.  She gave Precious the address and location through the intercom.  Precious knew she wasn’t going to go anywhere without education. 

She went to the teaching center called Each One Teach One (p. 39).  This is where Precious’ life physically and mentally changed forever.  Precious met Ms. Rain.  Her teaching style was well-crafted.  She provided all her students with insight, caring, loving strength from within and understanding of all that is around you.  She truly was what Precious needed and wanted all her life.  She needed someone to show her that she was worth loving and she could be loved by another person -- the kind of love that would enable a child to grow and develop into a healthy and emotionally well-balanced person.  

Just like a well-planted seed, if you tend it well it will become a beautiful flower.  This particular institution provided such nurturing to take place.  Precious and all the other students who came from similar situations became better people for it.  Precious was given great contributions by her classmates.  She, in turn, showed them that no matter what is thrown in front of you, you can overcome.  They are the ones who showed Precious how to let go of the anger and resentment she had about everything and everyone.  They showed her not to be afraid of letting your guard down.  Be yourself.  Together they would support one another during difficult times and use humor to lessen the pain.   Ms. Rain was the glue that kept Precious on track by telling Precious, “You need to push yourself.”  Precious knew that the only person she was going to rely on was herself.  

We need to remind our selves about the American Dream.  Yes, it is our tax dollars and funding from the government that provide funds for such programs like Each One Teach One. These programs provide children with some of the basic needs like food, shelter and water.  They also provide safety to a majority of women who have left their homes because of abuse or safety concerns.  They give services to those who may not be heard by giving them a voice.  

Precious is just one of many people who lacked the necessary tools needed to succeed such as education.  It may not be the perfect system ( you can’t please all the people all the time), but it is better than no system at all.  The system can work if those who work in the system show others how to navigate through it properly.  Isn’t that what it is all about?

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

            When I started reading this book, I was pretty unimpressed.  As I continued reading, I became more and more interested in what Bechdel was trying to say in her story.  The pictures added so much to the writing.  This seemed like such an unusual yet affective way to translate her own story into A Family Tragicomic.

            Children see themselves through their parents.  One of the gifts and curses of our youth is to try to mimic our parents.  We seem to beam inside when we do something “just like mom” or “just like daddy.”  Somehow our identities are wrapped inside and around our parents.  Eventually, through our own growth, this changes and we become our own person.  Sometimes, through their aging, our parents begin to look at us in the same way we once looked at them.

            Although Alison grew up in a “museum” with her mother and abusive father always at odds, she longed to understand both of them.  She wanted to understand her mother’s standing in the home.  She already thought she knew her father as the “head” of the household.  He was the tyrant; the one who everyone cringed when he walked in the room.

            Mom had to make sure that everything dad wanted was done.  She lost herself and her own personality and dreams “obeying” her husband.  She made sure he wanted for nothing because there would be hell to pay if he lacked something – anything.  The children made sure they did everything to keep their father happy.  They knew how he would react if his rules weren’t obeyed. 

            Yet, Alison’s life and writings seem to parallel her father’s life in so many ways.  As a young adult in college, she reached a new dimension when speaking with both of her parents.  She asked the questions she had always wanted to ask.  Some of the answers she got from her mother were not what she expected.  Some of these honest answers were exactly what she expected and some were certainly more than she needed or wanted to know.

            When approaching her father with her own identity and his identity, she was a little apprehensive.  She wasn’t sure how he would react to her identity.  She was less sure how he would react to talking about his identity.  She was relieved when he spoke openly about his own life.  She was grateful to have this time with him and his understanding of who she realized she was.  The similarities and comparisons were uncanny.  She always knew he would be there for her and she was happy to have his understanding and feel his love. Pages (230-232) " but in the tricky reverse narration that impels our entwined stories, he was always there to cath me when I lept". The End.

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

Sexuality and its Price:  The “Uglies”

Mom is explaining to dad the traditional way would have been to bring her whole family with her to live off her so-called husband.  Although he shows gratitude, it is contradicted by the grin and the dropping of the eye.  She even reminds him why she is entitled to live off of him by using the words, “your uglies.”  She addresses his private parts in this manner because he has used them before with her and now with someone else.  I think she would have accepted him using his “uglies” with another woman, but he was using them with another man.  This went on until his death. 

As a woman, she made a huge sacrifice for her husband and her family.  As a human being, she lost her own identity.  She was absorbed into her husband.  She lost her sense of self.  She was treated and allowed herself to be treated like a non-person.  She forgot about her own hopes and dreams.  The plans she once had for her future with her husband and family were abandoned.

His aspirations for life became the most important thoughts in their household.  She became the shell of her former self.  She was lifeless going through the motions of homemaker and mother.  I can’t even say wife because with that word comes attachment to another human being.  They were no longer attached, if in fact they ever were connected to each other.  He was surely connected, but not to her.

That’s the reason for the obsession with the home and with cleaning and everything in its place, etc.  He was purifying himself.  He needed his wife and children to put up the front of normality.  He was no more normal than Jeffrey Dommer was loving and kind.

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

We see Alison trying to understand why her mother and father have such a distant relationship.  Dad comes into the kitchen and his body language says it all.  He is clearly distancing himself from everyone else.  After all, isn’t his family his main priority?  Unfortunately, this is the downside to his façade. 

Alison is becoming increasingly aware that there is something wrong with mom and dad’s relationship.  Alison is having difficulty understanding why this is happening.  Why can’t mom and dad show their emotions?  It is obvious to her that when dad comes in the room, the atmosphere in the room changes immediately and it is not for the better.

Alison decides to break the silence by asking her mother a question.  “When did you meet dad?”  Her mother responds, “I can’t remember.”  I think what she really wanted to say to her daughter is something like:  “I can’t recall exactly when he started to change into the person he is today.” 

Her mother feels she has lost herself in this so-called marriage.  She feels that she still must support her husband’s so-called family life.  She is also the peacemaker of the family and is constantly trying to find her own inner peace so she can keep things around her calm and peaceful.  She remains silent about her feelings.  She is unable to speak out against that which does not allow her to be free.  There is no respect for one another as people.  They seem to relate to each other as objects without feelings rather than the emotion-laden people that all human beings are. 

When really looking at the pictures in this book, it is so evident that the family is in fear of the father.  He is an abusive bully who the mother now sees clearly but doesn’t know what to do to change him back into the man she remembers (and married) or take the children and leave him.  She seems to be an empty shell of the person she once was.  She’s allowed herself to go numb rather than feel the pain he is inflicting on her and her family every single day.