“Monkey Bridge” Make-up Discussin

[Sol]

I agree with what's sahaj says in his words of we sing in the story of the thought of being americanized. it is in This that we can see the issue of moving to a country like America where cultures get dissolved and diluted. it is in this that we can see cultures being diluted over Generations depending on how many generations that is and how much the generations value that culture. With this detail in we can see the various shift and difference in also the forms that how different cultures perceive your role and occupation. with this in mind you can see that for others it might have more memories in your former culture than it is in your secondary one. It's also Sparks the debate of Education and how we can see the former cultures perceived in generational gaps as it pertains to cultural displacement.

[Sol]

I agree with what Layla says in the aspect of cultural assimilation and once you arrive to a new culture you feel the need to assimilate with that culture. with this details in mind we can see that it goes down to things like Conformity and adaptability which also has an effect on what we can see in the story where the daughter is arrogant to her mother in the aspect of she is arrogant that she knows English and the mother does not. With the aspect of the younger generation being more adaptable than the older generation it can be clearly seen that assimilation also plays a factor. it can also be debated that One has their own desire to forge their own path and understanding. but with this in mind that we can see the generational culture gap of the adaptability of learning a language and not. it plays a major key role in the story

[Sol]

I agree with what Andrew says in the emotional factor of the story as we can see how when you are culturally displaced you will miss your former home. It is in that the in the story We appeal to the ethos that we can see the author trying to feel to the emotional impact of how the story is played out in us seeing the mother's nostalgia. It is not uncommon to feel these feelings of separation when you are culturally displaced from the world you know. Now with us not knowing the full backstory of the separation we cannot clearly State how sudden or drastic the shift was in culture. but, it is In this that we can see the mother's desire to keep her original culture as that is what she has kept with her since she was culturally displaced. It Is by this that we can see the ethos of the story and in cultural separation

[Hayden Legere]

In “From the Monkey Bridge” Mai and her mother’s relationship is very distant because of the generational conflict that they have. Mai is wanting to have her Vietnamese heritage and her new American identity. While her mother is stuck in the past and focused on her Vietnamese culture. The other’s memories are of her life in Vietnam and she does not want to change her ways or adapt to a new life in America. Mai has some memories of her past but is also ready for her new life this difference of opinion and values causes there generational conflict. Mai feels culturally displaced or disconnected because she wants to have a Vietnam heritage and create her own identity in America. Her mother is set in her ways from Vietnam and she feels out of place in America. She feels like her daughter is forgetting the past and changing her ways and this is why they are also having conflict in values. They both are struggling with identity in different ways and it seems like they do have some of shared memories that helps them to create bonds in a hard time and while they both are struggling. Mais memories are affecting her in the new environment because they are mixed memories of both cultures. Her mother’s memories are holding her down just to her past and old life. By using there relationship the author explores the idea of immigrants in a place that is new and how their past may have effected them and the way it is for them to adapt to new things using the mother and daughter relationship it illustrates two different perspectives of what this feels like.

[Daniel Lee]

In the story "From Monkey Bridge" by Lan Cao. The relationship between Mai and her mother impacts of the cultural displacement and the general conflict. Mai was trying to adapt to the new life. However her mother was already adapted to the new lifestyle so it was different between them because the mother often clings to her memories in Vietnam. This shows the divide and complex between the Mai and her mother. Also shows the cultural displacement and that it affects both younger and older people in a different way. This also shows how hard it is for immigrants to adapt to the new lifestyle coming. That they have to go throught all the complex and difficult challenges that they don't know. Going to different obstacles in the new lifestyle to adapt. The memories are important because in individual memories it tells us that the mother things about her memeories of vietnam to help her stay calm. However for Mai its different because for Mai's mother her memories were all in Vietnam. However for Mai her memories were part of Vietnam and Part of America. This is why it was hard for her to find her Vietnam Heritge with her new life in America. Both Mai and her mother also share memories of bonding and can be a source to get throught the conflict to understand the new life style together. This shows us why Lan Cao used the relationship between Mai and her mother to explore the impact of cultural displacement and generational conflict.

