Shawn Wong's Homebase
Well, this one won't be of much interest for everybody but I put it on for those who would do me the favour to read it over. ^^
Shawn Wong's novel Homebase was a really interesting book, showing certain aspects of Chinese American literature's characters which have been know to readers of those literature but become more clear through the symbolism the author uses to describe the way of his protagonist.
The scene striking me was when Rainsford Chan was, during his journey, looking for the town he has been named after. A town which can't be found anymore, cause it has disappeared from the American landscape through time. The town Rainsford, which's name he inherited because of its connection to his great-grandfather, is more than just a spot in the American landscape. It was a spot of history. Especially Chinese American history. And therefore it becomes a symbol. Rainsford is searching for an extinguished part of American history. Most people, me included, were, and are still not aware of the working afford Chinese Americans gave to the American country. Of course, you can find photos or some depictions of Chinese American, but the Wild West is dominated by the white western men or women conquering the unknown from the east coast (as on the picture we've seen in class). The „manifest destiny“, bringing civilisation to the wilderness, excludes anyone who is not white, therefore also Chinese, disregarding the fact that many of the conquerers of the Wild West were actually Chinese, as Rainford's ancestors. Those ancestors have not only been in jobs connected with moving and moving people, but moving the American country forwar into its future. The great-grandfather helped to build the railroad, which was one, if not the main factor of taming the Wild West. The grandfather helped to establish America by building roads and with those roads spreading “Americanity“ over the land. Furthermore he was in a job that might be called “cliché Western American“: a cowboy and farmer.
The father, car engineer*, helped to spread the American feeling of liberty for every American (the car can be seen as a symbol for technical progress and overall mobility for those who could afford it) and furthermore he became a kind of represent for American culture by being a track runner, an athlete representing an image (sportivity) which is still today very important for the self-representation of the American country (as it can be seen from e.g. the depiction of the American high school life with all its teams in football, cheerleaders, etc.). He even tried to share part of this American dream by the road trip we mentioned in class. Of cause, with somehow different reasons than an American might have done it (make a cut to the past...). But it is still the will to show that he wants his family to be part of America. The whole history of the Chan family is dedicated to America. Each of them build an American future by trying to build their own future in America. All this history sounds like the “American Legend“. A country formed with the own hands and hard work. An own land, a self created home for the heroes who tamed it and conquered it - but most of them, if not all, got denied.
Comparing this to what was mentioned before, and to Rainsfords try to search for their (and his) history, it makes me wonder if Shawn Wong aims for something different when he names his work Homebase. What makes a homeland a homeland? Is it about being accepted completely? Does it include having an intact history, not one being blurred or partly extinguished? Is home a place where you get rewarded for what you've done, not as it has been done to the Chinese Americans? I asked myself why Rainsford became a swimmer rather than a track runner. Is it a hint from the author that the future of Rainsford lies in a place were he needs something different to get to but what has been build in America by his ancestors like cars or railroads? Is he in need to not cross the country anymore but a kind of sea, a sea of dreams (as he often does), for swimming could be counted as a floating movement, dreamlike, searching for more than a simple place to settle his body down but something to settle his mind? Does this mean that he does have to open another field where he has to search for a part of his history and identity? Not namely China (which, of course, lies over the see and is still part of his ancestors history), no, maybe it does not even need a change in the place called America. Place can, as we said in class, become something inside, a place he can make completely his own, where he can stop moving and searching and conquering, a place to settle. And here it becomes a little more obvious that it needs another approach than it has been done before in the history of (Chinese) Americans. Rainsford needs to face and be aware of his history and the history of his ancestors. Rainsford stands, just as a symbol, too, for Chinese Americans not to simply to try to be part of the American society by accepting that they are still looked as “exotic“ or “strange“ and “different“ in a way. Which includes not being the model minority. They have to make clear that they are nothing different but the children and grandchildren or great-grandchildren of the settlers who came from Europe. So I ask myself, especially regarding a country like America, where the only native inhabitants are the American Indians, why a Chinese American, or a Black or Latino American is still regarded as different? Why don't we have the terms English American? Polish American? German American? Irish American? Why does American naturally include all this? Is it because of the different appearance of people? Is hegemony so stupidly stubborn? I'm not talking about some kind of assimilation but the awareness that there should be no difference being made.
Although the author does not speak of any kind of rebellion, the book seems to be an encouragement for every Chinese American not to forget (and therefore deny!) his or her roots but to live the American way of life they want to. They can be brought up to the most traditional kind of American culture. But for they always have been displaced they need to make others aware what they have been and have done for America, that they,too, are America**. They need to conquer America by making America accepting them as Americans. And therefore they need to make a start by accepting and finding themselves first. If thy know what they are they can show it, proudly, to others. But if thy are doubting and still caught in a negative way of double consciousness they never can start to feel what they want to be: American.
The time of the settlers, the time of conquering a piece of land in America to become American has been over for centuries now. At least, for the white western Americans. But, as shown in the book, not for the Chinese Americans. They are still displaced, even though they are as long in the country as anybody else. So Homebase itself becomes more than the simple term for homeland, but, parted in its two words, a place to base a home in. And the search for it.
*I'm not too sure about this fact anymore, but he, anyway represents many factors of the American dream as you can see from the further explanations.
**I, Too, Sing America
by Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
If you want to use this paper in any way, credit me and link back to this page!
It's written by me ~ and therefore mine. It was much to read and based on cultural theories I had to work out. Don't dare to try a copy and paste. This page can be easily found via google.
