This is an excellent story of a Hawaiian Japanese American boy who is coming of age during World War II, and also a dirt poor time of working class Hawaiians. I found this to be a heart breaking story of this teenage boy who has a longing of a life of his own, but instead he is faced with huge debts that his parents left him with because of their misfortune and bad decisions and also the poor labor conditions.
All characters in this story struggle I noticed but they seem to persist on with family loyalty, guts and humor. I feel the title and story has an aspect that is about a coming-of-age, the internal struggles of a Japanese family or Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans). The title is about finding the old ways grating and confining but yet also finding pride in heritage as Tosh, does one of the main characters. Kiyoshi, the other main character is more comfortable in the divide between the Hawaiians and Japanese divide and just wants to understand the good points of the old ways, but knows his generation is different. Tosh is the one who says, “All I asking for is my body” which is an emotional statement. I also feel that the way the title is worded is due to the author, Murayama who kept traditional English, but much of the dialogue is Hawaiian pidgin Creole, which captures to me the difference between the ways the issei and Nisei communicate as well as strongly but subtly shows the divide between the two cultures and the life on the Hawaiian plantation which is another draw that I feel is related to the title of this book. The title fascinates me because it gives a realistic way to see races pit against one another to benefit corporations milling cane, this also resonates in today’s political world.
Segregation by debt is depicted in this story well, as well as keeping poor in their place being shown such as Kiyoshi’s family as they are trapped in their massive debt and low wages and also resembles the title. Tosh too supports the title as it is shown he is suffocated as if he is in prison, both boys reactions are varied but yet the complexity of their emotions are reflected in the story which reflects the title.
Concluding that the title captures Japanese-American experience in Hawaii, plantation life, reactions to Pearl Harbor bombing, the traditional Japanese family system and the confidence the characters have in themselves. This is displayed in Kiyoshi as he has a very strong family community structure around him.
This book is very well told in the eyes of perceptive Nisei who are in difficult situations and forced to make tough choices and completely reflects the title for me because of this as well as it gives a feel of living through your ancestors and just wanting your own title.
Lastly, this book and title truly are a power of emotions for the reader as to how a man is in search of himself.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
All I Asking For Is My Body, Part II, Dialogue
Why does Kiyoshi believe Obaban is a substitute for his mom?
I believe Kiyoshi gets the idea that Obaban is a substitute for his mom from his mother’s belief in superstitions, she thinks if someone gets away with a bad deed then someone is going to pay for it and not necessarily the person who committed the bad deed this person somehow replaces them she believes. This is also where the term “substitute comes from in the book.
Kiyoshi’s mother becomes very ill and is hospitalized; he is to look after her and the younger children while his father is fishing. Obanan seems to be the one who lifts his mother’s spirits as she is doing poorly. Obanan goes onto to tell Kiyoshi about bachi, which means doing something bad and getting away with it. Obanan then says that if his mother can find a substitute to take her place of death because of her bad luck she may be freed from it before it is too late.
Kiyoshi’s mother than explains her substitute theory to him at this time thinking she was near death. She tells Kiyoshi that she is next in line in her family to die because she believes that it happens in fours. Kiyoshi’s uncle died from tuberculosis, his grandmother from grief, and his grandfather from a stroke, so she thinks it is now her turn in the family line. She went on to explain that it is receiving the punishment for someone’s bad deeds in her family which Kiyoshi believes her.
Almost near her death Kiyoshi receives bad news and finds out that Obanan died of a stroke and not his mother. He is relieved and in the story we read that she becomes better and this concluded that what she told Kiyoshi is true in that Obaban took her place and died as her substitute for someone’s sins.
I believe Kiyoshi gets the idea that Obaban is a substitute for his mom from his mother’s belief in superstitions, she thinks if someone gets away with a bad deed then someone is going to pay for it and not necessarily the person who committed the bad deed this person somehow replaces them she believes. This is also where the term “substitute comes from in the book.
