It’s hard to imagine that my first year at UBC is coming to an end. All the people I have met and the friendships I’ve formed have made the year all the more memorable.

But putting the social aspects aside, I must highlight just how educational the classes I’ve taken with the Coordinated Arts Program this year are. However this only occurred to me during the second term.

Initially, I applied for CAP for an easy transition into university – what it was designed to do. However, countless friends have told me that CAP was a hit-or-miss kind of program. You either really enjoy your classes, or you hate them all. I personally had mixed feelings

During the first term, I was not very fond of my courses. Poli Sci and History were a complete bore, and I was never really engaged in lectures. The only course I enjoyed (and did fairly well in) was ASTU. I’ve always enjoyed writing comprehensively and reading works of others. It seemed as though ASTU, lead by Heather was a great catch for me. Clear and concise, I could follow along every class, and I loved the novels assigned.

Even though the courses briefly related to each other, it was too insignificant to leave a long-lasting impact. They might as well not have related to each other at all and it still wouldn’t have made a difference to me. I questioned my choice of applying of CAP and regretting my decision.

It wasn’t until the second term where I discovered the value of CAP. All three courses, (ASTU, History, and Anthropology) clearly shared central themes and arguments, and I absolutely loved it. I could take something I learned from one course and incorporate it into another, further developing my understanding of the material. The amount of knowledge I’ve retained and appreciated from all CAP courses collectively in this term substantially outweighs the amount in term one.

I found the topic of Indigenous groups and colonization very engaging (and easy to write about). I loved learning about the effects colonization has had on these people, and the traumatic experiences they have faced and currently are facing. The fact that these issues still exist today really opened my eyes. This problem is unbelievable important, yet not many people know about it. I had not known about the current issues surrounding indigenous peoples today until taking History this term. I truly valued the lectures and information I’ve taken in, and I hope more people can come to learn about the same issues I’ve learned.

So was CAP a hit or a miss for me? I still can’t really say. While I do see the benefits of enrolling in CAP, I still wonder about how my year would have went had I chosen to pick my courses freely. However, I do acknowledge that CAP has given me a better understanding about how the school system works, and having most courses intertwine and connect from time to time really did make transitioning easier. There really is no point in questioning whether my decision was right or not. It has already happened, and I can’t change the past. All I can say is that I’m definitely looking forward to my next year!

It was really nice to be able to write about my thoughts on the past year in this blog to share with everyone. Thanks Heather!

Will I still keep posting blogs?

Probably not….

Dionne Brand’s characters in What We All Long For possessed very unique traits and personality. Personally, I loved them all. They were real, and really spoke out to me. Unimpressed by their immigrant parents’ current lives and past, they distance themselves from their cultural background. Furthermore, they are also represented as misfits within society, being loners throughout high school and then moving to a run down neighbourhood following graduation. Because of these two factors, they face the internal conflict of identifying themselves. They are torn between their  heritage and mainstream Canadian society.

Each character possessed a set of their very of traits. Tuyen, a lesbian, avant-garde artist who lives behind the shadow of her lost older brother. Carla, an independent bike courier who lives away from her irresponsible father and whose mother has committed suicide. Jackie, a shopkeeper who is unable to control her parents from their hedonistic lifestyles. Oku, a poet and college drop out who lives uncomfortably with his parents.

Each character is so unique in their own ways, and as the story unfolds, each characters’ personal stories go down different roads, while at the same time, their relationships deepen as tension between them build. Tuyen is in conflict with her parents and their grief for their lost son. Carla is in conflict with her father for not taking care of her brother. Jackie is in conflict with her family, feeling unable to properly build a relationship. Oku is in conflict with his father and himself, striving to become independent. Tuyen’s one-sided love for Carla and Oku’s one sided love for Jackie are described very often. We learn about each character in depth as we follow along on each other their little stories, and when they pool back together, we see them as a whole different group of people compared to when they are first introduced.

What We All Long For possesses so many different themes which brings the story to life. Crime, romance, death, belonging, and desire are all apparent themes. Just like in life, we don’t face one “theme” at a time, we are tackled with multiple “themes” all at once, leaving most of us lost in a flurry of confusion. No one knows what could possibly be around the next corner.

Being a second-generation immigrant myself, I kind slightly relate to them (although my parents’ lives are substantially better than the parents’ depicted in the novel). First and foremost, I consider myself Canadian before Taiwanese-Chinese. Like the characters in the novel, I consider myself different from my family. However, I still try to stay connected to my culture and heritage as it is still a part of my identity. I do not understand how Tuyen can just throw her family away, leaving them and her culture behind her. This is probably the only thing that irks me. Besides that, I found the characters funny, reasonable, and most of all, alive. I feel that they could truly be living down in Toronto, facing off against the struggles of self-identification and life.

