Asian American Literature

The themes below will be the ones available for the short answer section of the exam.

• generations (diference between)
• identity
• ability/achievement
• biracial identity
• stereotypes
• family
• history
• relationships
• parenthood/motherhood
• economics/class
• opportunities
• power
• food
• male/female (gender)
• fake/real
• shame
• childhood
• culture
• tradition
• past/modern
• immigration
• language
• jobs
• definition of “American” or “America”
• fertility

In preparation for watching the film Robot Stories in class on Monday, please read (and blog about) the following article:

Feng, Peter X.  “The State of Asian American Cinema: In Search of Community.”  Cineaste, 00097004, 1999, Vol. 24, Issue 4

The article can be located, in pdf full text, in the library databases (academic search premier, to be exact).  In addition to blogging about the article, please print it out and bring it to class with you for discussion on Wednesday, 4/23.

The article should give you some ideas about what to look for when watching Monday’s film…

• Experience of Reality
• Identity
• Immigration
• Stereotypes (e.g., FOB)
• Difference between men and women
• Culture—Japanese American and Japanese [issei/nisei]
• filial duty/piety
• family
• identity crisis of nisei (American or Japanese?)
• citizenship
• traditional culture and values
• shame
• segregration (internment camps or plantation camps)
• class
• writing styles, Japanese (poetic) vs. American (ascerbic/blunt)
• opportunities of Nisei

Here’s the course site for ENG 172: Asian American literature.  This is the place to come for information about the course (see the pages above), assignments, resources, updates, and most importantly, links to your classmates’ writing.  Explore and enjoy!