Kiyoshi’s mother becomes very ill and is hospitalized; he is to look after her and the younger children while his father is fishing. Obanan seems to be the one who lifts his mother’s spirits as she is doing poorly. Obanan goes onto to tell Kiyoshi about bachi, which means doing something bad and getting away with it. Obanan then says that if his mother can find a substitute to take her place of death because of her bad luck she may be freed from it before it is too late.
Kiyoshi’s mother than explains her substitute theory to him at this time thinking she was near death. She tells Kiyoshi that she is next in line in her family to die because she believes that it happens in fours. Kiyoshi’s uncle died from tuberculosis, his grandmother from grief, and his grandfather from a stroke, so she thinks it is now her turn in the family line. She went on to explain that it is receiving the punishment for someone’s bad deeds in her family which Kiyoshi believes her.
Almost near her death Kiyoshi receives bad news and finds out that Obanan died of a stroke and not his mother. He is relieved and in the story we read that she becomes better and this concluded that what she told Kiyoshi is true in that Obaban took her place and died as her substitute for someone’s sins.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Week 14 Rules for Writers
I chose to give an overview of the chapters I found extremely helpful throughout the course in Diana Hackers, Rules for Writers book. The chapters I found most helpful were the ones dealing with writing research papers. The book gave specific guidelines and examples to help me through the research and arguing to construct an organized paper.
One of the areas in the book was Chapter 46 on constructing arguments which advises on how to construct a paper including the arguments. The chapter gives suggestions on how to backup the argument with facts and expert opinions with examples of papers which was extremely helpful to me because then I could see how the suggestions were used.
Chapter 47 I learned how to evaluate arguments and tactics writers use to argue their points. I think being able to see writers evaluate each other’s arguments and suggestions on avoiding pitfalls helped me to improve in these areas, especially because it offered specific arguments so that I could determine the problems of the arguments.
Chapter 48 was also helpful on conducting research, by helping you pick a topic and determine a research strategy. The book shows traditional and non-traditional sources of information, as well as suggestions on how to narrow a search when looking on the internet to write your paper.
The chapter I found the most valuable was chapter 49 evaluating sources, it gave specific guidelines on determining how valuable information is for my topic and how realiable the information is to my topic by giving a checklist to help me through writing my paper.
All these chapters gave specific information to easily and clearly help me from picking my topic, developing my arguments to researching the topic and being able to backup the topic with reliable sources. I will hang on to this book for future use.
One of the areas in the book was Chapter 46 on constructing arguments which advises on how to construct a paper including the arguments. The chapter gives suggestions on how to backup the argument with facts and expert opinions with examples of papers which was extremely helpful to me because then I could see how the suggestions were used.
Chapter 47 I learned how to evaluate arguments and tactics writers use to argue their points. I think being able to see writers evaluate each other’s arguments and suggestions on avoiding pitfalls helped me to improve in these areas, especially because it offered specific arguments so that I could determine the problems of the arguments.
Chapter 48 was also helpful on conducting research, by helping you pick a topic and determine a research strategy. The book shows traditional and non-traditional sources of information, as well as suggestions on how to narrow a search when looking on the internet to write your paper.
The chapter I found the most valuable was chapter 49 evaluating sources, it gave specific guidelines on determining how valuable information is for my topic and how realiable the information is to my topic by giving a checklist to help me through writing my paper.
All these chapters gave specific information to easily and clearly help me from picking my topic, developing my arguments to researching the topic and being able to backup the topic with reliable sources. I will hang on to this book for future use.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
All I Asking for is My Body Week 14
All I Asking For Is My Body
Who is Makot? Do you feel sorry for him? What are your thoughts about him and the way he copes with his parents?
Makot is a teenage boy living in Pepelau, Hawaii with his parents they are a traditional Japanese family who migrated to the sugar plantation; he is also the main character of the story. Makot finds himself always hanging out with kids much younger than him, like Kiyosh. Makot comes from a wealthy family and seems to like to spend money on his group of friends and because of this I believe is the reason no one his age will hang out with him, they make fun of him and his family. There seems to be an oddity about Makot, he is always having his group of friends over for dinner. This is when Kiyoshi acquired the feeling that Makot’s parents act very strange and told his folks and they responded by saying that Makot’s parents are bad people and live a questionable life.