Dionne Brand does a great job at bringing her characters to life, and depicting each their own struggles in life. Besides the abrupt ending which can be pretty much compared to a slap to the face, What We All Long For is a great novel that allows one to ponder about life.

Upon finishing Joseph Boyden’s Three Day Road, my immediate thoughts were:

“That was a sick novel.”

Boyden’s novel was a first for me. Three Day Road isn’t just another war story. It possesses themes of Indigenous Aboriginal Identity, which really stood out to me. This aspect of the novel was especially intriguing as I was able to experience the First World War through a Cree Native’s perspective. Not only does one live through the lives of Niska and Xavier, but one can also gain a new and better understanding of First Nations culture and lifestyle, and how it was affected during the war. Three Day Road is a journey of family, friendship, and identity.

I loved the characters in the novel. The fact that Xavier and Elijah were underdog soldiers excelling in sniping grabbed my attention immediately. However, the way Boyden shaped their personalities and natures so differently is what drew me in the most. Xavier, on one hand, loyal to his Aboriginal background and spirituality, possesses a strong sense of morality. He feels guilty for killing other people, and overall dreads his experience on the battlefield. Elijah on the other hand, embraces European culture, and loses touch with his background. As a result, he does not possess the spirituality and respect Xavier has for nature and life. Elijah is instead, proud of his sniping skills and killing prowess.

The theme of identity is very prominent in the novel. We see conflicts within each character as we dive into their lives throughout the book. Niska refuses to go to residential school, and live in the bush and stay true to her identity. Xavier too is bound to his Aboriginal identity during the war, appreciating life. Elijah however, cut off from his First Nations background, enjoys the killing and is proud of his ability to kill.

The transformation which Xavier goes through from war was something I particularly found very intriguing. As the book progresses, he transitions to become more like Elijah. He becomes numb to the killing of others, and also becomes addicted to morphine. At the end of the novel, he even takes Elijah’s dog tag after killing him, ultimately taking his identity when he ends up in the hospital. Xavier goes through a loss of identity, but then healing later on.

The aspect of identity really stood out to me personally. Throughout my life, I have been immersed in Chinese culture. Living with my grandparents, they constantly keep me in tact with my ethnic background. Simply speaking Mandarin at home and practicing certain traditions, I stay in touch with my family’s culture and history. Over the years, I have come to truly appreciate my Taiwanese/Chinese roots, as I can enjoy more than one type of culture and lifestyle. Not only that, but acknowledging my background gives me my own unique identity. As shown in Three Day Road, I know the importance and significance of being linked to your background’s culture and history.

The vivid descriptions Boyden gives while the soldiers are on the front lines kept me glued, wondering what the next page would reveal. Furthermore, the significance of identity in the novel added a new mix to the war novel, making it truly one of a kind. All in all, Boyden’s Three Day Road  was an incredibly unique and engaging experience.

Earlier last week, my History 105 class studied a short satirical film called BabaKieuria. The Australian mockumentary depicts the relationship of Indigenous people and the colonizing Europeans. The film demonstrates a reversal of roles where the people of European decent or “whites” are colonized by the Indigenous people, or “blacks”. Not only does the film portray the struggles of those who were colonized in history, but it also reflects the ignorance of the colonizers who are blind to the awful lives of those who are oppressed. In relation to the film, The Handmaid’s Tale, I compared the Gilead regime to the ignorant colonizers of Australia in the film.

The Gilead government believes that they are benefiting the country by imposing their harsh laws its civilians, telling them that they have “freedom from” rather than “freedom to.” The women of Gilead are free from sexual harassment and rape, but they lose freedom to many other rights like reading and taking up jobs. The government supposedly believes that their lives are now better because they are better protected. However, they are blind to the fact that many citizens are suffering, losing their identities and restricted from many basic necessities of life.

In BabaKieuria, the “black” colonizers restrict the “whites” from many freedoms as well. “Whites” are treated unfairly by the police force, and children are taken away by the government to be put into residential schools without any other choice.” When interviewed, the Government Minister assumes that the “whites” require “help” and “a place in society.” He further states that “most white people are happy with what were doing for them” and that it is the governments duty to make decisions about what the “whites” want. These Indigenous Europeans have no say in politics and society.

Upon finishing The Handmaid’s Tale, I immediately related the Gilead autonomy to the colonizing government in BabaKieuria. The film was incredibly interesting as it not only showed the negative affects of colonization and the unequal treatment of Indigenous peoples, but it also portrayed the ignorance and blindness of the colonizers themselves, similar to the leaders of Gilead.

