Identity and Heritage Discussed in Everyday Use and the Oriental Contingent

Michael Chuang
Professor Diamond
Gender and Minority Study – Short Stories
June 29, 2020

In both short stories, Everyday Use and the Oriental Contingent, one prominent theme revolving around the two is cultural identity, which is an often-discussed subject among people of other ethnic origins. Connie Sung, the protagonist of the Oriental Contingent, is a third-generation Chinese American who throughout the story explores her connection with the Chinese culture; Mama, the narrator of Everyday Use, quarreled with her daughter, Wangero (Dee), for holding varied views about cultural heritage, both believing that only through their own way could the heritage be properly preserved. This essay is going to discuss the idea of cultural identity and heritage in Everyday Use as well as the Oriental Contingent.

A Jolly Revisit to Narnia

Hey, happy New Year! (and happy Chinese New Year in just a few more days!)

This is a book response to the novel the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, and will mention briefly the 2005 film of the same title. Some flaws exist in this essay and therefore I do not recommend using it as any form of study material.

The Death of the Moth: Book Response

At first glance, the Death of the Moth seemed like an ordinary essay one would randomly jot down in his or her diary, some unparticularly significant matters on an unspecific day; it seems like the essay is the collective result of a mindless account of things, where nothing is organized, nor does it make any sense to me. However, after taking a closer look at the Death of the Moth, I had finally caught up with the swift thoughts of perhaps one of the most brilliant modernist writers I have ever seen to date, along with her life, her sufferings, and ultimately her death. Contrasting how little I knew when I first read this story, the finally-caught-on realization when I re-read the book 2 or 3 times, magnified my amazement, as well as my respect for Virginia Woolf, this unusually exceptional pioneer of feminism and modernism.

Winnie the Pooh — It Is Only Natural to Make Mistakes

This essay was written for my Traditions in Children’s Literature course on November 21, 2019 and it surprisingly did not suck. So I decided to put it up here.

And by the way, Merry Christmas! 🙂

Woah Busy Busy Busy!

Busy!!

It has been…well, it has been many days since the new semester started, and it seems I haven’t slowed down once. This is not a bad thing, of course, to always have your eyes on something or always in pursuit of a goal. But I also read that, being busy doesn’t necessarily translate to improvements in productivity…So, not entirely a good thing either, I guess?

I’m a Chinese Tutor in Soochow University, and I’m Proud to Be One

When I say that the one who teaches others actually receives more, I mean it.

A few weeks after I got into this university, I went to a conference where the host introduced Chinese Language Center and the Chinese tutors who voluntarily work and help foreign students on the campus. And I immediately knew I had to sign up for this.

Comparing the Different Versions of Narcissus

This article was written as one of our assignments for Introduction to Western Literature.

     Narcissus, known in Greek Mythology, was a man of striking beauty that had attracted many admirers. But to his arrogance, he disdained those who loved him and spurned them all, causing some to commit suicide, while some others calling on the goddess Nemesis to avenge him. Their prayers were answered when Narcissus was led to a forest, where he saw his own reflection in a pool. Allured by the great beauty in the water, the young hunter could not resist but gazed at his own reflection. Narcissus eventually withered away by the pool. His body disappeared and all that was left was a narcissus flower.

The Constant Struggles of Uber in Taiwan｜May. 6, 2019

This news report was written on May. 6 by Joshua Lan & me.
The following article was written for a course that my friend Joshua and I take. In the end, this assignment was canceled. However, knowing this would be a great topic to cover, I decided to keep it and further expand on the issue here.

A Brief Look into How We Speak｜Mar. 18, 2019

This story was written on Mar. 18 by me.
It’s just fascinating to think about the fact that every individual of us speaks a certain yet very distinct, fully personalized pattern of language, and have an unintentional formulation of choice of words. As far as I know, this happens in people speaking their native language, as well as foreign languages. We all tend to speak, write, and express emotions with a selection of words and phrasings that even we ourselves sometimes aren’t aware of.

Re-evaluating My Academic Performance｜Feb. 25, 2019

This story was written on Feb. 25 by me.
The first semester has officially ended and here comes the second semester. I think this is a perfect moment to reflect on all the things I’ve done right, as well as things I’ve done wrong in the first semester at college. It is re-evaluating time!