Amy Tans The Kitchen Gods Wife Essay -- Kitchen

Amy Tan's The Kitchen God's Wife      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Amy Tan's The Kitchen God's Wife is the story of a relationship between a mother and daughter that is much more than it seems. This touchingly beautiful narrative not only tells a story, but deals with many of the issues that we have discussed in Women Writers this semester. Tan addresses the issues of the inequality given women in other cultures, different cultures' expectations of women, abortion, friendship, generation gaps between mothers and daughters, mother-daughter relationships, and the strength of women in the face of adversity. Tan even sets the feminist mood with the title of the book, which refers to a woman in Chinese Mythology who cared for a selfish man who became a minor god. She pulls from her own life experiences, relatives, and emotions to write this story, a factor that probably contributes to the realness of the plot and the roundness of the characters. Tan's mother's previous marriage to an abusive man, her father's death, and her loving relationship with her relatives (specifically her mother) all show themselves in the intricately woven story of a mother named Winnie, and a daughter named Pearl, and their struggles as Chinese-American women.    Much of this story stems from Tan's love for her own mother, Daisy Ching, who gave birth to the brilliant Amy in 1952 in California. Daisy Ching, a great inspiration for this novel, has a vividly detailed recollection of her life in China which she shares with her daughter. Tan, in turn, shares some of this with her readers in The Kitchen God's Wife through the voice of the mother-figure, Winnie. Like Daisy Ching's eldest son (Amy Tan's brother), the main character, Winnie, experiences the de... ...rength will preserve her memories forever. Tan teaches her readers that women have the strength, despite the fact that society has said otherwise, to overcome all obstacles. She also shows the sad plights of our predecessors who have committed sins out of love in their oppressed existence. With the love of a mother and a daughter, both real and imaginary, Amy Tan demonstrates these three things (and more) that we have discussed this semester: women's strength in the face of adversity, the idea that taking a life is better than giving a bad one, and the incorporation of one's own experiences into writing. Tan has written a beautiful piece of literature worthy of being read by men and women alike.    Works Cited 1. Tan, Amy. The Kitchen God's Wife. Thorndike Press: Maine 1991. 2. "1st Person: Amy Tan" Http://www.sunherald.com/1ptan/html/la.htm

Arrogance or Persistance?

Sparks was In the same commercial space for over 75 years. One day in February 2006, a man entered Sparks and started measuring the doors and windows. I asked him why he was measuring my bar's door and windows. He stated, â€Å"l am planning to redecorate my new bar. † He introduced himself as Eric Hamburger, stepson of my late landlord. A couple of days later, I received an eviction letter that demanded that I remove the bar equipment and furnishings from the space in 60 days. I immediately started the process of buying a commercial building o move my bar in to.I bought a commercial building in the city of Lemon Grove. I had managed to save about $50,000. 00 while I owned Sparks. This money was earmarked for funding the Small Business Administration loan and to cover the application fees for all of the required permits and licenses. I completed all of the appropriate applications, forms, and paid the fees. I was confident that I would be in business within the 60 days that I had to move. I could not have been more wrong In my inure life. The city of Lemon Grove's Mayor, Ms. Mary awesome and the LemonGrove city council had a plan for the property that I had Just purchased. They had an agreement with Tipping Point Partners, a developer in La Jolly, to develop the property Into a mixed use mega project. I did not know that 6 months prior to my attempt to buy the property at 3496 Main Street, the Supreme Court had upheld Keel vs†¦ New London. This law allows a city to use eminent domain to redistribute personally owned real estate to develop additional tax revenue. The city of Lemon Grove intentionally denied me any permit to operate a business in Lemon Grove.The repose behind their decision was to force default on the commercial property that I had purchased. I had no legal recourse. I had to suck it up and take it. $60,000. 00 was gone before it was over. Losing the bar cost 200 points on my credit score. My liquor license and business equipment have yearly and storage fees. Devastating! Attraction's hired me and my life stabilized. My thoughts were about the way that I was treated by some selfish connected people. This made me really mad. The callous way that I was treated made me want to know how the process worked and abbey throw a monkey wrench here and there.I chose to run for San Diego City Council. My campaign budget was $1,000. 00. My wife and four of my friends became my campaign staff. It took 11 days walking in the district collecting 2000 signatures necessary to run on the ballot without paying a fee. We attended every 1 OFF for all of the offices that were up for election. There was a lot to learn about San Diego politics. It appeared as if all of the candidates were either owned by a special interest, or were powerless and ineffectual. It was apparent at the first candidate's arum who was going to win the election.Todd Gloria was next in line for the office. He was on Congresswoman Davis' staff. He was the darling of the unions, LEGIT, and the tourism industries. He had 26 endorsements one year prior to the race. Man, was he connected! Money was no object in making Mr†¦ Gloria a city councilman. This fact shaped my strategy. I chose to use my candidacy as a pulpit to be completely honest and bring issues up that I thought needed to be addressed. Some of the positions that I took during the election was placing grid tie solar electric systems on every city owned building.San Diego Gas & Electric was not happy about that. That did not matter, they endorsed Todd Gloria. I received a standing ovation at Earth Day in Balboa Park for advocating the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes. This reaction caused Todd Gloria to restate his position from zero tolerance to allowing medical marijuana legalization. Our major campaign issue was the San Diego Wastewater Treatment Plant in Point Loam. This wastewater treatment plant is not currently up to code in the National Pollution Disch arge Permitting Elimination System.In 2008, most people did not see the coming secession and were making money by overdeveloping every market and resource in San Diego. My campaign staff was working for ideas back then that are popular now. We did not win the election. We received 7. 8% of the vote. We felt like we made a big difference. I have used this experience to mentor and coach every person who is serious about making a change in their political leadership. Being perceived as arrogant is not a bad thing. You don't have to win an election to be a winner. Ideas are contagious. You do make a difference, sometimes a small one I grant you, but you do make a difference.

