What:Our next reading assignment is Li Yi Yun's short stories:
Son
Princess from Nebraska
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers
When/where: May 20th, Wednesday, 7-9. Old National Bank. Don't miss it!
Tentative Agenda:
1) Stories from and experiences of China (Xiaoying) 20 min
2) Introduction of Li Yi Yun (Liana) 5 min
3) Son: plot, setting, characters, mother-son relations, religion and Today’s China, sexual orientation (All) 20) min
4) Princess from Nebraska: plot setting, characters, sexual orientation, ending, movie (All) 20 min
5) A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, plot, father-daughter, acquisition of new language, immigrates and tradition, movie, (All) 20 min
6) Free associations/discussions, (All)20 min
7) What’s next: plans for the summer, travel places? reading suggestions, movie suggestions? Bring your ideas! (Xiaoying and others) 15 min
Questions:
Sons:
How religion has been practiced in China, how Christianity being practiced?
How did Hans' Mom react to her son's homosexuality?
What is Han's overall philosophy of life? And what do you think if it?
Princess Nebraska:
How would you describe Shasha?
What are the relationships of the three major characters?
Why Opera singers being part of the story?
Would she end up keeping the baby?
What do you think of Beshen?
How sexuality and relationship being described in the story?
Thousand Years:
What are expressions of personal relationships, being resulted from many thousand years of prayers. What does it mean? What are the Chinese expressions?
Does speaking English change your self concept/presentation?
What was the word the Father describe the daughter when he heard her overexcited expression on the phone?
The following questions are from a study guide of the book, which I thought are good questions.
Son:
How are the children of this generation in China, now adults, breaking away from the traditions of, and duties to, their parents? Think about Sansan, in Love in the
Marketplace, Han in Son, and even Mr. Shi's daughter in "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers."
What moves Han to reveal the long kept secret of his sexuality to his mother? Were you surprised by her reaction? Is Han's mother as "traditional" as he believes?
The Princess of Nebraska:
"The Princess of Nebraska" is set in the heartland of America, during a small street parade. Discuss the juxtaposition of Yang, Sasha and Boshen's life in China with
their new experience in America. How do they each react in their new environment? Sasha believes that "moving on" (69) is an American concept that suits her well. Do you agree that Americans have a unique ability to start fresh and forget the
past? Consider your own experience; do you see this optimism reflected in other cultures, or would you agree that it is an American outlook? Later, Sahsa says Americans are "born to be themselves, naïve and contented with their naivety." Describe the insights behind this appraisal; do you agree or disagree? What does this story reveal about the Chinese and American psyche, and how does this resonate throughout the entire book?
At the end of "The Princess of Nebraska", what do you think Sasha decides to do about the baby?
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers:
Describe the emotional barriers to communication in "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers" does language allow both Mr. Bing and his daughter to open up? How does
the ability to communicate in a new language "make you a new person" (199)?
Yiyun Li sets many of her stories in her homeland of China. What is the spirit of the people? What mood pervades the workers' lives? How would you describe the
way characters, such as Granny Lin, Mr. and Mrs. Su, Sansan, and Mr. Du respond to adversity?
13 comments:
what all the three stories have in common?
I' d like hear from Hong or Qi talking about "How religion has been practiced in China, how Christianity being practiced"
and likewise from Liana about how homesexuality is viewed in China, before, now and future.
In The Princess of the Nabraska, one of the characters said, we were born in wrong time? Do you think the fate of each characters is defined only by time?
Will the personality play a role in ones destiny?
Good questions, Xiaoying and let's all consider them.
I will pretend my authority on homosexuality in China. And voice my general (unstudied tho)views.
You don't need to pretend. You are expert on it.
May I ask you if you chose these 3 stories randomly?
《千年敬祈》在这里的含义是什么？
大雁一定对《千年敬祈》有个圆满的答案。
I selected the three for various reasons. I thought they all cover immigrants' mentality which may reflect our own experiences. They cover different stages of a woman's life (marriage, abortion, divorce, being a mother). I also thought they all have seemingly simple yet complicated stories. They are all easy to read. I liked other stories (after a life is probably my other unselected favorite), but these three will do for now.
thanks for satisfying my curiosity.
they are very good choice.
Maybe someone wants to read her novel, The Vagrant, a heavy weight.
Two links I found:
1. Recent interview of Li Yiyun by James Warner
http://www.identitytheory.com/interviews/yiyun_li.php
2. What Has That to Do with Me?-- Gettysburg reviews
http://public.gettysburg.edu/academics/gettysburg_review/yli.htm
thank you xiaoying for discovering the most recent interview of this author. I enjoyed reading this one, shows talents of both the interviewer and the interview. Nice conversation, and revealing.
I hope others will have a chance to read.
I also enjoyed re-reading the story online, What that has to do with me, is the first story that I read of her anthology. I was quite moved and intrigued by it. Glad it is online!
I will send the link of interview to others.
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