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EN 326 Concept Map, Hwang: M. Butterfly, "The Cheat" (1915),…
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Hwang: M. Butterfly
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FIRST OF ALL // the refusal to call Song by anything but Butterfly (the name of a dead fictional woman) throughout the first 2 acts... this is an unhealthy attachment to the idea of White male power. He is less interested in the person before him... and more interested in the impossible notion of them
The idea of the perfect woman being only one who can be written by a man??????? Underscores the ludicrous idea of not realizing. He was so wrapped up in anxious masculinity and the concept of power OH MAN DO I HAVE SOME SHIT TO SAY ABOUT THE POWER DYNAMIC THING THAT WAS A WHOLE LOT OF YIKES
Song as a very androgynous figure, leaning into the charade and also not minding the queer aspect of it. The queer aspect is very frowned upon (see dancers swarming during the transitional scene where Song is being "reprogrammed" by the state -- also this does not paint a very flattering image of East Asian states (look at how East vs West undermine and punish the average person'cog in the machine -- Anyways, Queerness is far more explicitly punished and rejected by members of the same racial group. Its the blurring go the boundaries PLUS the queerness that makes this relationship so damning socially for them
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I can really envision this onstage. This is sort of a side note but the directions for the stage are very specific. I can see how this is meant to capture an audience and make them believe that the confines of the stage are a mental and physical prison cell
The way we are only getting a POV from this asshole (everyone else, including Song) are filtered through the lens of his daydream greatly skews the perception but also furthers the stereotypes associated with a "lotus blossom" woman. I would say that the elements of "dragon lady" in her playing "hard to get" and gently bruising his ego upon their early introduction was more for intrigue. The idea that someone could be fierce afraid and then loved/smothered (or in this case ignored) into submission is a win
For me: So I don't overwhelm the board with this one text, reference notes in margins for Acts 2 and 3 if you decide to write on this. That is where you could pull a decent theis from re- change and perception.
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"The Cheat" (1915)
"he's forcing me to give up everything" vs "I'm doing it for my wife" -- Edith appears more unreliable here given what we have seen of her character // in painting her as a shallow socialite in need of protection, she is seemingly removed from a position of power or agency. this allows Haka to become first friend and then foe
she stops Haka from leaving and then the housekeeper from sending back the gown, both times she stops them with her hand showing that she does in fact have power here in her femininity. // is there a connection between hands and femininity???
Edith hiding money in her bra/top of her dress is such a timeless feminine experience.
Could we say the breast/heart is where we carry things (either fertility, or guilt?)
Both men claim ownership over her, Richard through marriage and legal/social claim while Haka does so through branding "that means it belongs to me"
Branding is an act of violent ownership. Its association with animals and livestock means that enacting it on a person could be viewed as barbaric and subhuman --Haka wearing an ornate and traditional robe while branding the pieces // demonization of Asian men as "other" and corrupting a child-like white woman.
Haka blackmailing Edith with the check gives him power over her to demand things of her // his demand that she comes over that night is aggressive and assertive, a complete change from his earlier friendly demeanor. Money gives him the power to make demands
Two Scenes: 1, the scene where Richard lights a cigar for Haka. There is the obvious phallic imagery and the association of that with power. Could we read Richard lighting the cigar as an act of submission in a male power game. 2, Again, is there a phallic scene here with Haka holding the branding rod and pressing it to the ivory piece in Edith's hands? Again, hands and femininity here
court scene: three asian men on a bench in a room of white society members. they are physically seperated from the rest of the room, even though they are representing a "victim" here, the majority of the audience is watching for amusemnt and on the side of the "guilty" party.
The audience watching for amusement is interesting as both the Hardy's and Haka are members of society and respected. Haka has a home requested for the use of social functions, and is well admired. Yet, he appears to still be an outsider despite this
"when I grab that man -- he have this gun" the two servants of Haka speak in stereotypically broken speech. Haka himself speaks in "proper" English, but his outfits and environment become more and more stereotypically Asian as the film progresses.
