June 22 2010

Reading the first story, "The School Days of an Indian Girl," two quotes stuck out to me right away. The first one was, "I sank deep into the corner of my seat, for I resented being watched." and also, "Their mothers, instead of reproving such rude curiosity, looked closely at me, and attracted their children's further notice to my blanket. This embarrassed me and kept me constantly on the verge of tears." First, I felt sorry for her, it seemed almost like she was embarrassed of the fact that she was different that the others with "white faces. "I couldn't help but feel like she was being put on display, instead of being a human being, she was observed as some sort of weird object. I think this reiterates what we have talked a lot about in class, the uncomfortable concept of being watched and looked at.

After reading the second story, "Leaves from the mental portfolio of an Eurasian,"I got a similar feeling from when I read the first text, "The School Days of an Indian Girl." The line that caught my attention was, "For some time after our arrival, whenever we children are sent for a walk, our footsteps are dogged by a number of young French and English Canadians who amuse themselves with speculations as to whether, we being Chinese, are susceptible to pinches and hair pulling, while older persons pause and gaze upon us, very much in the same way that I have seen people gaze upon strange animals in a menagerie." I think this is very similar to the first story in the sense of being watched and observed. It's almost like these children are being treated as animals instead of actual people. I get the same feeling as the first story and how they are being put on display just for being different. I like this story a bit better though, because they seem to stand up for themselves, and act proud to be Chinese.