Makot appears to me to be somewhat childish, this could possibly be because his parents do not spend a lot of time with him as well as check up on what is doing, he seems to run free a lot. This could also be why his behavior toward his parents is arrogant and angered. I believe that Makot learned this behavior from his parents they are not a good role model and therefore the way they act or treat him affects the way Makot treats them. I also think this is why no one Makot’s age wants to be friends with him, which I find very sad.
Kiyoshi’s mother feels Makot is a bad influence and knows that he is getting caught up in the ideas that Makot introduced him to and they are not traditional ways she feels. Eventually, Kiyoshi has to tell Makot he cannot play with him anymore.
I think that Makot is losing his friends either because he is trying to buy them or because his parents are not approved of either way it seems there is always separation because of social -economic status.
Who is Makot? Do you feel sorry for him? What are your thoughts about him and the way he copes with his parents?
Makot is a teenage boy living in Pepelau, Hawaii with his parents they are a traditional Japanese family who migrated to the sugar plantation; he is also the main character of the story. Makot finds himself always hanging out with kids much younger than him, like Kiyosh. Makot comes from a wealthy family and seems to like to spend money on his group of friends and because of this I believe is the reason no one his age will hang out with him, they make fun of him and his family. There seems to be an oddity about Makot, he is always having his group of friends over for dinner. This is when Kiyoshi acquired the feeling that Makot’s parents act very strange and told his folks and they responded by saying that Makot’s parents are bad people and live a questionable life.
Makot appears to me to be somewhat childish, this could possibly be because his parents do not spend a lot of time with him as well as check up on what is doing, he seems to run free a lot. This could also be why his behavior toward his parents is arrogant and angered. I believe that Makot learned this behavior from his parents they are not a good role model and therefore the way they act or treat him affects the way Makot treats them. I also think this is why no one Makot’s age wants to be friends with him, which I find very sad.
Kiyoshi’s mother feels Makot is a bad influence and knows that he is getting caught up in the ideas that Makot introduced him to and they are not traditional ways she feels. Eventually, Kiyoshi has to tell Makot he cannot play with him anymore.
I think that Makot is losing his friends either because he is trying to buy them or because his parents are not approved of either way it seems there is always separation because of social -economic status.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Extra Credit week 13 Dartmouth's Program Writing About Film
“Extra Credit Dartmouth’s Writing Program on Writing About Film”
By Daye Richardson April 23, 2011
English 100 Section # 8736 Instructor: Servais
"Other cultures and nations have different values and so produce different sorts of films. Sometimes these films baffle us. We might watch a French film, for example, and wonder why it's funny. Or we might watch a Russian film and wonder why the director never calls for a close up. These observations are in fact excellent starting places. Consider differences. Find out if these differences reflect something about the national character, or if they reflect trends in the national cinema. You may find that you have something interesting to say."
—Dartmouth Writing Program, Writing about Film
In this extra credit assignment I took a look at Dartmouth’s writing program on writing about film which I found very helpful. This program contains a number of materials that answer a very important question about what an academic paper is as well as provide information on researching topics for writing.
I found it useful that this program was designed in categories of writing and getting to know glossary terms. The categories included: writing academically academically which was about starting the paper and having a critical eye, in humanities which explains how to write with tools for a art history-English-film-music-religion or philosophy paper, in social sciences gives great hints on the biology and chemistry of the paper, writing about sciences explains a lot of the same tools and advice for social science but without a social environment, and finally in special tasks which basically gives you hints on using English as a second language in writing, overcoming disabilities, how to write for a job or professional audience and which I found interesting was the writing a graduate school application.
This glossary of categories is referred back to many times throughout the program to use when analyzing movies before, during and after viewing them. This program discusses how to analyze the film in a review and a comprehensive analysis. Different types of film papers that can be written was pointed out, along with analyzing behind the scenes, sequence of parts of the film, the lighting and the history of the film to use in writing a paper about film.
The program talks about writing tips, which I found a great tool to store for myself and how not to write the paper as a review by using the word “I” and do not limit as you write in discussion of plot characters.
