Image provided by Metro Transportation Library and Archive, and used under a Creative Commons license
1. On Gold Mountain begins by focusing largely on the story of Fong See. Is Fong See the most important person in the book thus far, or are the stories of other people more important to the narrative and our understanding of the family’s experiences?
2. Larry Sells and Lisa See have noted that “While many people initially read On Gold Mountain because they’re interested in learning about the Chinese-American experience, they often become more attached to the stories of the white women—Ticie, Stella, and Carolyn—who married into the See family.” Do you think this was Lisa See’s intention? Do you think See herself is more fascinated by Ticie’s and Stella’s experiences than those of her other relatives? (Explain your answers.) What are the opportunities and liabilities engendered by readers’ fascination with the white women in the story?
3. Is there a moment when the See and Fong families became more American than Chinese? If so, when? (Consider this question from three perspectives: their own conceptions of their identities, Lisa See’s implied ideas about identity, and your own estimations.) What decisions did individual members of the family make that made them lean more toward one culture than the other? Did gender seem to influence their understanding of ethnicity in the western U.S.?
4. We have spent a significant amount of time this semester discussing photographs. How do the photographs included in On Gold Mountain influence your understanding and perception of the Fong and See families? Explain.
5. In 2001, the Smithsonian Institution put together an exhibition inspired by On Gold Mountain. The 11-year-old digital manifestation of this exhibition remains online. Does the information presented in this exhibit capture the most important aspects, in your opinion, of the Fong and See families’ experiences as Lisa See presents them?
6. Technology now allows for considerably more flexibility in designing online exhibits. Imagine the Smithsonian commissioned your group to revise the On Gold Mountain exhibition website. What suggestions would you make? Consider exhibition content as well as technology and format.
1. Fong see is not necessarily the most important character but he is the nucleus from which the other characters’ stories are pulled. Fong See provides a catalysts for the development of the other characters.
I think Fong See is the beginning of the story. We have to understand him to understand how this family was set up in the U.S. The story moves beyond him and is bigger than him, but he is important in the beginning.
Question one: yes everyone’s story is unique and is as equal as everyone else’s story within the context of the book.
Question One: Tekinah and I were in agreement that it is hard to put Fong See at the forefront of this story when really the family history is about the women See marries and the lives they build for his children.
Question six: I would revamp the entire website to look more technologically modern and create a usable structure. There is too much information and too little content and I felt the entire context of the story is lost in the added details. That being said, the most important aspect I would address is the look of this exhibition, which at its present is very rudimentary.
Question one. It is dependent upon interpretation. In a way, Fong See is the first to move to America. The focus shifts from Fong See to the rest of the family.
Question 1: I think, because we are reading the book to take a measure of experiences and to learn about life during this time as well as how white and Chinese American women were treated, Fong See is not the most important character in the book but perhaps the central character from which the story draws its beginnings.
Question number 4. The pictures help show how much Fong Ye had assimilated into the culture of United States. There are comparative pictures in the book. They are showing pictures from before the family came over in their traditional dress and then there is a picture of the family after a couple of years in America. They are also depicted as cartoons in the American society.
Questions 4:
They captured trying to look American, but at the same time keeping apart of their culture. The portraits of them are very Americanized in the white dresses and bows – but when it shows their houses they look very Chinese in the traditional Chinese culture. The photographs show how they have adapted to the American culture the more time they spend in the ‘new world’ verse the ‘old world’ in China.
In regard to question 2 I believe that it was somewhat intentional to focus on the women in the book. This is a rare topic discussed and I believe she wanted to shed some light on it.
Question 4: The Cover of the book has a photograph that tells the story of the family pretty well, Ticie See is the only white person in the photograph and she is dressed in a traditional Chinese style dress while the rest of the family is dressed to suit the American style.
Question #4
One thing that is easily seen in the photos in the novel is the progression of the Americanization of the families in the photos, how in the earlier photos majority of them show the family dressed in tradational clothing and as the novel goes on American suits and such are shown. Although the clothing changes it seems as if the housing tends to stay traditional.
