Ideas for Writing - Turtle Soup by Marilyn Chin

1. "Sometimes you're the life, sometimes the sacrifice." Write about this quote within the context of an immigrant family. What might a family gain or lose by moving to a new land?

The quote “Sometimes you’re the life, sometimes the sacrifice” conveys a couple of messages and meanings. Referring to the text, within the context of an immigrant family, the quote explains that sometimes you get what you want but some other time you might lose something. By moving to a new land an immigrant family might have to lose their culture. As referred to the text, the persona immigrated to America which is he brings his Chinese culture along with him but he is somehow to say, has to adapt with the Western culture though. Meaning, a fully practice of Chinese culture in America is most probably not applicable. This is where the quote obviously works. Living up in America offers the persona to get used to the Western culture where he believes that the ancient tradition, culture, and believes of the Chinese in China of Turtle Soup is irrelevant to extend of the modern era. This is because the Western is not familiar with exotic food. For them, medical sciences are more relevant nowadays. However, the mother who growing up in the Chinese culture yet still has faith in believing what the ancient did. The mother boiled Turtle Soup for twelve hours and never doubted the power of how much goodness and healthiness she can get from the Turtle Soup.

However, in relation of what an immigrant family might gain by moving to a new land could be explained in the sense of knowledge and experience. To immigrate means to experience a new things, new places, and new knowledge. The persona is living in America but that doesn’t mean it is a bad thing if he didn’t fully practice Chinese culture. Somehow he is adapting the new culture which is the Western culture where he gains new knowledge and experience of new places and new peoples which he wouldn’t get in China. This is why to get something you might have to lose something in return. This is also where the pros and cons depicts when you moving to a new land. Therefore, the way of how the persona expresses himself in the text could be claimed wise and logic. No matter how rich ones culture is, but by the moment you immigrate, changes does takes place.

Exploration on Turtle Soup by Marilyn Chin

On the reference to Turtle Soup by Marilyn Chin


1) Notice the author's choice of the word "cauldron" in line 4. What images or connections does this word evoke? Why might the author have chosen "cauldron" rather than "pot"

The author might have chosen ''cauldron'' instead of ''pot'' because the word ''cauldron'' itself closely symbolized Chinese culture which explains in the text that the speaker's mother has a strong believe and stand in Chinese culture. 


2) Chin refers to "the Wei","the Yellow", and "the Yangze". Why does she reference these rivers in China? Why not include the Nile, the Amazon, or the Mississippi?

The reason why the speaker refers to rivers in China because apparently turtle plays a very significant role in Chinese society. Chinese society believe that turtle bring them in the pink of health. Therefore, it is fair to make these rivers of China as a reference rather than Nile, Amazon, or Mississippi which obviously very far from the culture. 


3) What is the tone of this poem?

The tone of this poem shows that there's a kind of misunderstanding and dispute between the mother's action and the persona. Growing up in a total different culture as the mother did, the persona believes that the mother's action of boiling Turtle Soup is not wise and irrelevant. Provided in the text, based on the argument they had, we can presume that there's some sort of anger and resentment. 




* The answers given by the Blogger are the result from the discussion she had with her group.*

- Denise
- Agnes
- Khairil
- Atikah
- Aida

Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note - Amiri Baraka

Lately, I've become accustomed to the way

the ground opens up and envelops me

each time I go out to walk the dog.

Or the broad-edged silly music the wind

makes me when I run for a bus...

Things have come to that.

And now, each night I count the stars,

and each night I get the same number.

And when they will not come to be counted,

I count the holes they leave.

Nobody sings anymore.

And then last night, I tiptoed up

to my daughter's room and heard her

talking to someone, and when I opened

the door, there was no one there...

only she on her knees, peeking into

Her own clasped hands.

Explorations of the Text:

1. What is the mood of the speaker in the opening lines? What images suggest his feelings?

The mood of the speaker in the opening lines sounds wistful and gloomy. The moment I read the first line of this poem, I seen a clear picture of the speaker in sad and sorrow. Provided that he was accustomed to the way.

2. What is the significance of the daughter's gesture of peeking into "her own clasped hands"?

The significance explains that the daughter still have faith in God and it shows that there's still hope in the daughter's eyes which probably the reason why the speaker/he do not end up his life with suicide.