[Daniel Lee]

Sept 12, 2024 20:46:44 GMT -8 Daniel Lee said:

In "From Monkey Bridge" by Lan Cao. The relationship between Mai and her mother impacts of the cultural displacement and the general conflict. Mai was trying to adapt to the new life. However her mother was already adapted to the new lifestyle so it was different between them because the mother often clings to her memories in Vietnam. This shows the divide and complex between the Mai and her mother. Also shows the cultural displacement and that it affects both younger and older people in a different way. This also shows how hard it is for immigrants to adapt to the new lifestyle coming. That they have to go throught all the complex and difficult challenges that they don't know. Going to different obstacles in the new lifestyle to adapt. The memories are important because in individual memories it tells us that the mother things about her memeories of vietnam to help her stay calm. However for Mai its different because for Mai's mother her memories were all in Vietnam. However for Mai her memories were part of Vietnam and Part of America. This is why it was hard for her to find her Vietnam Heritge with her new life in America. Both Mai and her mother also share memories of bonding and can be a source to get throught the conflict to understand the new life style together. This shows us why Lan Cao used the relationship between Mai and her mother to explore the impact of cultural displacement and generational conflict.

[Bettina S]

In "Monkey Bridge," Mai struggles between her Vietnamese roots and her new life in America, while her mother holds onto memories of the past. Mai wants to adapt and move forward, but her mother is stuck in old memories, causing disagreements between them. Her mother shows how these memories shape their identities. For Mai, leaving the past behind helps her fit into American life. For her mother holding onto memories of Vietnam makes her feel connected to her culture, even though it displaces her in their new environment. These different views of the past affect how they see their roles in their family and their new life.

[Daniel Lee]

Sept 11, 2024 21:09:39 GMT -8 Layla D. said:

In "From Monkey Bridge" by Lan Cao, the relationship between Mai and her mother serves as a poignant exploration of cultural displacement and generational conflict. Mai, who is trying to adapt to her new life in America, often finds herself at odds with her mother, who clings to her memories of Vietnam. This generational divide highlights the struggles of immigrants who must navigate the complexities of preserving their cultural heritage while assimilating into a new society. Lan Cao uses their relationship to show how cultural displacement affects both the younger and older generations differently. Mai represents the younger generation that is more willing to embrace new cultural norms, while her mother symbolizes the older generation that holds onto the past as a way to maintain their identity. Memories play a crucial role in shaping their identities. Form Mai's mother, memories of Vietnam are a source of comfort and a way to stay connected to her roots. These memories influence her perception of her role in the new environment as a preserver of their heritage. On the other hand, Mai's memories are a mix of her life in Vietnam and her experiences in America, creating a complex identity that straddles two cultures. Her individual memories influence her perception of her role as someone who must bridge the gap between the old and the new. Shared memories between Mai and her mother also create a bond that is both a source of conflict and understanding. These shared memories remind Mai of her heritage, but also sometimes feel like a burden as she tries to forge her own path. Through their relationship, Lan Cao effectively illustrates the emotional and psychological impact of cultural displacement and generational conflict, showing how memories can both divide and unite individuals in their journey to find a sense of belonging.

I agree with Layla D. because it shows us how it was a struggle for Mai to adapt to the new lifestyle in America and that Her and her mother were different because her mother was more used to it and thinking of her Vietnam memories made her more Calm. It showed us the identies of both Mai and her mother. Also that the mother core source of memories were her in Vietnam. Also that Mai and her mother should creat memories to bond which would impact the cultural displacement and generational displacement. Mai has a new role in American now because it is different. Mai memories are a mix of Vietnam and American. While the mother are memories of vietnam so it is easier for the mother than the Mai. So it is easier for the mother to be connected to where she was originally from unlike Mai. They both have a journey but in different ways but similar paths.

[Daniel Lee]

Sept 11, 2024 21:14:02 GMT -8 Sahaj Patel said:

