Homework 3:
1. How does the natural setting underscore the dark turn of events in "Once More To the Lake" and Cofer's "American History"?
Well in "Once more to the lake", the father once saw himself as his father, trying to do everything with is son, as his father did with him. And all the while he was not recognizing that there was a new generation standing right there and he can now see himself in his son, as his son will see the same.
In "American History", the Spanish family living Paterson, NJ never was really excepted because of their living status. The girl of the family started to like a boy of different beliefs. She lived right next door and she went to go study with the boy Eugene, his mother did no except her.
Both stories is a matter of having to except life's bring abouts and deal with them.
2. How does the setting of Baldwin's "Fifth Avenue, Uptown" reiterate the social/political message of the piece.
With Baldwin's piece, it is definitely giving the life of growing up on Fifth Avenue and the life struggles and strengths. It was explained as a time when you had to be following something or doing something to survive. So basically people were either working or following a belief, or doing both.
3.What about Tan's story young love reminds you of the Cofer piece?
In "Fish Cheeks", the little Chinese girl Amy wanted her guy friend to meet her family, but she did not want him to see the different cultural ways that they lived. At the end, her mother had to teach her to love who is, and be thankful that she is different.
In "American History" she liked the boy Eugene, her mother knew it and warned her to stop pursuing it because she knew his family would not except her. The girl went anyway and got disappointing. The mother did not encourage her to be happy for who she was like Amy's mother.
*What do you think these authors might be saying about the "new" immigrant in the American society?
They would tell them to be happy for who...