Explication of “Siren Song” by Margaret Atwood Essay

Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Siren Song† is a lyric that consists of nine three-lined stanzas that neither possess any recognizable rhyme scheme nor rhythm. The speaker of this poem is a mythical creature, a Siren, who addresses us, the audience, when she speaks of the victims whom she lured through the enticing song she sings. The overall tone of this poem is sarcastic and quite sinister. The title itself immediately depicts the theme and speaker of the poem. The whole poem is an example of classical allusion, referring to Homer’s Odyssey. The Sirens within the Odyssey are said to be captivating women who sit on an island and lure men with their tantalizing song and beautiful voices, causing them to jump out of their ships and die. The title of the poem forewarns us, and with a name like â€Å"Siren†, the audience should comprehend its literal meaning: â€Å"Danger! Warning! Avoid if you can!†, but we, as readers, want to know more about the Siren’s song, anyway. With naà ¯ve arrogance, we approach the subject, thinking we are strong enough to turn away if things take a turn for the worse, after all, it is just a song. In the first three stanzas, the Siren introduces and briskly elaborates on her tempting song. â€Å"This is the one song everyone would like to learn: the song that is irresistible†, she says. She begins to lure us into her trap as we become curious as to why the song is so compelling. The Siren explains how men jump overboard after hearing her song, even though they see the skulls that are scattered around the island. Most would think that this is an obvious indication as to the outcome for the â€Å"squadrons [of men]† as well. Her song is one that â€Å"nobody knows because anyone who has heard it is dead†, which should also deter the audience from wanting to hear her song, but we are still, of course, tempted. These first three stanzas serve as an â€Å"alluring warning†, in a sense. Through the next five stanzas, she continues to say that if we assist her â€Å"out of [her] bird suit†, she â€Å"shall tell [us] the secret†. We are left, curiously, to find out what the secret is. The image of a â€Å"bird suit† is a symbol for the conformity the Siren endures, or rather, what she wants us to believe she endures. She says she doesn’t enjoy â€Å"squatting on [an] island, looking picturesque and mythical, with two [other] maniacs†. She makes us believe that all she wants is to be freed from being trapped in her â€Å"bird suit†. She tries to convince us to â€Å"come closer†, and continues to make us feel special, saying that we are â€Å"unique†, and that â€Å"only [we]† can help her. She insists that her song is really â€Å"a cry for help†, and that she’ll tell us her secret – all we have to do is lean in and continue to listen to her tantalizing song. â€Å"Alas it is a boring song but it works every time†, says the Siren in the final stanza. Her song, her cries for help – they all have been a ploy to lure in her next victims. Maybe, her promise to reveal her secret was kept, after all. Perhaps her secret was the fact that her song will always work. She describes her song as â€Å"boring†, and seems almost amused with the outcome of her trap, as though her devious ways are second nature. Regrettably, however, we fell victims to her conniving personality and enthralling song, even after being warned from the moment we read the title. â€Å"Siren Song† by Margaret Atwood is a beautiful poem that cleverly describes the method the Siren uses to catch her victims. The poem takes on a sinister and seductive nature, which leaves us to be quite the opposite of â€Å"unique† – another victim of the Sirens.