The relationship with Mai and her mother is sort of conflicting. Since they both have different memories opposite from each other, it is hard for the two to get along as much. For example, Mai's mother's memories are mostly from Vietnam and escaping the war and coming to America. However, Mai does not share these memories of the past with her mother and cannot understand or comprehend what her mother wants or likes. For example, the text states how the mother spends her day thinking about what will happen in the war in Vietnam and when they could go back. On the other hand, Mai is only focused on learning English from her aunt and uncle. In the text, the narrator states, "Inside my new tongue, my real tongue, was an astonishing new power. For my mother and her Vietnamese neighbors, I became the keeper of the word, the only one with access to the light world." In these sentences, the narrator is describing how she feels after learning English. She feels that knowing English makes her a very important person and that since they are in America, she consideres it the "light world" sort of wants to be able to know everything that is going in the the world around her. In the text, "From Monkey Bridge," a major issue is cultural displacement. In this text specifically, cultural displacement is showns through the narrator, Mai. Since Mai had to move to America from Vietnam at a young age, she was unable to learn or find interest in the traditions of Vietnam. Instead, she grew up liking and thinking that American traditions was her culture. A big example of this is the interest Mai shows in learning English. Since she does not have many memories in Vietnam, she cannot comprehend what life is like in Vietnam, forcing her to think that America is the "light world." The generational conflict occurs between the mother and daughter since even though Mai is Vietnamese, she is unable to uphold the traditions and values of a Vietnamese person in America, making it hard for her heavily cultured Vietnamese mother to get along with her daughter. This influences their roles in their new environment since in Vietnam, the mothers of the household were usually stay-at-home moms and would do all of the chores and make food. However, in America, their roles are affected since both men and women work jobs and there are few stay-at-home moms. Since the mother is older and has more memories in Vietnam, it is harder for her to adapt to the new lifestyle she has been given in America. On the other hand, it is much easier for Mai to accept these new roles in America since she has very few memories in Vietnam, making it easy for her to adapt to the new culture. Another reason is that it is harder to change the mind of someone older who has more experience in another place than it is to change the mind of a little girl who has just been introduced somewhere new. All in all, the relationship between the mother and Mai is impacted by cultural displacement and generational conflict since the Mom is unwilling to let go of the past since she has more memories in the past than the present and Mai has very little in the past due to her young age, allowing her to quickly adapt to her new environment.

I agree with Sahaj because both Mai and her mother have differnet memories and thats what makes them two not get along as much because the mother has more vietnam memories while Mai has a mix of both American and Vietnam memories so it is hard for Mai to find the Vietnam heritage. It is hard for Mai and her mother to understand each other or comprehend. It shows the cultural displacement because of the American Culture and the Vietnam culture are completely different. Also there roles get affected because of this because the Mother that was a stay at home mom has it harder than Mai because her role was to get a job and work. However it would be hard for her to find a job because she has to adapt to the American lifestyle. However it would be easier for Mai because she has both American and Vietnam memories while the mother only has vietnam.

[Layla D.]

Sept 12, 2024 15:54:36 GMT -8 Olivia C said:

The relationship between Mai and her mother explores the significance of generational conflict as well as cultural displacement. One of the biggest boundaries between her and her mother includes their language barrier. Mai explains her progression of knowledge of the English language, unlike her mother. In the text she says, "By the time I left Farmington to be with my mother, I had already created for myself a different, more sacred tongue." Her mother, on the other hand, couldn't distinguish the difference between the words "cough", "enough", "through", "dough", and "fought". I feel that a boundary this significant between your own mother is very hard. Imagine not being able to talk to your mother if you need help or want to have a simple conversation. Bonding in general is out of the question because of this. Mai and her mother might as well be complete strangers given this fact. So over time, Mai has grown up to be an independent young woman because of the "absence" of her mother as she has grown up. Her mother's absence wasn't necessarily physical; the absence of her being there to understand Mai was. Mai's mother expresses her memories from her experience in Vietnam, and escaping war. Mai's mother will never be able to fully share her experiences with her daughter and Mai will never fully understand what her mother had to undergo to get to where she is now. They both have different perspectives on living their life. Her mother focuses on doing things the traditional way and going back to Vietnam, while Mai is passionate about learning English from her aunt and uncle. In a way, Mai is trying to move forward, while her mother is going the opposite direction.

I agree with Olivia's analysis of the relationship between Mai and her mother. She is very insightful. The language barrier is indeed a significant boundary that affects their ability to communicate and bond. Mai's progression in learning English represents her adaptation to a new culture and her desire to move forward, while her mother's struggle with the language highlights her connection to her past and traditional ways. This generational and cultural conflict creates a sense of displacement for both characters. Mai's independence stems from this lack of understanding and connection with her mother, who, despite being physically present, is absent in terms of emotional and communicative support. The contrasting perspectives on life and their different approaches to dealing with their experiences further emphasize the divide between them. 

