Day: October 7, 2019

“With all the brains the cat had, she did not know how to put on high-heeled shoes and let the heels make sharp sounds on the pavement. Pearl Chang could. The high-heeled shoes made Pearl Chang’s feet small without foot-binding. The high-heeled shoes made Pearl Chang shake her body from left to right and back to front. The high-heeled shoes made her two tennis balls jump around her chest, and yet they were there always” (71). 

     In chapter V we see the relationship between Pearl Chang and Wong Wan-Lee develop. And as we near the end of chapter V, it becomes clear that there is a tension between Chang’s Chinese American identity and Wong’s Chinese identity. Wong’s unwillingness, or perhaps inability due to the language barrier, to work through these tensions becomes apparent at the end of the chapter when he begins to sexualize Pearl. There are three major literary devices at work here, namely anaphora, metonym, and juxtaposition. 

     We see the repetition of “the high-heeled shoes made…” in the last three sentences of this chapter. Utilizing anaphora in this instance serves to strongly direct the reader’s attention to Pearl’s appearance. There’s something about Pearl’s shoes that, for Wong Wan-Lee, signifies hyperfemininity. Her feet look “small without foot-binding” (a now outlawed Chinese custom that historically signified class, femininity, and desirability), the heels allow her to “shake her body” and “her two tennis balls jump around her chest.” Her body remains the same, but Wong understands heels as a vehicle that exaggerates her femininity. Additionally, Wong claims that Pearl does have some degree of intelligence, but that intelligence is fundamentally rooted in sexual modes of knowledge. Is this understanding of her intelligence rooted in sexist thoughts? 

     Moreover, the language used here to sexualize Pearl is quite interesting. Look at the last sentence, for example, wherein the author says, “The high-heeled shoes made her two tennis balls jump around her chest.” Here the author uses metonymy and replaces breasts or chest with “two tennis balls.” We might consider, why did the author choose this language? Why not say the words in more crude or blunt terms?

     Lastly, Wong juxtaposes Pearl and the cat claiming initially that Pearl is a “Mo No,” meaning she has no brain, whereas a cat is logical. Wong goes on to characterize the cat as a logical creature that takes certain actions to maximize its benefits and comforts (i.e. sleeping on his feet to keep itself warm). On the other hand, Wong characterizes Pearl as completely devoid of culture and not ‘truly Chinese’. This juxtaposition shows that Wong believes understanding Chinese culture is logical and other Chinese people who don’t understand Chinese culture must then be illogical and unintelligent.   

     When their cultural differences become a barrier, Wong turns to Pearl’s sexuality as a way of making her legible. It is only through his enlistment of heels that Pearl is seen as intelligent, or not a “Mo No” as Wong initially characterizes her. This method of legibility calls into question notions of femininity, womanhood, desirability politics, and the tension of Chinese and Chinese American identities. 

This song reminds me of the love that Pearl Chang and Wong Wan-Lee have for each other. Throughout parts 5-9, Pearl Chang refers to Wong Wan Lee as “Prince” and Wong Wan Lee to Pearl as “Angel”. This song is a Chinese love song, where they refer to each other as Romeo and Juliet- fitting and relating to the titles that our characters have given to each other. I believe the instrumental’s intense and passionate tones exemplifies the feelings that Pearl and Wan Lee have when they are together, especially relating this to the end scene in part 8.

It was difficult for me this week to find a song related to the readings.
So I guess I chose an “easy way”, with a song whose title, “Chop suey”, is an expression that often occurred in the novel.

And then, looking at the lyrics, I think it’s finally kinda related to some topics/issues encountered by the main characters within the story :

“Here you go create another fable
You wanted to
Grab a brush and put a little makeup
You wanted to
Hide the scars to fade away the shakeup
You wanted to
Why’d you leave the keys upon the table?”

I chose the song “I’m still young, I’m still young” from 老王樂隊, a Taiwanese folk band.

Part of the lyrics goes as follows:

“In this world / Finding your own dreams / You asked me: Where is your dream / I’m still young, I’m still young

“They all say / We left our ideals / In those crazy days / I won’t cry / I won’t escape

“Give me a bottle of wine / then give me a cigarette / let’s move on / I’ve got plenty of time / I don’t want to cry alone and won’t go on / in the future days

“I struggle on the edge of youth / I gaze on the end of freedom / I wander on the barren field / Finding my dreams

The song reminds me of the conversation between Wong Lan-Lee and the old Chinese man. The old man warns him to be beware that America is an evil land where one cannot escape once he sinks in (Tsiang 57). Although the song alludes to how pessimistic Tawainese youth use “I’m still young” to cover up recession and their confusion, it also relates to how a laundryman who barely makes his livings dreams about prosperity. Alcohol and cigarettes, which also appear in the novel, are temporary escapes for Wong Lan-Lee from his dull laundry work. The intensity of emotions in the song also parallels with Wong Lan-Lee’s passion when he recalls the rich history of Chinese culture. Similar to how Taiwanese youth struggle with their economic conditions, Wong Lan-Lee wants to find his dreams and but simply does not have the opportunity to break free from exploitation.