Throughout this program I learned at ways to look at and analyze movies and how the author suggests doing research on writing a paper. What I found is that looking at the reviews of certain films and what the director’s style is in film making was critical in analyzing a film to write a paper.
I found it helpful and well noted for future use on the information given on writing about film and the suggestions on writing from fellow students which to me is using the critiquing to help write a final paper. This program also addressed how to come up with a topic for a paper, developing your thesis, structure with logic and argument which were main points that I reviewed in this program and will take with me for future use.
Concluding that the main helpful tips of this program for me were the writing tips in writing about film being no different than other kinds of humanities papers was very useful and they included Don’t simply summarize a film or summarize camera angles or editing techniques, don’t limit yourself in talking about plot and characters, and lastly avoid using “I” so that you don’t fall into a review in writing your paper.
The last point that was stated was as prevalent that film is in our lives when writing about it we must find a familiarity with the film or this will present the greatest challenge when writing a paper. We also must recognize the invisible aspects about the film and then proceed as I mentioned above in writing the kind of paper you want to write about the film.
By Daye Richardson April 23, 2011
English 100 Section # 8736 Instructor: Servais
"Other cultures and nations have different values and so produce different sorts of films. Sometimes these films baffle us. We might watch a French film, for example, and wonder why it's funny. Or we might watch a Russian film and wonder why the director never calls for a close up. These observations are in fact excellent starting places. Consider differences. Find out if these differences reflect something about the national character, or if they reflect trends in the national cinema. You may find that you have something interesting to say."
—Dartmouth Writing Program, Writing about Film
In this extra credit assignment I took a look at Dartmouth’s writing program on writing about film which I found very helpful. This program contains a number of materials that answer a very important question about what an academic paper is as well as provide information on researching topics for writing.
I found it useful that this program was designed in categories of writing and getting to know glossary terms. The categories included: writing academically academically which was about starting the paper and having a critical eye, in humanities which explains how to write with tools for a art history-English-film-music-religion or philosophy paper, in social sciences gives great hints on the biology and chemistry of the paper, writing about sciences explains a lot of the same tools and advice for social science but without a social environment, and finally in special tasks which basically gives you hints on using English as a second language in writing, overcoming disabilities, how to write for a job or professional audience and which I found interesting was the writing a graduate school application.
This glossary of categories is referred back to many times throughout the program to use when analyzing movies before, during and after viewing them. This program discusses how to analyze the film in a review and a comprehensive analysis. Different types of film papers that can be written was pointed out, along with analyzing behind the scenes, sequence of parts of the film, the lighting and the history of the film to use in writing a paper about film.
The program talks about writing tips, which I found a great tool to store for myself and how not to write the paper as a review by using the word “I” and do not limit as you write in discussion of plot characters.
Throughout this program I learned at ways to look at and analyze movies and how the author suggests doing research on writing a paper. What I found is that looking at the reviews of certain films and what the director’s style is in film making was critical in analyzing a film to write a paper.
I found it helpful and well noted for future use on the information given on writing about film and the suggestions on writing from fellow students which to me is using the critiquing to help write a final paper. This program also addressed how to come up with a topic for a paper, developing your thesis, structure with logic and argument which were main points that I reviewed in this program and will take with me for future use.
Concluding that the main helpful tips of this program for me were the writing tips in writing about film being no different than other kinds of humanities papers was very useful and they included Don’t simply summarize a film or summarize camera angles or editing techniques, don’t limit yourself in talking about plot and characters, and lastly avoid using “I” so that you don’t fall into a review in writing your paper.
The last point that was stated was as prevalent that film is in our lives when writing about it we must find a familiarity with the film or this will present the greatest challenge when writing a paper. We also must recognize the invisible aspects about the film and then proceed as I mentioned above in writing the kind of paper you want to write about the film.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Week 13 Essay 3 Workshop
What role does forgiveness play in smoke signals?
I wanted to start this essay with the part where Victor, a young Native American boy, is asked by his parents who his favorite Indian is and he replies “nobody”…of course they didn’t believe that answer nor settle for it. They asked him several more times and he kept saying, “nobody”, until he replied for the last time with a yell “Nobody!” He grew up not trusting people; he carries a lot of bitterness and hopelessness. This leads me into why I chose how forgiveness plays a role in this particular film.