Richard's jealousy toward Haka and possessiveness of his wife becomes more and more apparent as Edith becomes more and more manipulated and manipulative
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Far: Its Wavering Image
"A white woman might pass over an insult; a Chinese woman fail to see one. But Pan! He would be a brave man indeed who offered one to childish little Pan"
the differentiation here between a white woman who is passive enough to submit to a white man, and the Chinese woman who would not be thought to possess the intelligence to recognize an insult (and would still likely not be in the position to retaliate). Pan, being bound by the laws of neither society, is free to retaliate to the insults of men. Is it power though? She is infantalized and viewed as an outsider still. The ability to be outside the rules of decorum comes at the price of being also outside the protections of a social group
We see the idea of a feminine community and the protection/peace that Pan finds in the idea of motherhood. Matrilineal ties / generational trauma could be a connection here to other works
"What is a promise to a white man" - he believes her to be white and promise him that with her affection. He only cared for the white part of her and when she refused to reject her Chinese part (or her asian/american whole) he is utterly distraught and disturbed
She didn't question her home among the other Asian/Americans in Chinatown until she is exposed to this white man. She is shy and reserved until Mark (who would sell his soul for a story, and we can assume is well and truly soulless at this point) coaxes her out of her shell. She is rendered speechless when she is confronted with the question of whether she would rather have a white or Chinese husband. Mark sees this as a victory. Is it a victory in flirtation? Or is he trying to cast doubt in her mind as to her Asianness?
Mark makes several attempts to override her autonomy and erase her identity. He decides that she is white, without her input. He treats her like a child and connotes her openness and naivite toward his intentions as a lack of intelligence or agency.
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he doesn't mention her "not only for your sake, but for mine." because not only is he protecting her (like a child) from the outside world to fulfill a white savior complex, but he is protecting himself from the shame of association with a Chinese woman - here he seems aware that she is not white as it hurts his relation and reputation with other white men.
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Lai: The Tiger Flu
Between the plague/pandemic vibe that is just all too reminiscent of the current world, and the dire mismanagement of natural resources (the grist sisters aren't immune to this...) to the janky tech billionaires with space dreams... this book somehow manages to be both incredibly far-fetched in its post apocalyptic vision, but also scarily contemporary. I think we hit bingo
Two things: one people as a natural resource. That is a bizarre thing to think of but I am not wrong. The concept of them being a finite resource In a post-sex world (Also thank GOD that Lai did not make this a heteronormative love story with a token awkward sex scene. I would have thrown the book). But people are dying out because of a disease and because of a poor management of resources
Men being rendered infertile as a big ol middle finger to the historical patriarchy surrounding lineage!!!!
Men are viewed as kind of a secondary and useless thought here. Its a big flip from the actual way of the world. I don't know if I would say it is full on misandry, but I appreciate the nod to history where women were often the ones who were punished for the impotence of their husbands
Two: BIPOC tend to be impacted the most by climate change and the destruction or poor management of natural resources. They have poorer health outcomes, more expenses associated with daily living, and are often the ones with more connection to the land that is being taken and poorly managed by largely white governments or developers
touches upon the intersections of class and power - wealthy people using technology and their money to maintain distance from "undesirable" influence or reminders of other peoples suffering
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Chen: Animacies
THE BIG CONNECTION // Fu Manchu and the feline characterization - evil, panther-like, and ascribing this feminine/feline bit to an Asian identity
ANOTHER BIG CONNECTION // fox girl + the myth of the fox spirit. Is this just a mystical other kind of connection, or something deeper?
What does the characterization of a fox (resourceful, cunning, predatory -- see THG for what I immediately imagined) say about Hyun Jin? Is this just a western characterization?
ANOTHER MAJOR CONNECTION // the idea of Song and the Butterfly. We see the direct explanation here of the insect on the needle. The need to keep Song in mind as this fragile and devotional creature who can be valued for her beauty but also tormented for it (and must be protected as a result) is the direct fantasy of a WM.
