Quote #1
The swordswoman and I are not so dissimilar. May my people understand the resemblance soon so that I can return to them. What we have in common are the words at our backs. The idioms for revenge are "report a crime" and "report to five families." The reporting is the vengeance—not the beheading, not the gutting, but the words. And I have so many words—"chink" words and "gook" words too—that they do not fit on my skin.
~Page 53, Maxine
The significance of this quote is that she compares herself to a woman in a story named Fa Mu Lan. I think that the point she is trying to point out is that they both carry a lot of words. I don’t think that you can understand that well though because when she says “And I have so many words … that they do not fit on my skin” seems a bit weird.
My personal connection to this is that, I may not have words on my back, but I do know how she feels and how she has a lot of stories basically stored inside her brain that she will never forget because I have some of those inside my memory too.
Do you think you have any words weighing you down? Why or why not?
Quote #2
“When I open it, the smell of China flies out, a thousand-year-old bat flying heavy-headed out of the Chinese caverns where bats are as white as dust, a smell that comes from long ago, far back in the brain.”
~Page 57, Maxine
The significance of this quote is that she has memories of china still in her. I think remembering where you came from and what that place was like is very important to you. I mean, I would hate to live and don’t know where you came from. You need some background to have that sense of you know who you are.
My personal connection to this is that I don’t remember what Spain was like as a child. I was born there in Barcelona. I saw pictures of me as a baby who I have no memory of but last year during spring break I and my dad visited there for a couple weeks. When I went there I saw things like what hospital I was born in and where my parents had an apartment. But it was very interesting to see where I was born and what it was like living there even though it has been more than a decade since I’ve been there.
Have you seen the hospital where you were born? Is it important to you that you know where you came from?
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2 comments:
Quote 1:
I do agree with you that it would be difficult to relate to her in the sense that we did not have words carved into our backs. I do think that this would hurt A LOT if we were to have a will written on our backs. I think that she is very strong for taking the pain willingly and without hesitation.
Question 1:
Yes I do but maybe not as much as Maxine. She has really been through some hard times yet she still walks down with the street, head held high. I think that for me, I the words/phrases that weigh me down are things that are painful to my heart and things that I would prefer to forget.
Quote 2:
I totally agree with you. I do believe that China played a large role in her life. I believe that it is important to know where your home country and your cultures history. I am really glad that Maxine knew her culture and home country before emigrating to America. It gives her a better respect for herself.
Question 2:
No I don't know which hospital I was born in, or even if I was born in a hospital. I was adopted when I was 6 months old but have visited the orphanage I was taken care of in. It is important to know that I was born in a country where my biological parents had to give me up but it is heartwarming to think that they always loved me.
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