“He didn’t talk much, at least not to me. Maybe it was the language. Mine was native English–fluid, made in America. His was borrowed and broken, a chore just to speak; Dad preferred Cebuano. The English I did hear from him I imagined he saved, hoarding words that twisted his tongue. To me, they came mostly in the form of monosyllabic blasts, barked commands to ‘do dis, Buddy… now.’ And of course, ‘dis’ got done– now, never later.” (p. 5). It’s about the language barrier between first and second generation. And it describes how that language barrier was, and I’ve never read these descriptions of the actual language barrier.
I saw the language barrier in the movie, too. But I felt awkward with father’s saying, which shows obviously broken English, in the book.
I wondered what accurate English is? Even father speak broken English, it’s English, may be called Filipino accent English. Is there anyone who correct their English? I thought that even in the same country, English is not only one. Of course, there’s various dialect in the United States. But also, various accent from other countries. I thought that all of them are accurate English.
“Although my father spoke English badly, he did it well enough to make me stammer” (pp.12, 13). This sentence represents their language barrier. The child has the advantage of English.
By Stephanie “I’ve got a future. I’m half white.” (p.19). She looked down on Buddy.
Rico
Filipinos and black music, not white music. “Filipinos always hired black bands”(p.28). Black music? What does it imply?
“White guys do it all the time. Like marriage.” (p.34). I wondered how Filipinos were felling for going to war for America and if they were feeling uncomfortable with that.
“It’s hard, ‘specially’ cause you and me are like this” (p.37). It was hard to go to the war to white. But, it might be harder for people of color.
The Second Room
Public school in the U.S. “not to advertise” and “Nothing commercial” (p.39). Education for advertisement? commercial?
“Respect- the most precious currency of the poor and colored” (p.43). How important to respect each other, to everyone, everywhere, every time, is. Through sports, we can get “respect”, whatever race, not by just fighting in public.
Recently, I participated in the volleyball league in Lacy. I was kinda afraid because I’m a foreigner. But, in sports, no one shouldn’t be eliminated whatever our race. Just play by our own style and do our best.
August 1968
Between Asian Americans, racism also exists. In this chapter, the conflicts between Chinese and Filipino was expressed.
Poverty. Poverty is related to race historically.
Home
The different issues between first generation and second generation. The second generation would get a better education and could have a better future than the first generation.
A Life Well Lived
Nostalgy. Old Filipino hoped to die in the Philipines.
Stephanie
White identity, Filipino identity, and mixed identity. How identity is created. Is it also the identity that is provided or seen by other people?