Essay #4 Rough Draft

Topic: Should Toshio and Kiyoshi be responsible for their family's debt

Toshio and Kiyoshi, both of Japanese decent come from a family that upholds their cultural values to the fullest. From their living environment on a plantation, the foods they eat, to the son values that one most uphold are from their culture. Due to Kiyoshi and Toshio’s grandparents and parents debt, they are expected to pay off this debt due to traditional values. I do not believe that anyone, including blood relatives should be responsible for paying for others debt. The person who made the debt is therefore responsible for this debt, regardless of culture values.

Toshio, unlike Kiyoshi has a more modernized view of his environment and culture. He respects his parents as the other men from his culture but does not agree with the rules of being a good son. He does not believe that in order to be a good son, he is entitled to pay his parents debt. Again, the emphasis is on his parents debt, not his own.

Fortunately, through luck and skill Kiyoshi was able to give his family the money to pay back their debt. He lived up to his family’s relentless culture value and joined the military, in hopes to earn back the money for his family. Kiyoshi is known as a filial, a good son who follows and lives by his parents values. Although Kiyoshi in no way should be responsible to pay his parents debt, but did not want to go against his tradition.

All I Asking For Is My Body, Part III, Dialogue

The Meaning of the title "All I Asking For is my Body"

Tosh, who states All I asking for is my body is not only referring to his family situation in regards to tradition but also to his personal life. Tosh, in his culture is meant to be fulfill the requirements of being a filial, in other words he is to uphold respect for his parents by repaying debt. Tosh's parents are in debt due to his grandfathers debt. Tosh's parents live almost paycheck to paycheck and are barely making ends meet. In order for Tosh to bay pack this debt it will take years. He will be unable to start his own family since he will be spending so much time repaying back the debt that was not his. And, by living on this plantation its almost impossible to pay this money back.

When Tosh says all he wants is his body, I think he is speaking about his youthfulness. He doesnt want to be 40 or 50 years old when he is ready financially to start a family. And, in order to fulfil the filial tradition this is how long it will take.

Writing Topic: Chapter 51

Since last time I chose to read and write about plagarism, I figured knowing how to evaulate your sources would be a good idea. Therefore this week, I picked Chapter 51 which focuses on how to evaluate resources. First off, you have to get a well broad idea of what you are researching. You have to know what you are looking for in order to get the sources you need. Then, when browsing through all the resources that will come up, especailly online through servers, or periodicals you must pick the ones that will benefit you. Briefly read through them, evaluate the information including the source and the organization it comes from. You always want to make sure the information you are citing benefits your argument and that its a current article. Outdated articles from 20 years ago will not be a valid sources for a current topic. Also learned the difference between primary sources and secondary sources.

I found this chapter helpful and interesting as it gave great information on how to evaluate a resource. When I type in my sources into google or yahoo, thousands of related articles come up. With the information I have learned in this chapter, Im now able to narrow my searches to resources that will help me in my writting and/or argument.

Week 14 All I Asking For Is My Body, Part I, Dialogue

Makot, is a young teenager who lives in Hawaii with his family. His family is the only Filipino family inside the Japanese camp. Not only does his family have the known factor that they dont share the same ethnicity of the others, his parents are outcasts of the camp. His mother is a well known prostitute and his father is always absent. His family always seems to have more money than the others, and this causes talk within the camp.

Makot, is unable to be friends with kids his own age, due to the fact that kids his own age are not allowed to be friends with him due to his parents poor status in the community. Kiyo, one of Makots friends actually confronted Makot with the fact that he no longer can be friends with him due to his mother and father. It didnt take much from Makot to get the point that the community looks at his family so horribly.

I feel extremely sorry for Makot. Yes, he does treat his mother poorly. Yes, he does disrespect his parents and unappropiately handle certain situations. But, his parents are at fault for his wrong doings since they are so absent in his life. I believe Makot is acting out due to his lack of affection from his own parents.