The photos allow us to look into the proud heritage of the two families. It shows them with all of the in traditional clothes and in front of their shop.
#4. There are a lot of photos that show how the family has evolved and grown. Even the pictures of Fong Yun shows how much he has changed since entering the country. You can see how their family is trying to blend two cultures in the clothing and styles that are displayed the images.
Lee
Although Fong See is obviously an important figure in the book, I think that Ticie’s perspective as well as those of the other female characters are quite powerfully represented, perhaps more powerfully than that of the men. The book is effective because it touches on the experiences of many different characters and their unique struggles.
Question 2. I get the impression that Lisa see is more focused on her American female relatives experience. She tends to share their emotional reactions more than anyone else in the story. A hint of cynicism can be read when talking about Chinese expectation and influences that fong see puts on his family. She tends to lean more towards American customs.
Question 4
The photographs are an integral part of the story, providing a visual interpretation of both the traditional Chinese heritage along with the integration of western society and the diversity of the family.
4) I liked how the pictures showed the progression of the family into the styles and culture of the west. For example the american hairstyles and dress worn
4: through viewing the photographs of the families a change is visable in both their appearance and culture in the individual’s. It is very interesting to see how much Fong Yun had changed in his immigration photo, it is very evident that he has “Americanized” from his clothing to his facial grooming
In the photographs we are able to see the pride Fong See had in his stores. also, when you compare and contrast the two family photos from 1901 and 1914, we are able to see through the way the family is dressed that the family has become successful. In 1914, the suits and dresses seem to be made out of higher quality material.
Question 2: I think it was intentional that Lisa See painted a sympathetic picture of the women in the story. It is apparent through her explanations of the men and women of the story that she more readily identifies with the characters of Ticie anda Stella. One moment in particular, when Ticie and Fong disagree on leaving Eddy in China, Lisa See does touch on the general acceptability of Fong wishes but defends the actions of Ticie while framing her argument as stronger. Ticie wins the day ultimately and Lisa See is sure to paint the story as sympathetic toward her.
Question 4: The photos of the children, in particular Eddy, Ray, and Ming, aid my understanding of how they made the transition from Chiniese to Chinese Americans. The boys looked the part of successful businessmen and paraded themselves in a favorable light. The boys do retain their Chinese looks but shirk off the perceptions that normally accompanied such a sight.
Fong See is not the most important individual in the story. Other individuals such as Ticie, Eddie, and Ray are just as important as Fong. Fong just happened to have taken the risk and venture in America while his family followed.
Fong See’s action is definitely important, but the author’s attention shifts to other people in the family, especially after Fong See and Ticie separate. He got the family started in California, but his family’s racial composition is the core theme–without the family, we wouldn’t have this book. The stories of the children and Ticie are crucial to the narrative, particularly Sissee’s experiences being a girl in a traditional Chinese family. Stella also takes the spotlight at times, though she certainly isn’t the most important person. (I don’t think there really is a “most important person.”)
Question 4: I think these photos show an interesting comparison on the family’s assimilation. They initially seem to keep strong with their culture. The later pictures show a true contrast to the earlier pictures. The pictures make it seem as though they have a huge identity issue. Which seems to be prevalent throughout the story as well.
1. The importance of the different characters changes throughout the book. At first, Fong See is a very important character because he was the one who made the trip to America and it focused on his experiences here. Then as the family grows, Ticie and the children become more important, especially after Ticie and Fong See separated. Ticie took control of the family and businesses. I think the children are especially important because they represent the experiences of both a Chinese and an American individuals.
Question 4: The photos show the transformation of the families becoming more westernized. They also show how the family interacts with each other. I get a sense of family pride from the photos because there are many family photos and childhood photos as well. The pictures also show the accomplishments that the families achieved.
2. I do not think Lisa See had the intention to make the white women more attarcitve. I dont think Lisa See is more attractied to the white in the family i think she may relate to them more. I feel like the white women in this story were the minority. People may be more interested in not only someone they may relate a little more to but also the group of people that might be the minority within the minority.
