translation:miscommunication?

The book Translations is a prime example (not only by it's name) of how difficult it is to communicate with others. Getting your point across to people who speak your language is difficult enough, but when you throw different languages in the scenario, it is near impossbile to get your point across. The scene in the book when Yolland and Maire are talking back in forth, each not knowing what the other is saying, is a prime example of this difficulty. However, they are somewhat of an exception to the rule because they are getting each other's point across. Despite their lack of understanding one another, they have the same feelings. They both realize the draw to each other, but though they do not let their language barrier stop them, in reality I wonder if their relationship would ever work.

Omishto's Decision

The decision Omishto made at the end of the book is to live with the elders. I think that the development of her character throughout the book gives clues to this final decision. In the beginning, we find her caught in the middle of the traditional world and the reality of living in current times. However, when we first meet Omishto she says, "I don't believe in magic" (13) and as the story develops, we see her start to abandon her set-in-stone decision that magic does not exist. "Two worlds exist. Maybe it's always been this way, but I enter them both like I am two people" (97). Furthering the process of her development, when she went to the tribal land to tell her story, she realizes "I am more, at this moment, than myself. I am them. I am the old. I am the land" (173). After coming to this conclusion, she knows "the future depends in some way on me" and that future is with the Taiga people (217).

Belief vs. Knowledge

All throughout the book, I find it frustrating how Omishto is said to believe, or not to believe in things, yet is never said to know things. Although I think there is a difference between believing and knowing, I feel strong beliefs lead a person to knowing them. From what we talked about in class on Tuesday, it would seem that Omishto knows things, not just believes them. From what she is taught in school, her experiences, and rationalizations, we discussed are all ways a person comes to know things. I think in Power, Omishto does know things, but Linda Hogan makes her character seem less powerful by simply saying she has beliefs about things. With this I mean, if Omishto was more set in her opinions and had very strong feelings about something, her beliefs would be turned into knowing them.

Eye of the Beholder

We have all heard the phrase, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" however, does it matter? Should the way someone else sees you have an influence or impact on you? This phrase has come to be a negative thing for the character of Omishto in Power. Omishto is described by her sister as being "pretty". Nothing more than just pretty. From what we have talked about in class of her sister's jealousy, it is easy to see that sometimes the beholder uses the beauty they see to be cruel. By calling Omishto pretty, her sister is saying she is not capable of being more than that; she is not worthy of being called beautiful or gorgeous, and because of her jealousy is trying to cut Omishto down.

I do not think beauty is in the eye of the beholder (unless a person is looking in a mirror). It is true that the beholder may judge beauty, but ultimately it is up to the person to determine it for themselves.

Judging a Book by It's Cover

Throughout Lucy, we have come to know her character bit-by-bit. One aspect of her that has become very apparent is her sexuality. Lucy is a very sexual being, and the book cover reflects this. Her casual (at least half) naked body on the cover is like her sexual experiences, it shows her attitude and that she feels it is normal to have many sexual partners. When she says, “what I wanted was to be along in a room with him and naked” is uniform with the cover of the book (100). Also on the cover, Lucy’s expression hints at attributes of the character. She is looking down, indicating the depression she felt when she moved from her home as well as her general outlook at her new life. “I did not have a sunny disposition, and, as for actual happiness, I had been experiencing a long drought” (86). Even though we are told “not to judge a book by the cover”, in the case of Lucy, the opposite is true, and there are many things we can see about Lucy that are depicted on the cover.

'How Does a Person Get to be That Way?'

After reading the first part of Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid, I found I was absolutely repulsed by the character of Lucy. She was so negative toward everything, her new surroundings, her job, the snow, and everyone around her. She was especially hostile toward her mother, which I thought was horrible. The most confusing part of this reading to me was in all Lucy's interactions, she wondered how the other person got to be a certain way. For example, when Mariah was excited by the thought of spring and "made to feel alive by some flowers bending in the breeze" (17). Lucy did not ask that question out of admiration for Mariah, but more looking down on her and thinking such a thing was stupid. What bothered me the most in these instances was that the book did not give any insight into her past that made her so bitter.
I feel the character of Lucy is very cynical for no reason. It was her choice to leave her friends, family, and homeland behind and now she should embrace her new life.

Tables Turn..

"This Blessed House" by Jhumpa Lahiri reminded me in a way of "The Yellow Wallpaper". At first, Sanjeev looked down upon Twinkle for wanting to keep her "treasures" and thought she was childish. This was similar to how the husband in "The Yellow Wallpaper" treated his wife. Telling Twinkle what he will and will not tolerate in his home, it shows the domination and superiority Sanjeev thinks he has over his wife.
Another part that showed male domination and women's inferiority was when Sanjeev expected Twinkle to unpack boxes, sweep the attic, and repaint the windowsill, etc. because she was home all day while he was at work. It made no difference to him that she was working on her Masters' thesis, if she was home, he expected her to do housework.
As the story went on however, the tables are somewhat turned. This is where the story differs from "The Yellow Wallpaper". Twinkle becomes the dominant person, with everyone at the party following her and going on her treasure hunt. Sanjeev becomes disgruntled and pouts when Twinkle gets all the attention. I thought this was a perfect way for the story to end, with Sanjeev going along with Twinkle, and becoming the inferior person in the relationship.