American Perspectives Short Texts Lecture on 14 September 2015 by Sigrid Brevik Wangsness

“Letter to Ma” by Merle Woo (1941- ) Asian-American writer and university lecturer

 “Letter to Ma” was written in 1980  A personal and autobiographical letter  The Asian-American experience: “model immigrants”? Context

 The female immigrant experience  Ma’s story  The daughter’s story (= the narrator, “I”)  Emily and Paul’s stories 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd generation immigrants

 How would you summarize the difference between being a first, second and third- generation Asian American as portrayed in this letter?  Describe the conflicting feelings the daughter has about “Ma”. (Compare the introduction to the conclusion).  The author gives us a very visual image of the “two worlds” the two women represent. Which? Generation gap

 For Ma, survival was the main concern, and in many ways she exemplifies the cost of immigration in human happiness. What is the daughter’s main goal?  How does the daughter define her role as a “Yellow Feminist”?  What will she fight against? Physical security vs. emotional legacy

 A major theme in immigrant literature generally is lack of communication. Why do you think the generation gap may be particularly painful for 1 st and 2 nd generation immigrants? What is it that the narrator feels she still needs from her mother?  How do Ma’s grandchildren provide hope for the future?  What is “the larger framework” in which the daughter sees their story? Lack of communication

Barack Obama: Keynote Address, Democratic Convention 2004 (Senator from Illinois)

 Important speeches in US history  The role of the President as a unifying symbol  What is a keynote address?  Who was Barack Obama then? Context

 Which typical American ideals and values does Mr. Obama refer to in his speech?  Which major historic events does he mention?  Why does he use history in this way, do you think? American ideals and values

 What are some of the presentation techniques and rhetorical devices that Mr. Obama uses?  How would you evaluate the delivery of his talk? Give some examples.  What about the structure of his speech? Presentation techniques

Tom Wolfe: A Man in Full: «The Saddlebags» American author and journalist (1931- )

 New Journalism  Realism, satire, humour  Study of a specific context Here: Atlanta in the 1990s. The world of politics and business Context

 Setting?  Topic?  Main characters? - Charlie Croker - Mr. Peepgass - Harry Zale - Mr. Croker’s staff and the bank staff «The Saddlebags»

 How would you characterize the main participants at the meeting?  Briefly summarize the result of the meeting.  Why, then, does Mr. Peepgass stand there, «stunned, «speechless» at the end of the meeting?  What is the impression you get of American business culture in this excerpt? American business culture