1. Fong Se isn’t the most important person in the book thus far. I believe the lives of the “supporting cast” are just as essential to the understanding of the families experiences and the family dynamics. The women; Fong Se first wife, Yong and his mother, Shueying serve really important purpose in giving insight into the wait, the suffering and the sacrifices that they made while these men left in pursuit of wealth.
4. The photographs are a great tool to use in determining the Fong vs. the Se sides of the family with their different physical attributes and difference in culture despite the commonality of Fong Se.
Question 4: I think the general content of the pictures not only show the documentary of her family’s life and the lives of other Chinese but also the objective of many of the pictures are showing them working but not necessarily oppressed like we are reading about. It reminds me of the pictures at the camps when we don’t really get to see how life was. The pictures are representional of the clothing, hairstyles, and the beginning of their assimilation into American life while trying to hang onto their Chinese heritages.
Ticie’s decision to separate from Fong See is incredibly different from the Chinese mentality of a women’s subordinate position to her husband. Instead of deferring to Fong See’s ideal wife’s ideals and characteristics, Ticie’s actions resembles mostly the outgoing, American notion of equality among the sexes. In this case, the intersection of gender roles and ethnic traditions illustrates Ticie’s decision perfectly.
When Eddy decided that he and his two friends wanted to open a restaurant, that decision reflected the family’s sway towards American culture. Instead of insisting that Eddy should work in the family’s business, Ticie’s demanding that Ming help and the family’s contributing of money reflected the American attitude of ingenuity and the individual’s capacity to venture out even with a little family assistance.
The photos help capture the assimilation. I appreciated being able to see the stores and also the children shown in different dress from both cultures in a variety of photos.
3. There wasn’t an exact moment when Fong See became American, I think he always wanted to be distance himself from white Americans. He seemed to look down on whites however, they were still superior. I also
think he was still continuing his Chinese heritage, like in Cnfusionism, trying to return to the past and a time of purity–despite the treatment he endured by Americans. Once Fong See returned home, I think he had this desire to rerun to tradition, however once they were divorced, I think Tricie and her children chose to break apart from Fong See and become more American.
2. I am undecided if Lisa intentionally or unintentionally. The book might have developed the it did due to the information she had, inaddition since she is a woman and 7/8 white that this was the story she was more drawn to. The readings provided an education of social history and how/what we have derived from. At the same time it shows the liabilities of what women are often expected to do to uphold/reject these social issues
2c. What are the opportunities and liabilities of readers’ fascination with the white women in the story?
Readers’ fascination with the white women in “On Gold Mountain” presents an opportunity for social acceptance and understanding. Reading about the interracial relationships/marriages in the book allows readers a view into the personal lives of interracial couples, their struggles and triumphs, and gives way to a fuller understanding of what it is to be in a relationship like those in the book. However, focusing on the experiences of the white women in the book can also perpetuate discrimination of interracial couples because of the struggles experienced by the white women who married “below” themselves (racially, within the context of the time period). The focus on these women gives certain readers an opportunity to “prove” that interracial marriage does not work and/or does not come easily, therefore interracial marriage should not be accepted in society. Obviously, the stories of these white women are open to very different interpretations based on individual readers’ preconceptions regarding subjects such as interracial relationships between white women and nonwhite men.
Q5. The Smithsonian does an excellent job telling the Chinese-American’s “Gold Mountain” story. Women and men are represented well and the ‘opium smoking Chinaman’ is not overly painted. Parts of Lisa See’s book such as; prostitution extortion, natural medicine, mining, and other pieces of Chinese-American history are represented well and the exhibition does a decent job following the book.
2. It is interesting how the story does start following the white women’s history. I don’t think it was intentional. I think relates to her own culture own gender, and in tidies case, it may have been more appealing to See.
So I did something wrong Tuesday and mine did not post! I wrote that their clothing showed how their were becoming more American by the way they dressed. The first family photo show them all in Chinese clothing and the other family photo later shows them all dressed in Ammerican clothing.