Bone vs. Raisin

Per Ryan B.

Today in lecture, I began to subconsciously compare the family situation between Leila and the rest of the Leong family in Bone, and the Younger family from Raisin in the Sun. Both seem to be struggling with the ideas of assimilationism and with remaining tied closely to their cultural traditions. Beneatha Younger engages in African dance and explores that culture, while Mah cooks authentic Chinese cuisine and always speaks with a respect for ancient traditions. Are there any other parallels?

Leila's marriage

Per Cathy T:

In lecture, Professor Schaub posed a question regarding the recent marriage of Leila and Mason. Leila is hesitant to tell her mother about quickly getting married in New York City instead of not having a formal ceremony with friends and family. Why do you think Leila doesn't tell her mother about her marriage? Is she afraid of how her mother would have responded? Is it possible that Leila is trying to move away from her Chinese culture and live in the modern American culture?

Time and Chinatown

Ng uses time to tell the story differently than the novels that we've read so far in Professor Schaub's class. The novel starts off in the present and goes back in the past in an orderly fashion, much like how we would evaluate our past because of difficult events or situations. This is very different than how time was used in novels we've read such as The Sound and the Fury and In Our Time. Do you think that the way time is used in this novel is efficient at getting across Ng's story?

Also, Ng writes about Chinatown and how tourists come to see the bright lights and colors. Have you ever been to Chinatown and how does her representation of it change your views about it? What were your opinions towards Chinatown before reading about why it is the way it is today and the hardships the Chinese have faced?

Ona and Abel

Ona is a part of the Western world in a way that Abel was not. In fact, on page 26, Ona talks about how depressing it can be to go into Chinatown and see the "hard life." Chinatown can be comparable to Abel's village. However, though Ona's environment is different from Abel's, they seem to be facing the same tensions between generation and identity. I think that Ona will become a "hybrid," like Professor Schaub talked about in lecture, a combination of both identites, like Abel. Do you disagree or agree with this? This could also be related to Raisin in the Sun with the generation gap.

Bone and History

In the same way that Momaday incorporates Native American tradition and history into House Made of Dawn, how does Ng incorporate Chinese tradition and history into Bone?

Symbols and Relationships

Per Sona:

In House made of dawn, there are many similarities between Francisco, Abel's grandfather, and
Ben shows a paralleism between Abel's life in L.A. and Walatowa. There are always dual characteristic in this novel like Ben and franciso, Milly and Angela, and Pries of sun and Father Olguin.
What does this dualism represent?

From Prof. Shaubb's lecture, he talked about Eagle as a symbol, and i think it represent freedom.
what other symbolic figures are in this novel other than eagle?
why do you think Momaday choose that specific figures?

Running Circles

Per Ryan B:

The theme of running goes full circle in the book, as Abel participates in a running race in the beginning and the end of the novel. Running also is significant in the maturation process of two of the characters, Franciscoc and Abel. Also, Abel assumes the role of the leader of the family traditions during the race. Running symbolizes so many things in the book. Can anybody think of other things that running is meant to symbolize?