3. What does the title mean? How does it explain the closing line?

The title is just an introduction of what's going on. Referring to the Text as it is a suicide note, most probably the tittle explain that this is just a foreword of what might coming next or the following notes. In accordance to the closing line, it explained that the suicide didn't seen to have happen yet. ''Her own clasped hands.'' might change the action or the destiny.

4. Why does Baraka have three short lines, separated as stanzas? How do they convey the message of the poem?

Baraka have three short lines, separated as stanzas because he tries to give a short conclusion of each transition pictures in the poem. Therefore the reader has a vivid images of what he's trying to tell. The message of the poem is clearly conveyed through foreshadowing.

5. Why does Baraka begin stanzas with "Lately," "And now," and "And then"? What do these transition words accomplish?

He begins with ''Lately,'' ''And now,'' and ''And then'' because Baraka wants to tell us the story in a chronological order so that the message delivered closely to the reader. These transition words work very good. The message delivered clearly and strong.

6. How does the speaker feel about his daughter? What does she represent to him?

Based on the Text, the speaker symbolized his daughter as the last hope he has or the only reason why he's living. The daughter also represents an infinite love he has for her which even his faith in God takes a back seat.

Countee Cullen (1903-1946) - Incident (1925)

Exercises on page 143

Explorations of the Text:


1. What is the nature of the interaction between the two boys?

It was unfriendly approached. Not as what usually happens to ordinary little boys friendship. There's sentiment of sarcasm and prejudice.

2. Why does the speaker remember nothing more than the incident, even though he stayed in Baltimore from "May until December"?

The speaker remember nothing because the prejudice was just too obvious to him. He experienced nothing much rather than the race discrimination that he gone through. Indeed he was so young boy, he couldn't think of anything in bigger conflicts instead of what is clearly seen or experienced by him.

The Reading/Writing Connection


1. In a paragraph compare your experience of prejudice with the persona in the poem.

Throughout my life, prejudice has got nothing much to do with me. I might have encountered prejudice but it is surely not too obvious. In some cases perhaps just because I am Malay, so I was misunderstood as less smart and definitely from a lower class society. However I took that more to stereotypes that they have for Malay societies and just being typically sceptical.

Ideas for Writing


1. What do its form and rhyme add to this poem?

The poem is in figurative form and the rhyme is ABAB.

2. What is the power of language? What are the effects of the use of the term nigger?

 Language plays a big role in two ways of communication. Referring to the poem, the word nigger did really  gives a huge impact to the speaker. This is because through language, we understand. Through language too,  we feel the meaning. The speaker wouldn't take it much affected if it was a bias glance. However, through  language, it contains clear meaning which interpreted through the brain which makes the speaker feel  irritated and injustice. 

THE ESCAPE - Inspired by All Things Not Considered (Naomi Shilbab Nye)

No one would understand

I confessed.

Yet still, no one would understand.

I was caught in breathing failure, but I’m alive

I was closed to the dark, I smell the fear

But I don’t stay still,

I cannot stay still.

My life was a pebble

Again and again, without my willingness

I was cold, I was alone, I was trembling

My step touches every harm and heartsore

Stabbed, painful, miserable.

I wonder why it’s me?

Why my life, why my soul, why my days?

I pillowed the tears to every stars in the sky

Yet something whispered in my ears

I smiled.

The wall apparently was luminous

I see nothing but myself

And the trigger,

The Trigger.

I’m in the infinite brightness.

Free and happy.

- Melor Puteh -

First Draft and Mini Outline - All Things Not Considered

Thesis: This poem explained about the cruelty and the death. How peace takes no place in today's life. War and oppression are everywhere. Religion takes a back seat and the air smells blood. Age is not at counts where children, women, man, all suffered terrified.



Notes:

• Why all things not considered? What was all that 'things' though?
• How much religion plays an important role?
• Children at no safe. No promises for tomorrow indeed.
• Does race really makes a difference? Were there any religion will be an exception?
• 'Holy' in repetition
• Some sentences in Italic
• Whose to be blamed?
• Strong hearted
• Are people the only holy land?

