Alienation
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Transcript of Alienation
Alienation in The Chrysanthemums, Everyday Use
and Seventeen Syllables
Belle Lam Tang Ka WingTiffany Wong
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Alienation
The Chrysanthemums
Everyday Use Seventeen Syllables
Which characters
are involved?
Elisa Allen Dee / Wangero
Leewanika
Tome / Mr Hayashi
Who imposes
the alienation
?
Elisa Allen (self-imposed
alienation)
Dee (self-imposed
alienation)
Tome / Mr Hayashi and
society
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Imposition of the Alienation
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How is the alienation imposed?
The Chrysanthemums• Elisa self-imposes the alienation.
– “Fence[d]” herself around the garden with her chrysanthemums.
– Masculine “gardening costume”, scissors as a weapon
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How is the alienation imposed?Everyday Use• Dee self-imposes the
alienation. – Lives in urban area while
mother and sister live in rural area
– Never asks before taking something e.g. benches, dasher
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How is the alienation imposed?
Seventeen Syllables• Tome self-imposes the alienation
– She is in the world of haiku a space of autonomy. She is “neglected speaking when spoken to” (p.209)
• The alienation was imposed on Tome by society
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How is the alienation imposed?
Seventeen Syllables• Mr Hayashi self-imposes the alienation
– He remains silent and expresses himself minimally when interacting with others
• The alienation was imposed on Mr Hayashi by society
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Why is the alienation imposed?The Chrysanthemums• Does not want to be let
down, seeking a sense of security
• Wants to stay in her comfort zonegarden (where she is in control of everything)
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Why is the alienation imposed?
Everyday Use• Alienated from her family
– Higher educational level• Prevents herself from being alienated
from city / urban life– Follows the Black Power movement
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Why is the alienation imposed?
Seventeen Syllables• The oppression imposed on Tome by
society and culture makes Tome escape and isolate herself in her world of haikus.
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Why is the alienation imposed?
Seventeen Syllables• Mr Hayashi’s domination and lack of
appreciation to Tome’s artistic sense accelerates his alienation from his interaction with Tome
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How Alienation affects the Characters
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How the characters gain autonomy in the alienation
The Chrysanthemums• Has control over the chrysanthemums
in her garden– “her face was eager and mature and
handsome; even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over powerful.” (pg. 160)
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How the characters gain autonomy in the alienation
Everyday Use• Dee changes her name, being different
from her family – ‘couldn’t’ bear it any longer being named
after the people who oppress her.” (pg. 348)
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How the characters gain autonomy in the
alienationSeventeen Syllables• Tome is independent in
her world of haiku – “an earnest, muttering
stranger who often neglected speaking when spoken to.” (pg. 209)
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How the characters gain autonomy in the
alienationSeventeen Syllables• Mr Hayashi gains
autonomy in his alienation,– Remains silence as he is
free to give commands on his family members
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How the characters gain pride in the alienation
The Chrysanthemums• Elisa takes pride in planting
chrysanthemums – passion and excitement when illustrating
the process of planting chrysanthemums to the tinker, a stranger. (pg. 165)
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How the characters gain pride in the alienation
Everyday Use• Dee takes pride as she establishes a
sense of superiority to herself and a sense of inferiority to her family – when she can appreciate the quilts and
Maggie “can’t”. (pg. 351)
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How the characters gain pride in the alienation
Seventeen Syllables• Tome takes pride in her writing of haiku
– “finished one and read it aloud for her daughter’s approval”, introducing her work to her daughter. (pg. 208)
– When Tome receives the “first prize”, she is “pleased and overwhelmed”, “bobb[ing] her head up and down numerous times”. (pg. 217)
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How Alienation affects the Characters’ Relationship
with others
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How alienation deepens disconnection with others
The Chrysanthemums• “Fenced garden”
– a barrier from the outside world – emotional disconnection with others i.e. Henry has talk to Elisa outside the garden
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How alienation deepens disconnection with others
The Chrysanthemums• Masculine clothing
– an armor and barrier from interaction – protection against external harm – scissors as a weapon
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How alienation deepens disconnection with others
Everyday Use• Dee makes attempts not to be alienated
from the current urban trend – Spread the urban trend into her family and
calls them “backward” – Breaks her relationship with mother
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How alienation deepens disconnection with others
Everyday Use• Dee alienates herself from her family
– Changes her name which is “named after the people who oppresses [her]”
– Disconnection and denial of her family background
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How alienation deepens disconnection with others
Seventeen Syllables• Tome is fully indulged in haikus.
– “Neglected speaking when spoken to and stayed busy at the parlor table”
– Creating disconnection with others – She can talk about haikus and “forget[s]”
about dinner in the Hayano family
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How alienation deepens disconnection with others
Seventeen Syllables• Emotional disconnection between Tome
and Mr Hayashi – Minimal interaction and communication are
seen throughout the story
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How alienation enhances marriage / generational gap
The Chrysanthemums• Elisa bars herself from being
emotionally connected with others– A distant relationship with her husband
Henry – Short and crude answers – Defensive attitude
“What do you mean by ‘nice’?
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How alienation enhances marriage / generational gap
Everyday Use• Dee asserts superiority on herself and
inferiority on her family – Dee has a higher educational level– Looks down on those who live in the rural – Refuses to understand the value of
heritage in the view of her family
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How alienation enhances marriage / generational gap
Seventeen Syllables• Tome is buried in her world of haiku, in
her world of alienation– Creates generational gap between her and
Rosie– When she introduces Haiku to Rosie,
Rosie only “pretended to understand it”. (pg. 208)
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How alienation enhances marriage / generational gap
Seventeen Syllables• Mr Hayashi alienates himself from Tome
– Picture bride: never had a chance to know her in person before marrying her
– Enhances marriage gap