[Daniel Lee]

Sept 12, 2024 8:28:32 GMT -8 Joseph Yakoo said:

Mai, being younger, wants to fit into American life, but her mother holds tightly to their Vietnamese heritage and memories of the past. This creates tension between them. Despite these conflicts, Mai and her mother still share a strong emotional bond with their shared memories of struggle in Vietnam. However,the differences in how they view their identities and roles in America make their relationship challenging. Their cultural displacement causes strain on their relationships. The mother doesn't want to become into american culture but Mai does. The mother had more memories from Vietnam so it influences her current decisions. Mai struggles with the responsibility of caring for her mother while also trying to make her own path. Meanwhile, her mother depends on Mai to maintain a connection to their past, creating a tension that reflects the broader struggles immigrant families face when trying to adapt to a new culture while holding onto their pats.

I agree with Joseph Yakoo because Mai does want to fit in America and be part of its lifestyle and culture. But the mother doesn't want that and she only wants to think about her Vietnam days and lifestyle that why it was harder for the mother to adapt to the American lifestyle like Mai. The mother wouldn't let go of her past because it was her identity. It was hard for Mai and her mother to get along because of this. They both have different path. Mai wants to go down the American path but her mother doesn't want to. Her mother wants Mai to connect to her Vietnam path and it created tension between Mai and her mother. It also does show how hard it is for immigrant families to migrate into a new area. The children want to adapt to the new lifestyle but the parents are so into the core memories they had from their old past that they don't want to let go and makes them hard to adapt to the new lifestyle.

[Layla D.]

Sept 12, 2024 20:44:11 GMT -8 Hayden Legere said:

In “From the Monkey Bridge” Mai and her mother’s relationship is very distant because of the generational conflict that they have. Mai is wanting to have her Vietnamese heritage and her new American identity. While her mother is stuck in the past and focused on her Vietnamese culture. The other’s memories are of her life in Vietnam and she does not want to change her ways or adapt to a new life in America. Mai has some memories of her past but is also ready for her new life this difference of opinion and values causes there generational conflict. Mai feels culturally displaced or disconnected because she wants to have a Vietnam heritage and create her own identity in America. Her mother is set in her ways from Vietnam and she feels out of place in America. She feels like her daughter is forgetting the past and changing her ways and this is why they are also having conflict in values. They both are struggling with identity in different ways and it seems like they do have some of shared memories that helps them to create bonds in a hard time and while they both are struggling. Mais memories are affecting her in the new environment because they are mixed memories of both cultures. Her mother’s memories are holding her down just to her past and old life. By using there relationship the author explores the idea of immigrants in a place that is new and how their past may have effected them and the way it is for them to adapt to new things using the mother and daughter relationship it illustrates two different perspectives of what this feels like.

Hayden's analysis of Mai and her mother's relationship in "From the Monkey Bridge" is fairly accurate. The generational conflict between them is a significant barrier. Mai is trying to balance her Vietnamese heritage with her new American identity, while her mother is deeply rooted in her past and unwilling to adapt to a new life in America. This difference in values and perspectives leads to their emotional distance. Mai's mixed memories of both cultures create a sense of cultural displacement, whereas her mother's memories tie her strictly to her past. The author uses their relationship to explore the immigrant experience, highlighting how past experiences shape their ability to adapt to new environments. Despite their conflicts, shared memories do offer moments of connection, illustrating the complex dynamics of immigrant families trying to navigate between old traditions and new realities. 

[Layla D.]

Sept 12, 2024 14:18:28 GMT -8 shelby malo said:

In this story, the cultural and age displacement creates a barrier between Mai and her mother. The daughter, who grew up in the times where her mother had to deal with the war situations and help out, spent most of her important childhood and teen years learning and teaching herself English and grammar from her aunt who she dearly cared for. The mother on the other hand spent a lot of her life worrying about the wars and didn't have the time to properly study the English language and grammar. Most of her memories will be of that part of her life since it was so impacting, whereas Mai will have most of her memories learning English from her aunt. I think this is an important aspect in this story because it shows the cultural displacement differences as well as the age separation between the two. Since the mother is older, she is more willing to reminisce and dwell on her old memories and not move on. Both women will have shared memories of this time in their lives, but the way it impacted the mother will make her remember it as a bigger time in her life, and Mai will have it as more of a background memory. She wants to move on in her life and do bigger things, but she also wants to care for her mother at the same time. At the end of the narrative, the writer talks about the way she was brought up and how it shaped her life. She says that it creates a big part of her life and she has more access to things and feels less limited in the way her mother is limited with her speech. Living in this new country after being somewhere else can be such a big change that when the mother thinks on her old memories, she is remembering how her life used to be instead of giving in to the customs and practices of living in America.