The motif of the butterfly on the needle as a way of preserving a specimen for scientific curiosity (!!!!! a huge focus of mine on this map) or as a way of stimulating/probing nerves and causing either love or pain or both
ANOTHER CONNECTION // the Grist sisters (starfish vs doubler) the beyond human vs the human. Asian coded here, yes. But examining how animal connections could also evident this is maybe a way of teasing apart the larger issue
Said: "Orientalism"
The Orient holds significance to European Westerners due to both geographic proximity and the material wealth they generated as colonies.
Defining the Orient as the opposition to the Occident. Even with the noble goal of comparing the two as unique and rich areas and cultural ideologies... the pitting of the two against one another or simply defining them in opposition to one another creates a dialogue that will inherently view the two as an either or... depending the divide.
Biased academic discussion and definition of the Orient allows for the general population to support unfounded claims with "science" or "literature"
Britain and France as Western powers (Defining Western cultures) colonizing much of what would be defined as the Orient for an extended period of time. // The "Orient" is a cultural space with vague geographic boundaries but has close proximity with the West and their histories, economies, and cultures are intertwined deeply
Orient is a manufactured term by western colonial powers "A distribution of geopolitical awareness into aesthetic, scholarly, economic, sociological, historical, an philological texts"
Keller: Fox Girl
Daughter of the Dragon
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concept of generational responsibilities / inherited traits or traumas - here they are vilified through a white lens, but could be unpacked and viewed differently
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This is Your Life
I was BEGGING for this to be satirical. It was not. I stared at my laptop screen for a good 2-3 minutes in shock. It shows just this MASSIVE disconnect between a western machismo "good guy" complex and their view of East Asian people and bodies
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The beauty products and "gifts" of taping and material wealth are just so out of touch with the actual literal horrors enacted on others. Why the FUCK would they want to remember any of this bullshit when they get home???
Comparing to Hiroshima Maidens, I again got this weird science feeling (in addition to the twilight zone vibes) of a mad scientist showing off the results of their project at a fair among other disturbed and heinous mad scientiests. Why would this be something to be proud of? Victory in a war or not, this is beyond a victory lap or usual cruelty of war
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Ong: Silent Anatomies
I have seen my own vocal chords ( they are damaged which is ironic since I never shut up ). Anyways, my medical diagnosis is VCD (vocal chord dysfunction) which is when my nervous system decides it has had enough and stops working... making my vocal chords close when I am just trying to inhale.
This is relevant. Because the second I saw the idea of a voice being pulled away (along with autonomy) I was like "oh word." There are many reasons why VCs may not work, whether physical or emotional or both. I think its kinda cool.
MEDICALIZATION OF ASIAN OTHERNESS!!!!! But here it is on the flip side and kind of firing back at the absurdity. Its the same justifications, but now through a retrospective and asian lens
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Bow: Racist Cute
ZANY CUTE INTERESTING // I read it my freshman year for a course on aesthetic philosophy in poetry. I actually have been thinking about it a lot during the second half of the semester and am glad to see it return time and time again.
I think overlaying this & the other reading (SJSM) could create a decent framework for examining the impossible standards Asian women in particular are held to in society. Not too much of this, nor too much of that
Hiroshima Maidens
This reads like a cautionary tale mixed with a deeply fucked up scientific pamphlet. Like one of the ones in Emma's office in Glee / except it is a really raw and personal insight into the extreme physical and emotional burdens post-bombs.
Reading this as a science person, I was struck with the really gross feeling of reading a research presentation. Except these are human subjects and the researcher did NOT have ethical training for human subjects or regard these subjects as human. // The deeply emotional and personal nuances contrasted with the stark unfeelingness really is just dizzying in how incompatible they are
Warfare does not justify shit like this, yet the US hasn't really been held to the same standards as other nations who have committed similar crimes in war. Is this a status thing, a "victor" thing, or a racist thing? (Probably all 3)
Connecting both of these to "This is Your Life" it seems like it just HAS to be an ironically scripted show but no... It really was just that bad. MEGA twilight zone vibes
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