WEek 13: Rough Draft of Essay 3

Lovey, a young Hawaiian girl is often seen referring and comparing herself to people or images seen in mass media. She comes from a lower class family, lacks a formal education and yet is still able to find comical relief in her life. She has a very sharp way of thinking and is able to add humor to her daily activities. She takes images in the media like Shirley Temple, rich kids on contestant shows, Oompah Loomphas and compares herself to these images, only to end up with a feeling of low self esteem. She finds herself lacking in many areas, mainly physical beauty due to what she sees on the television. Lovey takes what she sees in the media and incorporates this information to what she is not.
In the short article, “Happy Endings,” Lovey is infatuated with Shirley Temple. From her hair, lips, bright eyes to her very own happy ending. Lovey wants to be just like her and even mimic her lifestyle. Lovey and her best friend Jerry watched Shirley Temple movies every Sunday and would often mimic their own happy endings. Lovey states, “ And I used to wish I was just like her, with perfect blond ringlets, and pink cheeks, pout lips, bright eyes and a happy Ending every Sunday…” Lovey jokes that her own happy ending would involve her never having to attend Sunday school and her and Jerry lost in New York City. Shirley Temple and the way Lovey idolizes and compares herself to her is just another way the media points out what Lovey is missing.
Lovey comes from a lower class family, and although happy and compassionate about one another, large income is a lacking factor. Lovey’s envies the “rich Honolulu kids” in the television contestant show The Checkers and Pogo Show. Lovey states that’s there’s no way she’d ever be able to go on the show due to lack of money. She says “What I would give to be there sitting on those wooden bleachers in the studios of Channel 9 with all those rich Honolulu boys and girls.” She longs to be those kids and actually states “Maybe I could be the Merry Unbirthday girl.” These rich Honolulu kids are just another representation in the media that Lovey compares herself to.
What Lovey sees in the media negatively shapes her own identity. Like many girls her age, she is constantly measuring herself up to unrealistic characteristics and only can focus on what she does have, like income, education, beauty, clothing, etc. This comparison of herself and images in the media continue to affect her everyday life which is seen when Lovey compared herself to a fellow classmate, Pillis. “If I were a girls size 12, I figure she must be a girls size 6. So small. Sometimes I wish I could have a sweater with a chain like hers.” ( Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers). She also calls herself Oompah Loompah due to the Toni perm her mother gave her. Lovey stated, “I want curly, fine baby hair. I want Mary Magdalene wavy hair. I want to look like an angel.” Even Lovey’s mother plays into the images seen on television, stating to Lovey “When I pau, you gonna look just like Farrah Faucett or if you change your look, Angie Dickinson or if you put ringlets, just like Shirley Temple.” But, instead of beautiful curly fine baby hair, Lovey was given an Afro. She says “Not like Shirley Temple but tighter. Like get Christie Love. Frizzy and borinki.” There is not one positive image that Lovey has described that has made a positive influence to herself image.

This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizona

For this weeks dialogue I chose a quote from the reading and will write my critical response to it.

Once their travels come to an end and they arive to the reservation, Thomas goes into a long story about what he's going to do with Victors dads ashes. He states that Victors father will rise like a salmon. Victor states " I was planning on doing the same thing with my half, but I didnt imagine my father looking anything like a salmon. I thought it'd be like cleaning the attic or something. Like letting things go after they've stopped having any use." Thomas states: "Nothing stops, cousing, nothing stops."

Victor has not had a relationship with his father in numerous years. He has unresolved problems with his father due to the fact that he left him and the rest of his family on the reservation. Therefore, Victor seems to feel his relationship with his father has stopped having any use. But Thomas makes a good point, yes his father has passed on and a relationship living is unatainable. But, a relationship with him gone, is still possible. He can let go of his harsh feelings and forgive. The memories, feelings, pain, happiness and all those emotions and feelings will never end, it will never stop.

Smoke Signals- Relationship of Victor and Thomas

Victor and Thomas developed a strong relationship after they took a road trip together to Arizona to pick up the ashes of Victor’s father. The beginning of the boys connection began at a young age when Victor’s dad actually saved Thomas life by rescuing him from a fire. As they grew up it seemed like Victor was the more reserved one, almost getting annoyed by Thomas at times, while Thomas was the more outgoing, storytelling type. What kepy their bond strong, even when at times this bond was not visible was their poor relationships with their fathers. Victors father, Joseph left him at a young age and Thomas father died at a young age. They both lacked a father figure, and turned to each other for support. The boys trip to Arizona was full of arguments, actually Victor getting annoyed of Thomas by his story telling and his liking of a female they found along the way. In the end, Victor actually gives Thomas part of his father ashes. Thomas was thankful for Victors father, cared for his father and was thankful to take such a intimate part of somebody.