On a side note, it feels like The Handmaid’s Tale and Babakieuria also connect to the oppression of the Indigenous Aboriginal peoples of Canada, which we are currently learning in class. I think its awesome that all these courses in our CAP stream are connecting, even if slightly.

The Handmaid’s  Tale was an incredibly interesting read, as it reflects an extreme world where feminism ceases to exist. The world which Atwood creates is very vivid through the eyes of Offred, the protagonist. The elaborate system of government and the roles and niches given to different people is also very intriguing I constantly question how Atwood develops all this. The whole topic of feminism is rather fascinating.

As a fan of fiction novels where lots of action, I had hoped for an exciting and climactic ending, where a rebellion takes over the oppressive regime of Gilead. Perhaps Luke could bust down the door to Offred’s room and romantically save her and help her escape. However my hopes were all but fulfilled, as the novel closes with a rather ominous ending. Offred is simply taken away, and we do not know if she survives or dies.

I was disappointed, yet still strangely satisfied with the ending. Offred’s character already predetermined that her “ending” would not be an exciting one, as throughout the novel, she had a very passive and observatory role. I was disappointed with the lack of closure. When I read novels, I usually enjoy ones with a solid ending. The ending of The Handmaid’s Tale however, was acceptable. I don’t believe there can ever be a solid ending without blowing the whole thing out of proportion. Either the Gilead government wipes out all rebel factions, or rebels rise up and take down the regime. The novel would lose its unique and genuine language.

Last class however, we were shown the ending to the film adaptation of the novel. I found it absolutely hilarious. Not only does Offred slit the Commander’s throat, but the city becomes engulfed in explosions – that was the cherry on top. This version of the end of the story was totally off-the-top ridiculous. There is no way this ending would fit in with the novel, as Offred possesses a very passive personality. It would also completely shatter and disrupt the fluidity of the novel. It’s your typical Hollywood, cliche ending where the guy gets the girl, and the girl lives happily ever after with a healthy pregnancy. I thoroughly enjoyed this butchering of the novel, and the crazy explosions in the background.

In all seriousness, the movie granted me something the novel did not. Closure. I enjoyed the fact that I KNEW what happened to the protagonist, and I KNEW what could possible occur afterwards. No matter how ridiculous and outrageous the ending was, at least there was an ending.

All in all, I believe that in today’s society, this world could never exist. With the new generation of children and young adults, feminism, the idea of equality between man and women, is already integrated into their lives without many even knowing it. For me personally, I cannot fathom the idea that men deserve more rights and benefits than women, as some of my best friends are girls. Children these days do not even know of inequality between different ethnic backgrounds and such because of the way they are brought up.

The Handmaid’s Tale really brings to light the importance and necessity of feminism in the world.

I have heard of the Ecole Polytechnique Massacre (A.K.A. the Montreal Massacre) before, but never have I actually read about it in detail. My initial thoughts after reading: What the hell is wrong with this guy…? Before I thought it was simply a psychopath on a killing spree for no apparent reason.

On December 6, 1989, twenty-five-year-old Marc Lepine, armed with a rifle and hunting knife, shot twenty-eight people before killing himself at the Ecole Polytechnique. He claimedto be “fighting feminism…”

What the hell… What was going through this man’s mind? Did he really believe that women were stealing away his rights? How does this man define the word “rational?” How can you go around killing women, blaming how they ruined your life, when your MOTHER, a WOMAN, GAVE you life?! There is no way I will ever be able to understand the thinking process he went through to come to his “rational” conclusion.

Of course this event is incredibly significant in Canadian history, as it lead to many social changes afterwards such as increased gun control laws. Furthermore, this date is now remembered as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. And although initially an extremely dark and sad incident, I believe some positive changes have arisen from the massacre.

Today, the view on gender equality has become less of an issue. Obviously not all sex discrimination has been erased, (nor will it ever become completely non-existent,) but the world has taken significant strides in the past years. My generation of children and teenagers are more open minded now than they ever had been in history. The thought of killing innocent people just because they are women is something incomprehensible to most. I personally feel anger and confusion when reading about this story. Why did it happen? What could have been done to prevent this? In the end, whats happened has happened, and we can only move forward. It’s awesome that the date has been remembered for so long, and the world has made vast improvements in response to the massacre.

I am utterly speechless after reading upon such a dreadful event, but I am glad to know that it is not only me that thinks this way. All my friends and peers will agree with me on the notion that this man, was indeed insane. It is reassuring to know that the youth in today’s society does not discriminate (as much as people in the past did) on people of different on gender or even skin colour or cultural backgrounds.

After reading on such a dark event in our country’s history, it really sparked my interest. How does the rest of the world view gender equality? Am I not the only one who thinks how I think? I cannot help but look forward to next semester.

