People think that we live our lives separately from each other, never considering that part of who we are as individuals, comes from our interaction with the outside world. Grandparents, parents, friends, and even complete strangers all help to underwrite in the decisions we make, as well as help shape the life in which we live in on a daily basis. Gao Xingjian, author of “The Temple”, takes us on a passage in understanding the want for personal growth, freedom and fulfillment. Sometimes the author leaves us guessing, giving us the opportunity to deduct what was going on, based on our own knowledge. The author knows that we may not know much about the topic, but he believes that we will make the right assumption.
In this descriptive essay,
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Going up that mountain is also like looking into their own future, it is very interesting that during their path they try not to mention their past, they want to focus on their honeymoon and not spoil what it brings them. The denying of the past seems to be coming up a lot in this story, as narrator once mentions “We recalled years we had spent shoveling…those difficult times tickled away…leaving some sadness…” (p11), the narrator could say much more about that, but decides to leave it out, because what’s present, is more important than the past. Going on up to the mountain is a tough journey where they have to go through a lot of obstacles, but they know that the end result is worth it. On the way to the top they get this pain in their feet, which I believe symbolizes the hardships China had to go through during the Cultural Revolution, it shows that there were tough times but people managed to get through …show more content…
There is a social exchange between these two groups of individuals, where not only a sharing of food is evident, but also a sharing of thoughts. The couple pertains to be free in life, but in fact places restrictions upon not only themselves but also other people. Fangfang asks if the young boy is the man’s son, and then continues, “What about your wife?” (p15) A projection of how things are supposed to be happening is within this conversation, upholding to the image of perfection, and a perfect world with father and son, husband and wife relationships. The man and boy show that even though their lives aren’t perfect as this young couple may think they have enough love to be happy and content. The little boy has the cage with grasshoppers, which symbolizes the people of China, who are locked in their thoughts and who have no idea how the world lives. When the man gets up and leaves the conversation being held by them, life intervenes and suddenly the control that they tried to have gets taken away, and “We felt the chill of the mountain air.” (p15) Their perfect ideology of what perfect is, gets a concept of reality placed upon it, and changes the entire illusion that they live in, as life starts to breathe in over
In the metaphoric sense they endured the travel from their homeland to the unknown, which was brave of them. Mother to Son starts off with the mother referencing to the past by saying “Well son, I’ll tell you:/ Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” She is alluding to her past and how it has been tumultuous, but she is still
The Cultural Revolution in China was led by Mao Zedong, due to this Liang and many others faced overwhelming obstacles in many aspects of their life such as work, family and everyday encounters, if affected everyone’s families life and education, Liang lets us experience his everyday struggles during this era, where the government determined almost every aspect of life. The beginning of the book starts out with Liang’s typical life, which seems normal, he has a family which consists of three children, two older sisters and him the youngest, his two sister’s reside in Changsha 1. his father has an everyday occupation working as a journalist at a local newspaper. Things start to take a turn early in life for Liang Heng, his family politics were always questioned, the mistake made by one of his family members would impact his entire family and it would be something they would have to suffer through, it was impossible for them to live down such a sin.... ...
...e mother left him to explore on his own to learn lessons about what is around him, such as the fire. Although he will get hurt once, he will learn from the experience. Even when it comes to social structure person autonomy can work out well. In the example of the Burmese novices, one can ask and ensure with the one in power or knowledge, but a person does not need to follow what he or she has been told to do. It is not a command but a suggestion and warning. Thus, personal autonomy can be practiced when it comes to work. A person does not have to be fully on his own to be individual. In both the child and work example, the child and workers are supported. Although they are left to do things on their own, the mother and the monk are there when help is required.
There are different types of parent and child relationships. There are relationships based on structure, rules, and family hierarchy. While others are based on understanding, communication, trust, and support. Both may be full of love and good intentions but, it is unmistakable to see the impact each distinct relationship plays in the transformation of a person. In Chang’s story, “The Unforgetting”, and Lagerkvist’s story, “Father and I”, two different father and son relationships are portrayed. “The Unforgetting” interprets Ming and Charles Hwangs’ exchange as very apathetic, detached, and a disinterested. In contrast, the relationship illustrated in the “Father and I” is one of trust, guidance, and security. In comparing and contrasting the two stories, there are distinct differences as well as similarities of their portrayal of a father and son relationship in addition to a tie that influences a child’s rebellion or path in life.
“When we had first seen the apartment, I created stories in my head of The relationship we’d establish with our cohabitants.” (Schmitt 128). This she found to be strictly imagined shortly after moving. Schmitt took in many considerations as to why she could not form a relationship with her neighbors and she pulled the reader in with how persistent she was to wanting to have a connection with the different people around her. Schmitt told details of the ceremony. The emotions of the reader is tied when she attends the funeral of the old man. “ She wailed, her voice broke, and then she repeated it, “Baba, Baba.” In the front row, her three sisters joined the chorus.” (Schmitt 130) , this shows the loss of someone who was clearly loved by many. Schmitt mentions that this drags her emotions in as well (Schmitt 130), she made the grandfather a part of her own feelings and put into perspective how hard it is to lose someone. This also connects emotion to the reader because it helps the reader connect to the story. Everyone has lost someone and putting in her input and not just the input of the chinese really makes a connection with one who is reading. By the end of the story Schmitt ends up making friendships finally with the people around her. She explains everything that she begins doing with her
The family's personal encounters with the destructive nature of the traditional family have forced them to think in modern ways so they will not follow the same destructive path that they've seen so many before they get lost. In this new age struggle for happiness within the Kao family, a cultural barrier is constructed between the modern youth and the traditional adults, with Chueh-hsin teeter tottering on the edge, lost between them both. While the traditional family seems to be cracking and falling apart much like an iceberg in warm ocean waters, the bond between Chueh-min, Chueh-hui, Chin and their friends becomes as strong as the ocean itself. While traditional Confucianism plays a large role in the problems faced by the Kao family, it is the combination of both Confucianism and modernization that brings the family to its knees. Chueh-hsin is a huge factor in the novel for many reasons.
