With the reoccurring themes of being torn between two cultures, writing against stereotypes, and racial tensions have surfaced for authors throughout this course, so what do these stories about the struggles of coming to America to find a place amidst two cultures teach us about diversity?

A sample thesis (which you are free to use) might be:

• Minority writers: A, B, and C, write against stereotypes, cross-cultural issues, and the importance of diversity in America.
• Minority writers through their shares stories about being torn between two cultures and being impacted by stereotypes and highlight the importance of celebrating diversity as seen in the writings of A, B, and C.

Remember that a theme in a piece of fiction is its view about life and how people behave. We might ask ourselves: what do the characters, action, plot, setting and story problems in this piece show us?

Please respond in a five-paragraph APA essay format with quotes, proper in-text citations, and references.

Please be sure to include the following in your assignment submission:

• Write a formal, 5-paragraph essay in APA format, including a cover page, in response to this question. Base your answer on your own observations and support your assertions quoting from your assigned readings.
• Read the assigned readings from the Asian American Literature sections. Highlight quotes, summarize, or paraphrase from this week’s readings and be sure to include an in-text citation in proper APA format (Author, year, p. X).
• We must include three quotes from our readings. When we discuss literature, it is all about the words before us. They are ours to consider and reflect on. So, you will want to make a strong assertion and prove it, or support it, by quoting from the readings. Include three quotes in our essay.
• Create a strong thesis for your essay. A thesis states shares the Author, Title of the piece being explored, and a strong assertion, and ideally will share key discussion points.
• Be sure to include an APA reference page.

ADDITIONAL INFO from this week:

In this module, you will explore the literature of two Asian American writers, Li-Young Lee and Cathy Song. In addition, you will gain understanding of other Asian American writers through links to their biographies. Do you think Lee and Song’s writings will be similar, given their strong and similar cultural roots? When we think about the Asian culture, the words respect and obedience come to mind. The culture places an importance on elders, on respect, and on traditions, and in these stories, we will see how these concepts impact the main characters.

What we have experienced throughout this course are writers whose words have connected people to people, feelings and understanding. Kingston continues her missions, helping veterans in hopes to continuing that understanding. Might, at times, the veteran even been seen as minority? Writing and community, and writing from a place of generosity. She tells about their mission of sharing, and how writing connects passion to bridge to understanding to further our understanding of diversity.

What a worthy life mission, right?

Li-Young Lee

Lee experienced Indonesian’s 1950s landscape first-hand as his father found himself in conflict with then President Suharto, imprisoned, and tortured, and he fled to the United States. As we read his works this week, let’s consider how this may or may not have influenced his writing.

Cathy Song

Song is known for poems rich in visual imagery, which often “depict the immigrant experience, especially themes of freedom and alienation” (Bryant, 2010, p. 418). Her words create “Colorful, sensual, and quiet” images (p. 419). Let’s experience this for ourselves.

Get acquainted with the culture & philosophies

Asian American Literature: “Early Asian American Literature”

Get to know Asian American authors:

While you only read works from a few Asian American authors, there are many more to explore.

Edith Maude Eaton

Eaton’s work, her “realistic and detailed stories and essays provide insight into the lives of Asian Americans during the most virulently anti-Asian period of U. S. History”(Bryant, 2010, p 347). Let’s think about these words as we read hers this week. What a mission she was on during this turbulent time. So how will this inform her writing?

Winnifred Eaton (Onoto Watanna)

Winnifred Eaton, “the first Asian-American novelist,” was one of eleven siblings (Bryant, 2010, p. 358). She published her first writings at the age of fourteen, and devoted her life to her novels that spoke out against oriental stereotypes.

Hisaye Yamamoto

Yamamoto was an essayist, poet, and short story writer whose work received accolades for its “skillful ‘deployment of multiple consciousness, double plots, and ironic voice'” (Bryant, 2010, p.369). Here is a short video based on her work, showing the conflict between traditional Japanese and popular American cultures. Read more about Hisaya Yamamoto from her obituary.

Amy Ruth Tan

Tan, best known for her first book, The Joy Luck Club, became a force in the writing community as she offered a unique perspective as a Chinese American and a voice that spoke out about “generational and cultural conflict within families, particularly among women” (Bryant, 2010, p. 397). “The mother’s stories (in The Joy Luck Club) reveal immense hardships met and overcome in China, their determination to make new lives and raid ‘perfect American’ daughters, that the reality of life in the American differs greatly from their dreams” (p. 398).

Maxine Hong Kingston

Kingston established herself as a major literary voice with the publication of her first book, The Woman Warrior: Memoir of a Girlhood Among Ghosts (Bryant, 2010, p. 383). Get a sense of her as a person and writer through this video and as you read her words. Listen and learn from Maxine Hong Kingston’s words as seen in this video.