I agree with Shelby, her analysis accurately captures the essence of the cultural and age displacement between Mai and her mother. Mai's formative years were spent learning English and adapting to a new culture, influenced by her aunt, while her mother was deeply impacted by the war and focused on survival, leaving little room for learning English. This difference in experiences creates a significant barrier between them. The mother's memories are tied to a traumatic past, while Mai's memories are more forward-looking. This generational divide is a crucial aspect of the story, highlighting how past experiences and age influence their perspectives. Mai's desire to move forward contrasts with her mother's inclination to dwell on the past. The narrative underscores the challenges immigrants face in balancing old traditions with new realities and how these experiences shape their identities differently. 

[Andrew Park]

Sept 12, 2024 20:22:35 GMT -8 Sol said:

It's in this that we see the generational conflict between the mother and the daughter in the script the monkey Bridge that we can see the daughter proced yourself as Superior because she knows English better than the mother. This isn't uncommon as we can see this very same thingyy Superior attitude in many teens and in postgrads. With this attitude in mind we can see that the mother still holds on to the things of the past and her former country. the daughter sees himself as Superior and more Adept because she has adapted to the modern culture of America. It's in this that we can see the author describe cultural displacement between Generations as when one culture is displaced the generation that Witnesses and experiences that generation will have difficulty adjusting. while Generations that come and generations after will come to see that they will adapt to the culture that they were swept into. It is with this that we can see modern issues like being, “whitewashed” in addition to other things like being more Americanized.It is in that we can see this cultural displacement also shape identities with when your identity is debatably shaped based off your surroundings and it's in this that we can see that the daughter has welcomed her surroundings. it is in this in the story that we can see the daughters' perceived adaptation to the culture to have the effect of hurt seeing yourself as superior to the mother. With this detail in mind we can see the heart of many issues in our modern culture.

This is a great analysis of the story, although the usage of slang harms the successful chance of being seen with a more serious tone. However despite the usage of unfitting language does detract from the statement given. In the script illustrates a common theme of generational conflict, particularly between the mother and daughter. The daughter perceives herself as superior to her mother, largely because of her fluency in English and her adaptation to American culture. This reflects a broader trend where younger generations, who are more integrated into contemporary societal norms, often view themselves as more sophisticated or advanced compared to their older, more traditional counterparts. The writing given does illustrate this topic well.

[Hayden Legere]

Sept 12, 2024 15:54:36 GMT -8 Olivia C said:

The relationship between Mai and her mother explores the significance of generational conflict as well as cultural displacement. One of the biggest boundaries between her and her mother includes their language barrier. Mai explains her progression of knowledge of the English language, unlike her mother. In the text she says, "By the time I left Farmington to be with my mother, I had already created for myself a different, more sacred tongue." Her mother, on the other hand, couldn't distinguish the difference between the words "cough", "enough", "through", "dough", and "fought". I feel that a boundary this significant between your own mother is very hard. Imagine not being able to talk to your mother if you need help or want to have a simple conversation. Bonding in general is out of the question because of this. Mai and her mother might as well be complete strangers given this fact. So over time, Mai has grown up to be an independent young woman because of the "absence" of her mother as she has grown up. Her mother's absence wasn't necessarily physical; the absence of her being there to understand Mai was. Mai's mother expresses her memories from her experience in Vietnam, and escaping war. Mai's mother will never be able to fully share her experiences with her daughter and Mai will never fully understand what her mother had to undergo to get to where she is now. They both have different perspectives on living their life. Her mother focuses on doing things the traditional way and going back to Vietnam, while Mai is passionate about learning English from her aunt and uncle. In a way, Mai is trying to move forward, while her mother is going the opposite direction.

I agree with Olivia when she says “bonding is out of the question”. That is a very accurate analysis because of that language barrier that is between the two. This difference is a big impact on their relationship and it is hard for them to be on the same level of understanding. Neither one of them will be able to understand them in a deeper level like Olivia said Mai will never fully understand what her mother went through to get where she is now. That’s something important because being able to understand each other would put less pressure onto their differences in perspectives.