Forgiveness is strongly portrayed in the part where Victor throws his father’s ashes off the bridge into the river and lets out his primal scream, but what I noticed that is also conveyed in this part is Victor is also able to let go of the bitterness and hopelessness he has carried with him his whole life since childhood. What ties forgiveness all together in this film is the last line of the movie showing Thomas asking “if we forgive our fathers, what is left?” This line is an adaption of the film, which makes me wonder why it is so hard forgiving those that are closest to us and usually it isn’t until they are no longer living and then we realize how much it helps, just as Victor experienced and revealed through this film. I believe that forgiveness gives us freedom and love possibly without the stigma of “daddy” that weighs us down. The last line in the film portraying forgiveness is taken from the poem written by Dick Lourie, called “forgiving our Fathers”. Lourie, is a self-described beatnik poet that brought a beauty to the motional climax of this film through his poem.
(Referenced website:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080627084016AAbcdTe)
I must say the film also coaxed my response out, of emotional abandonment I have with my father, so as I sat watching, crying out as if a blubbering-fest was taken place, I found that I had something in common with Victor self-reconciliation. I truly felt the movie tenderly moved through love, pain and hopelessness through twisted past and present scenes so well, you can see in these scenes how the emotions were faced and felt by Victor and Thomas, I too sat there watching and experiencing them within myself.
Watching this film I could see the alienation and reconciliation displayed through the Native American eyes of Victor and Thomas as they begin the film toward understanding of two opposites shared on common culture land.
Victor had to forgive the years of abuse and alcoholism that destroyed his family as it raged through his life from his father, until he separated from his mother and eventually his father died in a fire. This is also depicted in the beginning of the film narrated by Thomas of children who are born of fire and ash. Then the film opens up displaying the struggle Victor undergoes facing his past and recovering his lost identity from the personal effects of his father in a warrior role he takes on a journey with his friend Thomas in a sensitive manner.
This film is a depiction of contemporary Native American culture through a journey of Thomas and Victor Joseph’s lives woven together that leads us through the film with keen understanding of a sensitivity of universal human emotion and social commentary with love, regret, pain and forgiveness which can be related to and not just that but that these characters show moments of humor, sadness through the past and present that we understand. Both of these boys learn acceptance, human compassion, perseverance understanding and forgiveness in which is sad and comforting in this film and also opened me up to care about them. I too compared my life experiences of learning to accept and forgive my father with compassion and understanding to let go and go on with my life.
The forgiveness shown in this film certainly made me think, I wondered if Victor needed to find forgiveness for his father because his father could not forgive himself for the life he gave his family, which certainly gave me heavy thoughts into my own life of suffering of this. I also believe that by Victor forgiving his father he will then be able to move on with his own life as I have mine and possibly make his life for his children different then his own. I also thought that possibly it is us that needs to ask for forgiveness and that we are here to teach our fathers and not the other way around and we may need to find forgiveness for our fathers in our age and not in theirs or at their deaths. Forgiveness is the central theme of this movie and is important to viewers everywhere, it is about letting go and what holding on does to us and even learning to forgive the unforgivable. This film is about what has happened in our past and our present and what we become because of things our fathers did when we were young and how find forgiveness from the rage. This film has such a strong plot that triggers lost feelings of not ever understanding our fathers or ourselves because things were never expressed the way they were meant to be or things were done that couldn’t be forgiven.
This film does not receive the recognition it deserves and it seems to be largely misunderstood as it shows the quality of a very sad life on a Native American Indian reservation. I think that this movie talks to everyone about forgiveness no matter what ethnic background they may be and I think if it hadn’t been for my English teacher I may have missed watching this amazing film myself. Thank you!!
