The Woman Warrior - DJ #3
Quote 1:"Among the sellers with their ropes, cages, and water tanks were the sellers of little girls. Sometimes just one man would be standing by the side of the roads selling one girl. There were fathers and mother selling their daughters, whom they pushed forward and then pulled back again. ... If they could just hear from the buyer's own mouth about a chair in the kitchen, they could tell each other in the years to come that their daughter was even now resting in that kitchen chair." - page 79, paragraph 2, Maxine
Significance:
I thought that it was really sad to see how people would sell their own children as slaves to work for other families; and to think that so many children aren't cared for or loved just because they are girls!? That is heart breaking to me and hits home for me. A lot of countries still have sexist problems where women have either no rights or very few at all. Its really sad to think that there are women who have intelligent minds yet are not acknowledged because of it and are simply put down because they are women.
Personal Connection:
This part in the story really hit a nerve for me because I was given up just like most girls in China. I was found in a basket, and with me a blanket, at a train station with a red ribbon attached to my sweater stating only my birth date. Luckily for me, I was found and put into an orphanage for save care and protection. It still hurts to think that people keep their children up till an age where they have a brain and can talk, walk, sit, stand, and then put them up for sale as slave girls or ditch them at a public transportation center. I would like to think that my biological parents cared for me, but then I always think, 'you know what? If they really cared for you then they wouldn't have cared if you were a girl or a boy. They would've loved you and given you the best care they could provide for you at the time.' It was just really hard to read this part in the book because of my birth story.
Question 1:
What do you think some of the reasons why some parents would want to market their daughter as a slave?
Quote 2:
"... That's because she was sixteen years old. Eight-year-olds were about twenty dollars. Five-year-olds were ten dollars and up. Two-year-olds were about five dollars. Babies were free. During the war, though, when you were born, many people gave older girls away for free. And here I was in the United States paying two hundred dollars for you." - page 83, paragraph 2, Aiaa (Maxine's mother)
Significance:
I choose this quote for very similar reasons as the 1st. It is sickening to think that people gave away their children because they were, as a so called, 'burden' to them. Personally, I think that it was really wrong for Aiaa to even consider barganing for a slave girl. But I am really glad that she gave her 'slave' some what of a good abode and found her a nice husband. Its saddening to think that people sold their own children for less than 10 dollars, depending on age. Why not find them a good home or go to an orphanage and make sure that they help fund for the kid or at least make sure they get to good hands. I still can't think of why anyone would want to sell their daughters besides for money and selfishness.
Personal Connection:
Although I was not sold on the streets, it is a possibility that I easily could have been. I still and very fortunate that I was found and given to an orphanage where I would be taken care of and later be put up for adoptioin. Without the generocity of that person, I may not be living the life I am today.
Question 2:
Picture yourself as one of the parents who is selling their young daughter off on the streets for 10 dollars. Tell me why you think you doing that is okay.
Vocab for DJ #3:
surfeited (pg 74) - to feed or supply to excess
permeate (pg 83) - to pass into or through every part of
palanquins (pg 84) - a covered litter carried on poles on the shoulders of four or more bearers, formerly used in eastern Asia
defecate (pg 86) - have a bowel movement
recedes (pg 87) - move back or away from a limit, point, or mark
dromedaries (pg 90) - the single-humped camel
2 comments:
Quote #1:
I think that this was also an important quote because it talks about how girls were looked on at the time. I also thought it was sad for people to sell their own children. I know that I as a person could never sell my child by any means.
Question #1:
I dont know any reasons why a parent would sell their own daughter. But if I would have to think about it for awhile the people could be running out of money and that might be a reason. But personally, I dont think that you could put a price on a human.
Quote #2:
Ya, this quote is very much like the first one, not that it is a bad thing. I think that it was very fortunate that you as a child were not sold on the street. I mean not to sound all weird but I see everyone in an interesting perspective and I am glad that you are in my class.
Question #2:
I dont think that selling your child on the street is ok. But if I would have to guess, I think that it would be ok because you are in charge of that child and you can "supposidley" do what you want with that child
I agree it is completely sickening that people could sell their child. What people too for their own gain puzzles me sometimes.
Question#1
People would want to market their children for money.
Question#2
If I were in that situation it would be hard to tell. People's mind become so cloudy and self-centered that they would do anything for a few bucks. I would probably need the money but I would never sell my child.
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