Sherrie Chen (sc2289)

 

“You are not an American. When they call you names, you lose nothing. If you throw away nuts just like that, you will never become rich. With one penny you could start a saving-account and draw interest from it” (25)
“In the South, Negroes are not allowed to ride in the same streetcar with whites, but Chinese are. Black children are not allowed to go to school with white children, but Chinese children are” (26)

I found these passages to be very interesting as they demonstrate the pressure Pearl feels to abide by hegemonic American ideals of success. She foils Wong and his ethnic and nationalistic pride (of being Chinese/China), as demonstrated by him giving out lychee nuts to customers as a gesture of pridefully sharing elements of his culture. The lychees are used again for the same reason, as Wong throws them at kids heckling him with racial taunts to defend his racial/ethnic identity. In this sense, he operates on a basis of values intrinsic to his Chinese identity. Pearl points out that his values are incompatible to the American- capitalist way of life. Wong’s open-minded, multiculturalist approach to life leaves him vulnerable to the reality of America, that there is a “best” culture, defined by the profitability of each culture. Pearl is more attuned to this reality, as she deliberately identifies with her Chinese identity, not for the same reasons that Wong does but for the simple fact that Asians weren’t/aren’t discriminated against as much as Black people. This demonstrates how capitalism, despite its unbiased and objective facade, manifests hegemonically not only physically in our globalized cities but also even within everyone’s identity.

I also thought the philosophical underpinnings of these passages were interesting. I want to tie this to the concept of the “invisible/one-dimensional man” by Herbert Marcuse, who was actually writing his most prominent works around the time “And China Has Hands” was published. The author also has strong Communist leanings and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was familiar with this work. The notion is that, in Capitalist America, there exists an ideal image of a worker: someone that patiently saves for the future, works diligently without complaining, consumes just enough to suffice and not excessively, and is perhaps a devout Christian. At this time of the book, Pearl most likely embodies this person, as one crucial aspect of the “invisible man” is that they are not aware of the hegemonic forces of their reality. Pearl is certainly aware that there are racial inequalities, but she does not consider herself a victim nor does she demand social change.

This sets up an interesting dynamic between Wong and Pearl who are both trying to become accustomed to a culture they are unfamiliar with. In many ways, they are forced/feel pressured to do so, as they manage to convince themselves and each other so in response to the hegemonic forces in society. However, in doing so, they invoke and reinforce these racial values, ultimately oppressing themselves nevertheless. There’s no playing the game. The game plays you?

 

“They sold Chinese fancy goods.

“They sold Chinese opium.

“They sucked Chinese blood.

“They ate Chinese flesh. (94)

“I think you Chinese should eat more beef-steak and lamb-chops, instead of Chop Suey and Chow Mein.” Advised Pearl Chang. “Vegetables weaken the Chinese race, and meats make a man brutal and able to kill! China has lost her territory to Westerners, China has been victimized by the Japanese. Vegetable were the reason, believe me!” (96)

Wong Wan-Lee and Pearl Chang’s conservation on the fall of the Chinese Empire reflect how masculinity and femininity construct nationhood. In Pearl Chang’s point of view, meat makes men belligerent and more masculine, whereas vegetables and grains, which have a rich history in Chinese agriculture, soften the Chinese race. While men eating meat shows a gendered food stereotype, China’s territory also becomes a feminine body whose flesh and blood are the object conquered by a masculinist quest. The notion of gendered food stereotype continues with the repetition of “Pearl Chang might laugh at him for being vegetarian” and finally “Wong Wan-Lee was now no more a vegetarian, but a meat-eater. He kissed Pearl Chang” (97 and 101). Wong Wan-Lee accepts Pearl Chang’s implication of masculinity and believes that being a vegetarian means the loss of masculinity. Therefore, he kisses her back as a sign of affection and a proof of his manhood. Furthermore, Wong Wan-Lee’s interactions with White men in the U.S. also suggest how Asian men grapple with their identities. As a descendant of emperors and a “Prince,” Wong Wan-Lee faces humiliations from the White police officer and the thief from detective agencies. Even though socio-economic hierarchies exist in a racially monotonous country, the contrast between being the subject of a nation and the subordinate to White dominance is worth noting when studying racial discrimination in America. Additionally, the ways in which Pearl Chang embraces and isolates her Chinese identity demonstrate the conflicted identity of biracial people in the U.S.