References:
1. Alexie, S. (1998). Forgiveness on movie Smoke Signals . In Smoke Signals (p.
196). English : Hyperion; 1st edition (July 1, 1998). (Reprinted from
Smoke Signals , 2008, November 21, Movie , pp. ISBN-13: 978-0786883929)
I wanted to start this essay with the part where Victor, a young Native American boy, is asked by his parents who his favorite Indian is and he replies “nobody”…of course they didn’t believe that answer nor settle for it. They asked him several more times and he kept saying, “nobody”, until he replied for the last time with a yell “Nobody!” He grew up not trusting people; he carries a lot of bitterness and hopelessness. This leads me into why I chose how forgiveness plays a role in this particular film.
Forgiveness is strongly portrayed in the part where Victor throws his father’s ashes off the bridge into the river and lets out his primal scream, but what I noticed that is also conveyed in this part is Victor is also able to let go of the bitterness and hopelessness he has carried with him his whole life since childhood. What ties forgiveness all together in this film is the last line of the movie showing Thomas asking “if we forgive our fathers, what is left?” This line is an adaption of the film, which makes me wonder why it is so hard forgiving those that are closest to us and usually it isn’t until they are no longer living and then we realize how much it helps, just as Victor experienced and revealed through this film. I believe that forgiveness gives us freedom and love possibly without the stigma of “daddy” that weighs us down. The last line in the film portraying forgiveness is taken from the poem written by Dick Lourie, called “forgiving our Fathers”. Lourie, is a self-described beatnik poet that brought a beauty to the motional climax of this film through his poem.
(Referenced website:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080627084016AAbcdTe)
I must say the film also coaxed my response out, of emotional abandonment I have with my father, so as I sat watching, crying out as if a blubbering-fest was taken place, I found that I had something in common with Victor self-reconciliation. I truly felt the movie tenderly moved through love, pain and hopelessness through twisted past and present scenes so well, you can see in these scenes how the emotions were faced and felt by Victor and Thomas, I too sat there watching and experiencing them within myself.
Watching this film I could see the alienation and reconciliation displayed through the Native American eyes of Victor and Thomas as they begin the film toward understanding of two opposites shared on common culture land.
Victor had to forgive the years of abuse and alcoholism that destroyed his family as it raged through his life from his father, until he separated from his mother and eventually his father died in a fire. This is also depicted in the beginning of the film narrated by Thomas of children who are born of fire and ash. Then the film opens up displaying the struggle Victor undergoes facing his past and recovering his lost identity from the personal effects of his father in a warrior role he takes on a journey with his friend Thomas in a sensitive manner.
This film is a depiction of contemporary Native American culture through a journey of Thomas and Victor Joseph’s lives woven together that leads us through the film with keen understanding of a sensitivity of universal human emotion and social commentary with love, regret, pain and forgiveness which can be related to and not just that but that these characters show moments of humor, sadness through the past and present that we understand. Both of these boys learn acceptance, human compassion, perseverance understanding and forgiveness in which is sad and comforting in this film and also opened me up to care about them. I too compared my life experiences of learning to accept and forgive my father with compassion and understanding to let go and go on with my life.
The forgiveness shown in this film certainly made me think, I wondered if Victor needed to find forgiveness for his father because his father could not forgive himself for the life he gave his family, which certainly gave me heavy thoughts into my own life of suffering of this. I also believe that by Victor forgiving his father he will then be able to move on with his own life as I have mine and possibly make his life for his children different then his own. I also thought that possibly it is us that needs to ask for forgiveness and that we are here to teach our fathers and not the other way around and we may need to find forgiveness for our fathers in our age and not in theirs or at their deaths. Forgiveness is the central theme of this movie and is important to viewers everywhere, it is about letting go and what holding on does to us and even learning to forgive the unforgivable. This film is about what has happened in our past and our present and what we become because of things our fathers did when we were young and how find forgiveness from the rage. This film has such a strong plot that triggers lost feelings of not ever understanding our fathers or ourselves because things were never expressed the way they were meant to be or things were done that couldn’t be forgiven.
This film does not receive the recognition it deserves and it seems to be largely misunderstood as it shows the quality of a very sad life on a Native American Indian reservation. I think that this movie talks to everyone about forgiveness no matter what ethnic background they may be and I think if it hadn’t been for my English teacher I may have missed watching this amazing film myself. Thank you!!