Jealousy is an innate facet of humanity, an emotion universally felt during childhood. It is through this jealousy that we begin to resent the reality that we are given. In the article “Eat, Memory: Orange Crush,” Yiyun Li recalls how influential the western product “Tang” was during her childhood. Growing up, Li remembers a time where she was resentful of her lack of Tang, desiring the “Tangy” lifestyle which was symbolic of luxury and social status in China. Through the logos of Li’s father, Li’s appeal to pathos through her childhood experiences, and the disillusionment of Li’s utopian view of Tang, Li typifies the struggle a teenager undergoes as they grow up.
Chua believes that Chinese parents force their children to be academically successful in order to reach “higher” goals in life. She emphasizes this when she states “…Chinese parents have … higher dreams for their children…” (Chua 8). Although Amy set higher s...
“The whole character of Chinese popular religion flows in the direction of plethora of rituals and obligations without much discernable doctrinal underpinning” (Corduan, 2012, p.410). The Chinese popular religion has gravitated away the gods of Buddha and Daoism and captured the philosophy of luck and materialism (Corduan, 2012), while it “is less concerned with philosophical issues and
Cao Xueqin’s Story of the Stone is a classic in Chinese literature, showcasing the life and exploits of the wealthy Jia clan during the feudal era. Through Cao’s depiction, the reader is afforded a glimpse into the customs and lifestyle of the time. Chinese mode of thought is depicted as it occurred in daily life, with the coexisting beliefs of Confucianism and Taoism. While the positive aspects of both ideologies are presented, Cao ultimately depicts Taoism as the paramount, essential system of belief that guides the character Bao-yu to his eventual enlightenment.
The parents’ different views and outlooks on the world influence their daughter’s decisions and alter how she reacts to Gaston throughout the story. One difference among the parents is their financial status. While on the phone with her mother, the mother said she was, “sending the chauffeur to pick her up…” This dialogue from the mother illustrates that she is wealthy. Earlier in the story, the girl was describing her dad saying, “He was at home. She was with him in his home in Paris, if you could call it a home.” The girl’s opinion demonstrates how different her life is at home. The opinion also shows how the dad’s house is not nearly as nice as her home. These quotes portray the differences in the financial aspects of the two parents’ lives. Another demonstration of the distinction between the parents is how they react to the bug. When the dad sees the bug, he proceeds to name it and defend it. The girl says, “Everybody hollers when a bug comes out of an apple, but you don’t holler or anything.” The dad replies by saying, “Of course not. How should we like it if somebody hollered every time we came out of our house?” This conversation shows how the dad is creative and accepting things that are odd. In contrast, when the mom sees the bug she immediately rejects it. The mom says, “Somebody gets a peach with a bug in it, and throws it away, but not him. He makes up a lot of
The Art of War is a treatise written in Ancient China that discusses the most and least effective military strategies for successful warfare according to Sun Tzu, a military general whose existence is still debated to this day. While not every military commander in the history of warfare has read it, the strategies provided can be used as a way to assess said commanders and the effectiveness of their campaigns. In Sun Tzu 's own words, “The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat:--let such a one be dismissed!”1 This paper will discuss various iconic battles throughout history and how closely the leading commanders of each army followed the advice of Sun Tzu. Despite the fact that Sun Tzu lived hundreds of years before many of these battles took place, the
...ies, she goes back to the piano and finds two songs. She begins to play “Pleading Child,” the song that caused the breaking point of her relationship with her mother. This song, with its fast and aggressive melody, best represents the mother’s aggressive attitude towards her daughter. Then Jing-mei plays the song next to “Pleading Child,” called “Perfectly Contented.” It turned out to be lighter and slower. It is a much happier song. Jing-mei’s determination to be herself, “Perfectly Contented,” corresponds with this song. “And after I played them both a few times, I realized they were two halves of the same song.” (499). Like the ying-yang and the songs, Jing-mei’s relationship with her mother may seem disastrous and apart, but together they share a strong bond that makes them whole. Even though the two disagree, like the songs, they form one beautiful song.
June-May fulfills her mother’s name and life goal, her long-cherished wish. She finally meets her twin sisters and in an essence fulfills and reunites her mother with her daughter through her. For when they are all together they are one; they are their mother. It is here that June-May fulfills the family portion of her Chinese culture of family. In addition, she fully embraces herself as Chinese. She realizes that family is made out of love and that family is the key to being Chinese. “And now I also see what part of me is Chinese. It is so obvious. It is my family. It is in our blood.” (Tan 159). Finally, her mother’s life burden is lifted and June-May’s doubts of being Chinese are set aside or as she says “After all these years, it can finally be let go,” (Tan 159).
Life is said to be divided into two dominant salient phases in many cultures: in the first phase, from childhood to middle adulthood, we are becoming individuals, gaining knowledge about traditions and values of cultures and learning the ways of the world and maintaining ourselves in the demands of family, work, and society. In the second phase, which begins as Jung declared, with the midlife crisis, we begin spinning inward, reconnecting with the center of our being identifying ourselves as unique and approachable personality . In the first phase we build and develop our ego and in the second phase we transcend and surrender it (Metzner, 1998).