Welcome to our final topic of Unveiling Literature. In this topic, we are going to discuss the term “Global” in Literature. In the definition of global, it refers to the whole world. In Literature, we relate to the writers because we have somewhat experienced similar situations and thus making the authors memorable and likable. I like to call this “The Human Experience”. In this final blog entry we are going to discuss the final four selected readings and their themes. Let’s begin…
The Perforated Sheet
In this reading, the Perforated Sheet, the main character focuses on his Grandfather that tried to find his identity in religion. Because his nose was too big, he kept hitting when he prostrated himself before God. He felt angered and did not practice the Way of Islam. After so many years, he tried again but still had the same problem. He felt some kind of resolve and then the writer went on the journey of his grandfather’s past and who he knew. To make a long story short, it seems like he found a kindred spirit with the women wrestlers and their father.
Theme
The theme is blended cultures. A man that was trying to fit in in the country of India. The writer had us go through a journey through his grandfather’s lifetime. Overall, the grandfather found a place of belonging and he was happy. It was in that moment when he was examining Mr. Ghani’s daughter that he accepted himself and his insecurities faded away.
Analysis: https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/midnights-children/analysis/the-perforated-sheet
Girl
In this reading, Girl, the mother is teaching her daughter how to become a woman. She warns her about not becoming a woman of shame. She taught her how to wash her clothes and undergarments. She taught her how to treat men that she liked and men that she didn’t like. She even told her to be careful around the black birds.
Theme
The theme is the universal education of children being taught by their mothers. It may not be the same teachings that every mother teaches their children. However, the overall idea of a mother that teaches her daughter how to become a woman and how to behave properly in society and the daughter will carry on her mother’s teachings to her children.
Analysis: http://panmore.com/analysis-jamaica-kincaid-girl
Wedding
At The Cross
This reading, “Wedding At The Cross”, is about a couple that was very much so in love. Wariuki, one of the main characters, loved Miriamu. He wanted to get his father-in-law consent to marry his daughter. However, he didn’t have the money. Because of this he went on a quest to make money so he could finally have his father-in-law’s consent to marry his daughter. However, he lost himself and became hardened in his heart. He ended up losing his wife because she was not in love with the man he had become but the man he was ashamed of being.
Theme
The theme in this is the loss of identity. Wariuki was lost in the ways of the European people. His father was also in love with those ways. All in all, the father-in-law just wanted to make sure that his daughter was well taken care of. Overall, Miriamu loved Wariuki the way that he was. He continued to work hard and scaled his business. However, he lost his true soul’s identity and he lost his wife as well.
Book
One of “Omeros”
This story was a little weird. The reflection of Book One of “Omeros”, Achille traveled to the Caribbean Sea to reach a resolve. However, he quickly understood that money would not be enough for the woman that he was looking for. He could not find her in the sea. He drowned in the end of Book One, but he saw other bodies that have been in the sea for centuries. Of Portuguese captains.
Theme
The theme is a Caribbean man called Achille going into the depths of the sea. The blended identity comes from having a European mindset in a way of exploring and diving into the sea. However, he was not as experienced in the sea as most divers and ended up being in the sea upon death, mainly for diving too deep.
Analysis: https://academics.eckerd.edu/facultywiki/index.php/OMEROS:BOOK_ONE
What Will The Students Learn From This?
As the students look at the readings they will understand the more blended cultures of the the 20th Century. Remember in the Blog Entry of Early 20th Century China? How they went from a more philosophical approach in Ancient China to one that was more psychological in the Early 20th Century? There is influence everywhere. So for their reflection, I would like for the students to write a 5 part essay about global influence in Literature. They can use all of the reading all the way up to now to capture the human experience in those readings and write about them.
Pop Culture Relation
The
movie that is perfect at blending cultures is Ramen Girl. A girl from
America goes to Japan to live with her boyfriend. However, her
boyfriend leaves for Osaka and she wants to stay in Tokyo. So she
decided to wait for him. Depressed, she goes inside of a Ramen shop.
Impressed by the Japanese chef’s cooking, she becomes an apprentice
to him. He eventually teaches her how to cook. Its a really good
movie and it is a perfect blend of Eastern and Western culture. Give
it a shot!
Trailer: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0806165/
References
Puchner, Martin. (2013). The Norton Anthology of World Literature. https://digital.wwnorton.com/worldlit3v2
Shmoop. (2021). Midnight’s Children: The Perforated Sheet Study Guide. https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/midnights-children/analysis/the-perforated-sheet
Rosenthal, Pamela. (2020). Analysis of Jamaica Kincaid’s Girl. http://panmore.com/analysis-jamaica-kincaid-girl
Zunic, Hannah. (2020). The Importance of “Wedding At The Cross” by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o. https://www.readinghasruinedmylife.com/post/the-importance-of-wedding-at-the-cross-by-ngugi-wa-thiong-o
Eckerd. (2021). OMEROS: BOOK ONE.
https://academics.eckerd.edu/facultywiki/index.php/OMEROS:BOOK_ONE
Bridges, Carmen. (2021). Reflection Sheet: Global Influence In Literature. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e1OCvsGBJ4qEERV2Amu8oP3jEZKLIMd0t3v-wqzjFVw/edit?usp=sharing
Topol, Becca. (2008). The Ramen Girl. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0806165/
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