Eye-Opener: Memo

While reading the text I have been pondering this very same question. Dr. Wendland mentioned how this book is Chinese Literature, but it seems it has a western influence and was written for a western audience. I think this is evident in the text of the book.

In this book I think that one difficulty is that the book is considered a Chinese novel, but in actuality the writer spent many years of her life in America. She left China at a young age, and had both her career and family in America. Based on my personal feelings this is both an advantage and disadvantage. It is an advantage because since the author spent so much time in America, it makes the book easily comprehensible to a western audience.

The disadvantage is often times people read multicultural literature to learn about a different culture. Although the action taking place in the book was a result of the history of China, the book did not go into great detail about the specific history. There were general details, but much was omitted to probably make the book more marketable to a western audience.

hey Jenna,

yeah I agree that her disadvantage would be being too "westernized," her work would not be totally pure Chineses literature because the west have influenced her writing and point of view.

I'm still not sure about some of the elements of chinese literature, hopefully we'll find out.