Sherrie Chen (sc2289)

(translated)

“I dreamt that I went to sleep, a place I have never been to.

Through a wall, holding a net in the hand, eyes like a mysterious moon

I found that I have been in the net I have in my own hands.

It is like me, it is like my memory

But my memory is not here, not here.

When I slept, I dreamt of a woman I have never seen before.

She looks a bit strange but it makes me fascinated

She took away the idea that I was out of control.

I am afraid, I am afraid to wake up suddenly, I am afraid to wake up suddenly.

She laughs at me, she laughs at me.

Laughing, my memory is not here, not here.

I am happy, happiness, happiness”

I’m not sure how accurate this translation might be, but these lyrics reminded me of the relationship between Pearl and Wong Wan-Lee in “And China Has Hands”. When Wong Wan-Lee meets Pearl, he believes that she is an Angel from his dream – “when I slept, I dreamt of a woman I have never seen before/ She looks a bit strange, but it makes me fascinated/ She took away the idea that I was out of control”.

Wong Wan-Lee is astonished when he first encounters the half Chinese, half African-American Pearl Chang; unlike anybody else he’s seen before, the body and character of Pearl soon becomes a site of conflicting emotions and strange tension for Wan-Lee. His growing obsession for Pearl is somewhat matched by Pearl’s own exoticizing curiosity for the Chinese launderer— to her, he represents the perfect opportunity to challenge, affirm, and formulate her own (mis)conceptions of the Chinese.

Each anxious, thrilled, and disturbed by the other, the two characters come together through a string of absurd but telling situations. I particularly thought about the scenario in which Pearl visits Wong Wan-Lee and tells him that the Chinese need to incorporate meat into their national dishes. Wong Wan-Lee is affected by this comment, and becomes deeply uncomfortable in the moment with her increasing physical advances. He worries, repeatedly, that she would laugh at him for being a vegetarian – “she laughs at me, she laughs at me. / laughing, my memory is not here, not here.” In observing how Pearl inconsistently distances herself from identifying with “her people” and her heritage, the cacophony of Xie Tian Xiao’s “幸福” might serve as a sound for Wong Wan-Lee’s confusion, a shared discord.

“Pearl Chang took the small mirror out of her pocketbook. She had a look at herself and she was glad the she was Chinese, and quietly she threw away a small picture of a white actress” (94).

One thing in particular that I have noticed about Tsiang’s writing style is that is simple and direct. The text reads easily as every sentence moves swiftly onto the next, and to me, this leads me to feel like I am right in the scene. There is no extra mental or emotional processing of what is going on in the moment from a character because everything is written in the third person, leaving it up to the reader to make sense of what is taking place.

I found this small, tiny moment interesting for this reason. Wong Wan Lee is busy telling the story of his ancestry, of ancient Chinese emperors and of savages. He is putting up a bold front to impress Pearl (which is interesting seeing as though every time she makes a move on him, he is left uncomfortable or annoyed). Pearl is unaccustomed to the Chinese culture that Wong presents to her, yet his story moves her to take pride in her identity as a Chinese woman. She discards the picture she carries with her, presumably for inspiration. In listening to Wong’s story of Chinese excellence throughout history, she is inspired by her past.

It’s interesting to me that this scene is so quickly glossed over. To me, it carries so much weight. Pearl is still young, and she seems to still be easily swayed by what is going on around her. She is used to a certain idea of what Chinese culture is and who the Chinese are, but Wong is continuously changing this narrative, which in turn influences how she perceives herself. This is further complicated by the male-female dynamic that is present between Pearl and Wong. She desires his physical attention and is intrigued by his overall personality, but a part of me feels funny about the attention she gives him. Is it more out of curiosity that she wants to be with him? On the other hand, Wong is not great about understanding Pearl as a human, and is confused by her advances. However, he dismisses her nature, blaming it on her being a woman.

Finally, I’ve noticed that Tsiang hardly touches upon Pearl’s African American heritage. It may be because Wong, who is the main character, either only perceives Pearl as a woman and does not pay much attention to the nuances of her identity, or that he is so focused on the fact that she has “mo no”. Either way, his obsession with her is definitely another offshoot of this awkward m-f dynamic.