First Exploratory Draft:

All Things Not Considered written by Naomi Shilbab Nye (2002) explains about war and oppression. How war gives no discrimination towards the believers. Either he or she is a Muslim, Jewish or Christian, but it is not an exception. This can be supported with the evidence from the text where 'The Jewish killed in the cave were skipping school, having an adventure' and 'Mohammed Al-Durra huddled against his father in the street, terrified. The whole world saw him die'. The speaker titled 'All Things Not Considered', in my opinion, the 'things' that she meant was mostly about religion and faith. Religion is the power of one's life. No religion bring us to the negative and darkness. If we were have to believe in religion, we would consider everything decent before we did something. However in this poem, religion takes a back seat. Yet they are perhaps not atheist but they are not good believers though. Things go wrong. Shit happens. Provided that no one to be blamed, but should what had happened considered right to happen? Is there any promises that the world will provide us a better place? Or generations of black stay.

ALL THINGS NOT CONSIDERED - NAOMI SHIHAB NYE

You cannot stitch the breath
back into this boy.

A brother and sister were playing with toys
when their room exploded.

In what language
is this holy?

The Jewish boys killed in the cave
were skipping school, having an adventure.

Asel Asleh, Palestinian, age 17, believed in the field
beyond right and wrong where people came together

to talk. He kneeled to help someone else
stand up before he was shot.

If this is holy,
could we have some new religions please?

Mohammed al-Durra huddled against his father
in the street, terrified. The whole world saw him die.

An Arab father on crutches burying his 4 month girl weeps,
“I spit in the face of this ugly world.”

*

Most of us would take our children over land.
We would walk in the fields forever homeless
with our children,
huddle under cliffs, eat crumbs and berries,
to keep our children.
This is what we say from a distance
because we can say whatever we want.

*

No one was right.
Everyone was wrong.
What if they’d get together
and say that?
At a certain point
the flawed narrator wins.

People made mistakes for decades.
Everyone hurt in similar ways
at different times.
Some picked up guns because guns were given.
If they were holy it was okay to use guns.
Some picked up stones because they had them.
They had millions of them.
They might have picked up turnip roots
or olive pits.
Picking up things to throw and shoot:
at the same time people were studying history,
going to school.

*

The curl of a baby’s graceful ear.

The calm of a bucket
waiting for water.

Orchards of the old Arab men
who knew each tree.

Jewish and Arab women
standing silently together.

Generations of black.

Are people the only holy land?

Women in poetry: Julia de Burgos

"Such a talented poet. Personally adore all her poems inspired me to begin writing. Her style of writing convinced the readers that women are no far as great as man in arts of literature. To read her poems is to understand yourself. Here she is, Julia de Burgos".

• Born in Carolina (February 17, 1914), Puerto Rico, is Widely Regarded as her country's greatest poet, and along With The Chilean Gabriela Mistral, as one of the two greatest female poets in Latin American history.

• Her life had all the intensity and tragedy in the popular imagination Associated With The greatest poets, anonymous Culminating in her death at age 39 (July 6, 1953) in a New York City street and burial in potter's field.

• Has many schools and streets named in her honor in Puerto Rico and the United States.

• On September 14, 2010, the United States Postal Service unveiled a first class stamp commemorating her life and literary works. The stamp was presented in a ceremony in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Song of My Shadow Tiny

Sometimes life I want to burst into song
unexpected panic!


I want to stay in the secret of my sorrows
sharp as stars,
but my soul can reach silence
the poem without words
jumps and powder my lips made ​​intimate vibrations.


There is only one door open on the way to where my life is going
Smile unknown.
I start to find their trail,
as if the cosmos had concentrated in energy
and even she was my excitement in pieces
broken butterfly.


My emotion wheel now one of those wild islands
pain.
I have been dying to get there where
happy songs,
and pain comes together with transparent paint the sky.


It hurts that rose early that fell in my eyes
wound pink petals;
and the final look of a bride air
who died of chastity to feel meat
for the man kiss.


Bleed from sunset pain in my back down
twilight punishment will not love
Pale Daisy forest.


Sobs mystery cloud on my flight
teardrops that went into space
a spigot carried by dew.


All the pain left wheel at instant
comes to dance his rhythm in my flesh tormented
cosmic anxiety.


And the excitement I burst into songs useless,
within this mirage of greatness
where part,
tiny,
my shadow ...