blog 7

Recently I read a book called FCD(the fifth chinese daughter), which I found is very interseted. Here I would like to write my impression of the book.

As many readers have found, a paradigm which is used to interpret generational conflicts in Asian American texts often marks first-generation immigrants as traditional, backward, repressed and oppressive toward their children and their second-generation American children as progressive and liberated. Thus, generational conflicts or differences are often caused by cultural differences between parents (who are considered very Asian) and children (who are more Americanized). But in FCD, things appear to be different from what we have anticipated, at least, it is not the only thing the writer would like to convey.

On the one hand, as the specific background of this novel, it’s inevitable that the “Chineseness” seed rooted in the ground of American democracy is not that easy to grow. From the very early time in Jade Snow’s life, respect and order were the key words in generational relationship. Parents took it for granted that thoughts of a little girl did not matter (She did not voice them). And as the unquestioning obedience was demanded, in many cases, voicing equals to disrespect and challenge to the authority. Even at 5 years old, Jade Snow had learned the meaning of discipline. she would otherwise be whipped because she had knocked older brother’s hat off in fun, or she took a small piece of cloth from clothes factory,or she did not come home at promised time.
What impressed me most is the conflict caused by new slippers which Jade Snow bought with her earnings. According to Daddy's request, who lived and worked with a strong self-discipline, all the members in family were expected to dress up perfectly once he or she got up. A casual style of clothes was unacceptable in father’s mind, in another word, it’s unnecessary to own a pair of slippers at all. Though slippers had never been specifically forbidden, when she wore them at homeshe was still given a lesson and asked to go to public library to look up and report the definition of slippers to Daddy. “Slippers: A kind of light shoe, often and typically one which may be slipped on with ease and wore in undress…” Daddy put emphasis on “undress” and again the unshakable authority of the patriarchal role father led was reinforced. Although we think this plot to some degree ridiculous today, it was from physical and mental punishment that children in Wong’s big family gradually learnt what was proper and what was improper at that time.Thus, all the people either adults or children would be gurarnted act their own roles dutifully......
There are much more I can tell you about the book, but I think only you read it yourself, can you really enjoy the book!