The China Coin By Allan Baillie And The Arrival By Shaun Tan

Hard work on the land is rewarded with wealth and prosperity. This is a belief of Wang Lung, the main character in The Good Earth. The book is set in turn-of-the-century China, in a rural farming town with few amenities of the revolutionized world. It follows his path from the moment he’s married to his death, with all the highs and lows in his life. It takes specific care to highlight the culture in China and how it affects the characters.

Discoveries can be a permeation of necessity and planning, yet have transformative ramifications. Discovery can be instigated through various necessities; however, extrinsic forces can unravel even the most pragmatic approach, leading to unexpected outcomes. Ang Lee’s film, Life of Pi explores the transformative nature of discovery through the tale of an individual and his necessity to survive. Simultaneously, Margaret Atwood’s poem, The Moment, explores the ramifications of discovery through the exploration of human ownership or lack thereof. Both texts insightfully display the notion of discovery.

Critical Personal Analysis of “Fifth Chinese Daughter” As I began to read “Fifth Chinese Daughter” by Jade Snow Wong, I quickly developed a special appreciation for Jade Snow’s relationship with her father because although there are differences, it mirrors the relationship I have with my own. In fact, there were many gifts Mr. Wong gave Jade Snow that were nearly identical to some my father has given me. Mr. Wong may have his faults, but his sweet and silent acts of love allows me to see past them. Thus, I have chosen to analyze my response to Jade Snow’s relationship with her father. Growing up, I did receive corporal punishment, however, I can honestly say this method of punishment never resulted in injury, came from rage, or made me question

In King’s story, this relic is the totem pole, and in Choy’s story a family’s Chinese heritage is preserved through a single jade stone woven into a wind chime. The Chinese grandmother’s “precious jade peony” (1) had been gifted to her by a friend in China and although the handmade wind chime which surrounded had broken, she “kept the jade pendant in a tiny red silk envelope, and kept it always in her pocket, until her death”. (1) The Chinese grandmother’s ability to carefully and thoughtfully preserve this stone represents how culture can be preserved through physical items, and these items can be transported and displayed throughout the world. In each so called “isolated island”, cultures are their strongest, since the majority of its population are of the tendency to engage in practices of its culture.

All of Tan’s novels have parallel narratives, one related to the past which is retold by mothers, and in one case a step sister who has come back from China; and the other is associated with the present stories of daughters about the cultural conflicts and alienation, they feel regarding the ancestral heritage of their home which has been transmitted to them by means of past memories. Hence, storytelling is the only possible means of communication for alienated mothers and daughters. Surprisingly, in the exchange of secrets, located at the end of the novels, characters obtain an impeccable insight about themselves and their Chinese identity. Sharing memories, in the form of oral histories, has been always considered a feminine act of breaking the silence and marginalization. The structure of the narratives demonstrates the individual tragedies of mother’s life in China, as well as, the obscurities of cultural transformation.

Jing-Mei was immersed in American culture as she attended school every day, as opposed to her parents who were both born and raised in China. As a young adult who experienced two cultures, the barrier (including language and culture) between Jing-Mei and her parents contributed to “vigorous [denial] that [she] had any Chinese whatsoever below [her] skin” (Tan 147). Still, her mother was convinced that Jing-Mei would eventually come to “feel and think Chinese” (Tan 147). Although she disagreed with what her mother said, Jing-Mei knew deep inside that she was right, frequently realizing the tendencies she had that were so alike to her mother. She listed that “haggling with store owners, pecking her mouth with a toothpick in public, being color-blind to the fact that lemon yellow and pale pink are not good combinations for winter clothes” were some of the things that her mother did that the naive fifteen-year-old Jing-Mei identified with being Chinese.

In addition, visiting China helps her better understand and appreciate being Chinese. However, this visit also shows the reader how June May have been influenced by American culture and beliefs. For example, June May could not believe that China of all places has a magnificent hotel with all the necessities of modern day items. She keeps on saying, “This is communist China?”

In the early 20th century in Anhwei, China, a slave endlessly works. She lives in a great house where she is physically and mentally abused. Although she works in the kitchen constantly, she receives neither recognition nor thanks. However, the young slave, O-lan, sees hope when a man seeks to wed her. In her new home, she works hard and is productive to support her new family.

In Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth, a Chinese farmer named Wang Lung faces a variety of obstacles during his lifetime that teaches him valuable lessons. Wang Lung is transformed from a poor, uninformed person into a rich, sophisticated, and knowledgeable, yet ambitious man due to his surroundings. His character develops as he faces downfalls and success. His wife, O-Lan, changes her perspective as she’s transformed from a slave at the House of Hwang into the wife of a wealthy farmer.

“Two Kinds” is a short story within Amy tan’s most popular novel, The Joy Luck Club. The book is divided into four connected sections with each containing a group of stories that could stand alone. Similar to the other short stories within the collection, “Two Kinds” is a representation of the complexities mother-daughter relationships encounter in San Francisco’s China-town. The focus of the story is the troublesome but unavoidable gap between mothers born in China before the communist revolution and their American-born daughters who must settle the burden of their Chinese ancestry and American dream of success. Although the protagonist of the story Jing-Mei constantly pushes away her mother’s desires to make her a musical prodigy, she gains insight into her mother’s reasoning decades later.

The world today is filled with people that others want to impress. With the new desire of individuals wishing to feel accepted through unrealistic factors, society often forgets the easiest ways to feel belonged. In Adeline Yen Mah’s “Chinese Cinderella”, young and innocent Adeline goes through a troubled childhood, while trying to be accepted and struggles to find her identity. As Adeline grows, she is able to find her true self and be accepted in society, her family, and herself. However, the difficult journey takes time and Adeline makes sure she learns something from every difficulty in her life.

Religions of East Asian comprise of several components. Japan’s Shintoism and China’s Confucianism and Daoism are among the oldest and most extended geographically. While each tradition has its own history and peculiarities, they also share important ideas and a core worldview. We will consider some of these aspects and concentrate in particular on how Shintoism, Confucianism and Daoism developed a syncretistic goal: living in harmony in and with the world. Chinese people, contrarily to other societies, have a strong sense of belonging to their physical place.

A fresh earthen scent rises up from recently tilled land as a young Chinese man sets down his hoe and wipes a day 's sweat and dirt from his forehead. His home awaits him now, and he quickly travels back to his cozy dwelling made of the same earth upon which he daily labors. Upon entering, he is relieved to discover delicious food already lined up on the table, a new-found luxury for Wang Lung since he married. His wife, O-lan, constantly provides him with necessities for life. In this isolated area of China during the early twentieth century, a woman is expected to stay quiet and well-behaved, as a slave to men.

Although it is important to learn new things, the new material learned is not as important as the process of learning itself. In the process of learning, one’s mind is transformed and engaged. They will be introduced to new things and their ideas and thinking will be changed forever. When learning new things, seeing the value of things become

The nature of discovery often requires individuals to reconsider their perspective and develop a positive understanding of the world around them. This is a process of transforming one’s self and their changing their views towards the world. In William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ , Prospero comes to realise the importance of love and redemption in redefining one’s place in the world, as well as creating a new start for others by letting go of past. In Lang Leav’s poem “Acceptance” we reconsider the past and learn to accept what it has given us in our future and the influence of love on an individual.