Reference no: EM133749341
Discussion 1
Reed, Korean-Chinese American, has returned from college armed with his theories about racial issues and protests. He wants to be on the ground, "'be part of direct actions, part of this movement,'" which is how he describes his rationale for dropping out of college to his parents (Wong 21). In his quest to figure out how to be a conscientious protester, he analyzes every interaction he is in, whether among his parents, friends, or observing strangers. He uses terms such as "Japanese colonizers, cross-generational activism, racist capitalism, white supremacist heteropatriarchy, intergenerational trauma, and intersectionality" to display his learned knowledge, whether from college courses or Twitter (Wong 3, 10, 13, and 19). Often met by frustration from his parents and friend, CJ, they get that he is expressing his theory muscles, but they also question his zealot-like pursuit for the rights of the disenfranchised, specifically African Americans. What might be obvious to readers is that Reed needs to figure out what side he is on.
In his quest to seek answers about protest and organization, what is your impression of Reed? You might consider how he is perceived by his parents and friends. How do they see him versus how he sees himself?
Include sentence(s) from Wong's novel to support your ideas.
Discussion 2
By the end of the story, Reed finally figures out what side he is on. He explains what he learns to Tiff, "...I kept failing and failing and I realize it's because I was missing the deeper lesson: what it really means to know myself, ourselves" (Wong 158). Reed acknowledges that he will still be an advocate and an ally for Black Lives Matter, and he is aware of criticisms he will face among Asian Americans who do not take side or understand his solidarity with African Americans.
How do you think Reed's relationship with his mother helps him to come to terms with the side he selected? In what way do you think finally learning about his family's history, specifically his mother's familial and activist past contributed to his decision?
Include sentence(s) from Wong's novel to support your ideas.
Essay
Write an essay exploring your response to any one of the novels, or you can expand on one of your journal assignments or discussion questions. You can also compare novels. Think about the impact of the novel's story, its characters, the themes, the use of symbolism, relevant to the novel you choose.