What is the meaning of the title?
The meaning of the title “All I asking for is my body” has an important meaning as it is a sense of begging for an escape out of an unjust situation that Toshio and Kiyoshi found themselves in. With Toshio being the number one son and a duty to fulfill his filial piety duty, he constantly lashed out about the situation out of frustration. I can just imagine the sense of suffocation and entrapment he must have felt. It appeared that there was no way out, that he would be working for years on end and never being able to chip away at his parent’s debt. His undeserving fate had him frustrated to the point of talking disrespectful to his mother and actually striking his father.
It seemed that boxing was the only way for Toshio to release his tension and proved a way of a distraction for him to carry on. He thought the only way he could come up with the $6000 was to became a successful professional boxer. He continually commented “All I asking for is my body” was an aggravation at the way the plantation work ran a person’s body down to ground. Honestly, I do not know how he was able to train so hard for boxing after working in the cane fields all day. He only wanted a chance at an education and successful life that was not full of poverty like how he had grown up in.
Yeah I think it meaans that they want their freedom, their only kids and they have to work hard everyday to pay off a debt for the families former troubles, seems a little ridiculous to me but I guess it is their family and they care about each other, I would do the same if I was in that situation its just not a very pleasent one. So I think the overall meaning of the title was literally all they want is their bodies to be able to make their own choices and desicions and have a sense of freedom.
ReplyDeleteHi Mandy -
ReplyDeleteI agree the title means Tosh and Kiyoshi wanted the right to use their bodies the way they decided to. When their father pointed out examples of the filial sons within their camp, they were men who looked used up. Basically when the filial sons completed their obligation to their families, they appeared to have used all their strength and ambition.
Thank you,
Sarah Baker
I believe that the title “All I ask for is my body,” shows the freedom two brothers, Kiyoshi and Toshio were asking form their filial duty. They feel that filial duty will take away their ambition and youth. The most significant time of their life where they are suppose to spend building their career and being wasted for paying their parent’s debt. Filial duty is thorny subject. If you carry it and help your parents you will be regarded as the obedient and good son but at the say time you will be robbed form your own ambition and interest.
ReplyDeleteMandy,
ReplyDeleteI agree that it must have been so hard for tosh and kiyoshi to work so hard and worn down to where they can't be free of their own spirit and do what they want to do. Boxing was the only way to try and pay debts off.
You had some great ideas. I never of thought Toshio being suffocated by his current life. I don't know how he would work and box. Stress is really bad and is like a weight on your body so being able to work so hard is amazing. The majority these days seem to not have the same work ethic as back then.
ReplyDeleteHi Mandy-
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about Tosh, I never really thought of his situation like that, I always thought of him just being a troubling kid and just not wanting to carry on his traditions. But now that I read your post I agree with you, I cant imagine all of the pressure that he felt as the oldest son, and his father always on him and abusing him by telling him he was basically no good, I think that he had intentions of wanting to pay back the money but being a professional boxer was far fetched. Thanks for the post.