Martha Nussbaum’s Democratic Citizenship and the Narrative Imagination and Willie van Peer’s Literature, Imagination and Human Rights invite us to explore the idea of literature and its effects on our outlook on the world. According to both writers, literature develops our imagination, and through imagination, we can picture the perspectives of others. Allowing our imaginations to run free and change perspectives  change our thoughts and actions in the world. In short, literature yields imagination, imagination yields empathy, and empathy yields change in our world.

This chain of effect really stood out, as it made perfect sense to me.

Although I have not read much past the sixth chapter of Joy Kogawa’s Obasan, I can already tell how much this novel supports the ideas of both Nussbaum and van Peer. The historical fiction truly changes perspectives and views on the world.

The novel is based on the evacuation of Japanese-Canadians in Vancouver during WWII. The War Measures Act allowed to government to brand everyone of Japanese descent as an “enemy aliens.” These innocent citizens were then thrown into interment camps where life was extremely harsh and cruel.

Through this small introduction of the novel’s background information, I could immediately tell this was the perfect example of literature that affects people’s perspectives. Reading and living through the memories of Naomi Nakane allows one to imagine the suffering and hardships she must have gone through, and empathize for her.

What if I were in her position? – Being unfairly removed from her home and be labelled an enemy of the country you were born in. I myself would be devastated if such an event happened to me. What if I, who was born in Vancouver, was suddenly told I was an enemy of Canada and was forced out of my home…? I have lived in Vancouver all my life, and my knowledge of China and Taiwan, and my fluency in the Chinese language are very limited.

In the past, not many felt sympathy for the Japanese-Canadians, as many died and lost everything they owned. Canada wished to only

However, through reading this novel, many find that what Canada had done in the past was horrific. As such, in 1988, Brian Mulroney, the Prime Minister of Canada at the time, made a formal public apology to the Japanese-Canadian families that were harmed. I was further surprised when he read from Obasan during his apology!

I was also extremely moved by the video at the end of our most recent class, where Japanese-Canadian university students that were evacuated in the past, were given honorary diplomas very recently.

The two works and the novel made me realize just how fortunate I am to live with rights and freedom. I love how multicultural and diverse my home is and how limited the existence of racism and discrimination is. I could never imagine that Vancouver experienced such a dark history. The city I have lived in all my life is beautiful and peaceful. I guess this proves just how far humanity and human rights has advanced since the beginning of Canada’s history.

The past week, we were to read and analyze Martha Nussbaum’s “Democratic Citizenship and the Narrative Imagination” in our course package and it immediately sparked faint interest in me. Nussbaum argues that the arts, more specifically, literature, has the ability of “cultivating powers of imagination.”

In turn, imagination yields compassion, and compassion is a necessary requirement to become a responsible citizen. Furthermore, compassion helps us  recognize the suffering and misfortunes of others, and ultimately, we relate to their misfortunes. Apparently, we can only feel sympathy for others if they are suffering. As a result, we imagine ourselves taking up their roles in misfortune, and realize we can be subject to such misery as well. Why is this?-Because we are imperfect beings.

Reading this left a bitter taste in my mouth.

We can only feel empathy for others when they are suffering? Is there no one in the world who would put their feet in another person’s shoes when that person is happy? That is too cruel.

Initially I felt disappointed in humanity. However, after more speculation, I found that this atrocious theory was the painful truth.

Earlier this summer, I was walking through downtown Vancouver after a BC lions game, all jacked up with energy and excitement from the win over the Toronto Argonauts. However, my enthusiasm was short lived after I walked past a homeless person on the side street.

Of course you might be thinking, homeless people are not scarce downtown. 

This homeless man, however, had no legs.

Struck with pity, my mood instantly converted from ecstatic to pessimistic. I felt unbearable compassion for him. I am an athlete. I love physical activity such as running and jumping-actions this homeless man can never perform. I cannot bear the thought of losing my legs and my mobility. Through this one small experience, I realized that I am incredible fortunate to be financially stable, as well as be physically healthy.

We who live our everyday lives in ease-although you may not think it-take many things for granted.

Through relating this experience to Nussbaum’s work, it only makes sense that we feel bad for those who are suffering. Never do we feel empathy for people who are content with their lives. There’s no point. Although this is common sense, it really did take me a while to realize this.

I know this is cliche, but it is something we can never stress enough:

We cannot take anything we have for granted. There are people out there in the world that are suffering, living in poverty or despair. In comparison, we are given so much support by our families an friends everyday of our lives. Through imagining ourselves in the shoes of others, as Nussbaum implies, we are given the opportunity to reflect on what we have. To be a responsible citizen, as well as a responsible human being, we have to be able to feel sympathy for others.

We have to always work towards our future with our own two feet.

We have legs, let’s use them.