Project Brainstorm: Project 2

Choice 1: From a piece of fiction (short story, section of novel, or a play) choose a female character on whom to focus, and create a project that discusses some of the following questions: 
• What is the author’s attitude towards her? (how can you tell?)
• What is your attitude towards her? 
• How do (at least 2) other characters view her? 
• How does she view herself? 

I was taught to learn about the protagonists in the stories that I read, and frankly, most protagonists are male characters. There is very little credit given to female characters especially if she was not related to the male character, or if she was not given any romantic interests in the story. I believe that every minor character plays her/his role to help the major characters attain development. I want to learn more about the roles of women in history, and how they were represented. As a female myself, I think I would be able to provide insights involving female emotions. I want to focus on Lae Choo, the Chinese mother from Sun Sui Far's Mrs. Spring Fragrance collection.

Choice 2:  Choose a reading selection, and write an argument in response to it answering:
How are class differences presented in the work? Are characters aware or unaware of the economic and social forces that affect their lives? 

My views from this choice hasn't changed since the first project brainstorm. Since my five siblings and I were enrolled in a private Catholic school from first grade to senior high school, I didn’t realize that my family was poor until I got bullied for having hand-me-downs: uniforms, shoes, books, and backpacks, and recycling materials for art projects. This topic shakes my heart, and I want to delve into it, not because of bitterness, but because I want to learn how the people of upper classes discriminate people of lower classes, and how it is historically relevant. I believe that a child wouldn’t be so mean towards another child if he/she wasn’t taught of their privileges as part of the upper classes. So, is in nature or is it the way they are nurtured that made them discriminate against the “untouchables” (based on the Indian caste system).

Choice 3: Choose a reading. 

In your project, consider the following: 

What does this work reflect about its historical, social, political and/or economic context? You may focus on race, class, power, cultural values and beliefs, historical events, the author’s biography, gender, psychology, etc. 

I would like to examine the Four poems of Angel Island and Chinatown. I think it gives us a glimpse of how Chinese people are treated for almost 4 decades. Historical, social, political and/or economic context are present from these four poems.