All I asking for is my body Part III

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.

All I asking for is my body Part II

Why does Kiyoshi believe Obaban is a substitute for his mom? 

Kiyoshi believing that Obaban is a substitute for this mother has everything to do with their culture and the superstitions that exist and taught in that culture. Kiyoshi’s mother has deep beliefs in the superstitions in her culture that influence her behaviors and decisions in her life. These beliefs are passed along to her children. She has strong beliefs why her life has turned out like it has. “She thinks she’s been chosen for someone else’s punishment”. (23)

This punishment seems to be relieved as another superstition comes into play as her “Hawaiian mother” (22) passes away. Kiyoshi’s mother is thankful that Kiyoshi had retrieved Obaban for a visit and that she was able to see her before the end of her days. She believes that this is a turn in her bad luck she has experienced her whole life. Although Kiyoshi is happy that the bad news was not regarding his mother, he felt guilty since it was about the sroke of Obaban. He then realizes that this event is the substitute for his mother still being alive. It was looked on as a happy event since Obaban was older and it was the more natural thing to happen.

All I ask for is my body Part I

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 an older Filipino boy that likes to lead a group of younger Japanese boys. It appears that he feels a need to bribe them with food, gifts and activities in order to maintain their friendship and the ability to tell them what to do. The young boys listen in order to keep the fringe benefits of the friendship coming their way.

Makot seems to have a poor and chaotic family life. He must deal with being looked upon differently because of the strange parents that he has. I feel sorry for him that he must deal with such struggles as a child. Some think that a child’s actions reflect upon their parents but on the contrary, a parents actions can directly influence the way a child is treated by others due to the reputation of their parents. Although I would rather not state the specifics, I dealt with a very similar situation growing up. When asked my last name, there was hesitation because I knew that I would be associated with my parents and I knew their reputation. After answering and confirming who my parents were, I would get the look and the “Ohhhh….”. It would make me feel so embarrassed. So I can understand how Makot must have felt. These feelings can turn to anger which is why I think he shoves his mother out of the way when she is embarrassing him. Like I always say, “You don’t get to choose your parents”.

Rules for Writers Chapter 51

To be effective in writing a research paper, one must find an organized way of keeping notes and keeping track of the source materials where one finds their information so that there is no plagiarism present. As you find sources where you find your information, keep a bibliography of the ones that you plan to use “that will appear at the end of your paper.” (405) Be sure to spend extra time when using Web sources to find where exactly the information is coming from to include in your MLA style essay. It is a good idea to jot a few sentences down to cover the main points of the sources that you plan to use, along with either a printout or photocopy of the material to be used. It is important as you jot down ideas to not “borrow language from your sources” (406) as to avoid plagiarism. Avoid referring back to your source unless you are going to be quoting and that means using quotation marks around the phases. Avoid plagiarism in summarizing and paraphrasing as well.

Even though I have been practicing avoiding plagiarism this whole semester, there can never be enough caution when it comes to plagiarism. I will use this information to enforce the caution that is always in play in my mind. I will use quotation marks when directly quoting from the source that I am using. I will also use caution when paraphrasing or summarizing which I think to be the more difficult to avoid.

Essay 3 Rough Draft

SMOKE SIGNALS

Resentment can be a heavy burden on a person that has not found a way to let go. Forgiveness is the only thing that dissolves the resentment and provides freedom from those negative feelings. Recovery from these resentful thoughts can only come when forgiveness has been achieved. Strength is required to forgive and let go of those bitter thoughts and feelings and clear a path for a positive mine-set going forward.

Forgiveness was significant in the movie “Smoke Signals” as Victor has held on to his resentment toward his father since he was a young boy. Arnold, Victor’s father, left because the immense amount of guilty for starting a house fire due to his alcoholism. It appeared that Arnold at first dealt with his guilt through drinking more alcohol which also causes him to become violent toward his wife. This is the way he was able to mask over his guilt and still be around for his family. This all came to a head one day and Arnold gave up the battle, packed up and left. Arnold’s love for his son was present when he was getting in his truck to leave and Victor runs out and Arnold stops and gives him a big hug goodbye. This shows his love for his son even though he is choosing the cowardly way and leaving. I think he left for reasons that allowed him to survive with his own feelings, and in a way, it was a protection in order for his son to live without seeing his father’s guilt daily. But Arnold might not have thought about the lasting effects this would have on his son at such a young age growing up without a father around. A young boy without his father can create many negative emotions such as anger, hostility and resentment.

Victor’s ability to forgive his father all stemmed from the information he learned when he arrived in Arizona to receive his fathers asses and possessions. A good friend of Arnold, Suzy, was there at the trailer. Victor spend a significant amount of time with her discussing the feelings of Arnold. In doing so, Victor finds out that his father was very remorseful and thought of his son everyday; Arnold very much loved his son. This was important for Victor to learn to be able to recover from resentment he had held inside towards his father for all these years. In turn, this helped Victor to forgive his father and let go of the pain. There must have been a sweet release of negativity as Victor let go of his father ashes over the bridge in Spokane. That is the pivotal moment in Victor’s life where he can let go of his resentment and move on to happier, more positive things in his life.

As we reflect on the movie “Smoke Signals”, we can appreciate the healing power that forgiveness can play in one’s life. Forgiveness can be a difficult thing to accomplish but in the end is well worth the effort. Forgiveness helps all involved and helps release the resentment or grudge that has been bogging one down emotionally. It is in everyone’s best interest to forgive when possible. Life is short and you never know when it will be your last day.

This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizona

What’s one difference between this reading and the movie version?  How does the change affect the story, change the meaning and/or alter our perspectives of the characters?

One significant difference between the movie and the reading was the situation and surrounding that Victor and Thomas found when they arrived in Phoenix, Arizona. In the movie, they arrived at the trailer to find a “friend” of Victor’s father and Victor was able to have some valuable conversations with her to discover that his father was remorseful for what had transpired and that he loved his son very much. In the reading, they arrived at the trailer that smelled of decomposition and Victor was only able to find a stereo and some photos to keep for him.

This changes the affect of the story as respects to Victor and how he was able to deal with his negative feelings toward his father. In the movie, by him learning how his father felt toward him and how sorry he was helped Victor to forgive his father and overcome some of those negative feelings that he had bottled up inside for years. Resentment can burden a person’s soul, so it was great to see the movie give Victor’s character the release that he needed.

Smoke Signals

What do you think of the relationship between Thomas and Victor?

Thomas and Victor have completely opposite personalities, styles and demeanor. There seems to be a division between them. Thomas is smiley and likes to tell stories. Victor is hard and keeps to himself. There also seems to be an animosity that Victor has towards Thomas and it seems to be the fact the Victor thinks his father didn’t go into the burning house to look to rescue him but did go in to save Thomas.

The two young men venture to pick up ashes of Victor’s father after his passing. After Victor talks with his father’s “companion”, he finds a way to forgive his father for leaving him and his mother when he was a young boy. The car accident they are in also has a part in changing Victor’s attitude. Victor finds himself doing thing that his father did such as cutting his hair. This forgiveness he learns, prompts him to also patch things up with Thomas. The two young men who have been somewhat friends since they were young realize that they both grew up without fathers whether that father had a choice of being there or not. What parents do and treat their children stays with them for a long time, if not for the rest of their lives.