I'd be glad to know were you used it (especially because Chinese-American literature isn't that much discussed yet) but it's not necessary ~ but a comment if you take it would be much appreciated. =D
Facts:
~1page
graded 1.0
Shawn Wong's novel Homebase was a really interesting book, showing certain aspects of Chinese American literature's characters which have been know to readers of those literature but become more clear through the symbolism the author uses to describe the way of his protagonist.
The scene striking me was when Rainsford Chan was, during his journey, looking for the town he has been named after. A town which can't be found anymore, cause it has disappeared from the American landscape through time. The town Rainsford, which's name he inherited because of its connection to his great-grandfather, is more than just a spot in the American landscape. It was a spot of history. Especially Chinese American history. And therefore it becomes a symbol. Rainsford is searching for an extinguished part of American history. Most people, me included, were, and are still not aware of the working afford Chinese Americans gave to the American country. Of course, you can find photos or some depictions of Chinese American, but the Wild West is dominated by the white western men or women conquering the unknown from the east coast (as on the picture we've seen in class). The „manifest destiny“, bringing civilisation to the wilderness, excludes anyone who is not white, therefore also Chinese, disregarding the fact that many of the conquerers of the Wild West were actually Chinese, as Rainford's ancestors. Those ancestors have not only been in jobs connected with moving and moving people, but moving the American country forwar into its future. The great-grandfather helped to build the railroad, which was one, if not the main factor of taming the Wild West. The grandfather helped to establish America by building roads and with those roads spreading “Americanity“ over the land. Furthermore he was in a job that might be called “cliché Western American“: a cowboy and farmer.
The father, car engineer*, helped to spread the American feeling of liberty for every American (the car can be seen as a symbol for technical progress and overall mobility for those who could afford it) and furthermore he became a kind of represent for American culture by being a track runner, an athlete representing an image (sportivity) which is still today very important for the self-representation of the American country (as it can be seen from e.g. the depiction of the American high school life with all its teams in football, cheerleaders, etc.). He even tried to share part of this American dream by the road trip we mentioned in class. Of cause, with somehow different reasons than an American might have done it (make a cut to the past...). But it is still the will to show that he wants his family to be part of America. The whole history of the Chan family is dedicated to America. Each of them build an American future by trying to build their own future in America. All this history sounds like the “American Legend“. A country formed with the own hands and hard work. An own land, a self created home for the heroes who tamed it and conquered it - but most of them, if not all, got denied.
Comparing this to what was mentioned before, and to Rainsfords try to search for their (and his) history, it makes me wonder if Shawn Wong aims for something different when he names his work Homebase. What makes a homeland a homeland? Is it about being accepted completely? Does it include having an intact history, not one being blurred or partly extinguished? Is home a place where you get rewarded for what you've done, not as it has been done to the Chinese Americans? I asked myself why Rainsford became a swimmer rather than a track runner. Is it a hint from the author that the future of Rainsford lies in a place were he needs something different to get to but what has been build in America by his ancestors like cars or railroads? Is he in need to not cross the country anymore but a kind of sea, a sea of dreams (as he often does), for swimming could be counted as a floating movement, dreamlike, searching for more than a simple place to settle his body down but something to settle his mind? Does this mean that he does have to open another field where he has to search for a part of his history and identity? Not namely China (which, of course, lies over the see and is still part of his ancestors history), no, maybe it does not even need a change in the place called America. Place can, as we said in class, become something inside, a place he can make completely his own, where he can stop moving and searching and conquering, a place to settle. And here it becomes a little more obvious that it needs another approach than it has been done before in the history of (Chinese) Americans. Rainsford needs to face and be aware of his history and the history of his ancestors. Rainsford stands, just as a symbol, too, for Chinese Americans not to simply to try to be part of the American society by accepting that they are still looked as “exotic“ or “strange“ and “different“ in a way. Which includes not being the model minority. They have to make clear that they are nothing different but the children and grandchildren or great-grandchildren of the settlers who came from Europe. So I ask myself, especially regarding a country like America, where the only native inhabitants are the American Indians, why a Chinese American, or a Black or Latino American is still regarded as different? Why don't we have the terms English American? Polish American? German American? Irish American? Why does American naturally include all this? Is it because of the different appearance of people? Is hegemony so stupidly stubborn? I'm not talking about some kind of assimilation but the awareness that there should be no difference being made.
Although the author does not speak of any kind of rebellion, the book seems to be an encouragement for every Chinese American not to forget (and therefore deny!) his or her roots but to live the American way of life they want to. They can be brought up to the most traditional kind of American culture. But for they always have been displaced they need to make others aware what they have been and have done for America, that they,too, are America**. They need to conquer America by making America accepting them as Americans. And therefore they need to make a start by accepting and finding themselves first. If thy know what they are they can show it, proudly, to others. But if thy are doubting and still caught in a negative way of double consciousness they never can start to feel what they want to be: American.
The time of the settlers, the time of conquering a piece of land in America to become American has been over for centuries now. At least, for the white western Americans. But, as shown in the book, not for the Chinese Americans. They are still displaced, even though they are as long in the country as anybody else. So Homebase itself becomes more than the simple term for homeland, but, parted in its two words, a place to base a home in. And the search for it.
*I'm not too sure about this fact anymore, but he, anyway represents many factors of the American dream as you can see from the further explanations.
**I, Too, Sing America
by Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
If you want to use this paper in any way, credit me and link back to this page!
It's written by me ~ and therefore mine. It was much to read and based on cultural theories I had to work out. Don't dare to try a copy and paste. This page can be easily found via google.
I'd be glad to know were you used it (especially because Chinese-American literature isn't that much discussed yet) but it's not necessary ~ but a comment if you take it would be much appreciated. =D
Facts:
~1page
graded 1.0