1. Identify and briefly define important word, terms, concepts, or characters.
The story of Fifth Chinese Daughter is written in the third person despite the fact that it is the story of the author’s childhood. This is done because the word “I” is seen as selfish and proud in Chinese culture, to speak in the third person shows modesty and humility. The author and main character is named Jade Snow Wong.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
There really is no main event in the first chapter just the introduction to Jade Snow’s way of life in Chinatown, San Francisco. Aside from this there is a series of small anecdotes that usually have the same repeating theme of respect and order in the Wong family. It is necessary for Jade Snow to have respect for elders (parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, siblings and all) and order in her life. This benefited Jade Snow as it taught her not to lie or steal and instilled strong traditional Chinese values in her. On the other hand she could suffer emotional damage due to the stern attitudes of her parent and the severe punishments she received. Also, the strong Chinese enculturation that Jade Snow experiences in her early childhood has made it difficult and confusing for her to assimilate to the American culture later on in her life.
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
What does the “Bok Fon”, the white herb described in chapter one that was placed in the bronze brazier, in the shape of the turkey (which as you recall was Jade Snow’s scare/fear) symbolize or foreshadow?
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The Bok Fon herb that was burned by Jade Snow's grandmother burned into the shape of her fear - a turkey. This is incredibly symbolic and it creates a mysterious and powerful image of her grandmother as a healer. Jade Snow states that after this she no longer has a fear of turkeys and this can be due to many things. Personally, I believe that Jade Snow saw how bothered her family was by her fear and she willed herself to accept her fear. For the sake of the autobiography, we can say that through her grandmother's ancient Chinese practice, her scare was "outted."
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