References:
1. Alexie, S. (1998). Forgiveness on movie Smoke Signals . In Smoke Signals (p.
196). English : Hyperion; 1st edition (July 1, 1998). (Reprinted from
Smoke Signals , 2008, November 21, Movie , pp. ISBN-13: 978-0786883929)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
"This is What it means to say Phoenix Arizona" Dialogue
Are you more impressed with the film or the story? Why?
“This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”. Some of the differences of the story and the film are that in the short story they travel to Arizona by airplane while in the film they travel by bus. Other major changes include the addition of parts in the story for the film which was possibly to increase the length for viewers. One example in the film was when Thomas and Victor walk to Victor’s Father’s home from the bus and in the book they take a taxi. Suzy Song is also in the movie and not discussed in any of the stories of the book. In addition, I noticed that they added the dialogue and actions with the part about the fry bread in the film and this is not talked about in the book at all. It seems in the film a lot of phrases, places and characters were added that were not mentioned in the book which is why I was impressed more watching the film than reading the book.
I would have to say that whether you are a book reader or a film buff, this story is a look at sometimes difficult, sometimes brilliant times of these characters lives but from printed page to the big screen both capture a remarkable story that it is hard to decide which I liked more. Although the film did include parts that were not in the book which seemed to give the story zest to me, but in the book the characters seemed more real than they did in the film.
The book has a great way of teaching the way of Native Americans and how they were treated in the past which is not much different then now. Although I feel the book is a rough draft of the story as to where the film develops into a much more interesting story.
I think the film has great actors which gave the story life much more to me than the book and this is the main reason I preferred the movie over the book, Evan Adam is brilliant as Thomas and he brought a story of Native Americans that I think is somewhat understated out in a better way through the movie than you clearly see in the book. What I found with the film that I didn’t with the book is the understanding of American Indians lives on a reservation which included: poverty, inability to improve their economic status, addiction, public alcoholism, racism and domestic violence. The scene in the film that this brings to mind is when Victor’s father lights Thomas’ parent’s home on fire being intoxicated, and the scene that shows domestic violence is highlighted by Victor’s father’s abuse to his mother. I had a better picture of the social, cultural, political and personal issues faced by American Indians living on reservations that was expressed in the film that the book didn’t seem to make as clear to me.
“This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”. Some of the differences of the story and the film are that in the short story they travel to Arizona by airplane while in the film they travel by bus. Other major changes include the addition of parts in the story for the film which was possibly to increase the length for viewers. One example in the film was when Thomas and Victor walk to Victor’s Father’s home from the bus and in the book they take a taxi. Suzy Song is also in the movie and not discussed in any of the stories of the book. In addition, I noticed that they added the dialogue and actions with the part about the fry bread in the film and this is not talked about in the book at all. It seems in the film a lot of phrases, places and characters were added that were not mentioned in the book which is why I was impressed more watching the film than reading the book.
I would have to say that whether you are a book reader or a film buff, this story is a look at sometimes difficult, sometimes brilliant times of these characters lives but from printed page to the big screen both capture a remarkable story that it is hard to decide which I liked more. Although the film did include parts that were not in the book which seemed to give the story zest to me, but in the book the characters seemed more real than they did in the film.
The book has a great way of teaching the way of Native Americans and how they were treated in the past which is not much different then now. Although I feel the book is a rough draft of the story as to where the film develops into a much more interesting story.
I think the film has great actors which gave the story life much more to me than the book and this is the main reason I preferred the movie over the book, Evan Adam is brilliant as Thomas and he brought a story of Native Americans that I think is somewhat understated out in a better way through the movie than you clearly see in the book. What I found with the film that I didn’t with the book is the understanding of American Indians lives on a reservation which included: poverty, inability to improve their economic status, addiction, public alcoholism, racism and domestic violence. The scene in the film that this brings to mind is when Victor’s father lights Thomas’ parent’s home on fire being intoxicated, and the scene that shows domestic violence is highlighted by Victor’s father’s abuse to his mother. I had a better picture of the social, cultural, political and personal issues faced by American Indians living on reservations that was expressed in the film that the book didn’t seem to make as clear to me.
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