Chinese Mothers

Let me start by saying that reading this passage totally brings back memories (gosh does it bring back memories). I can especially relate to Lulu's struggle with the piano because when I was little, learning to play the piano was actually my mom's idea and I definitely didn't take to it right away. I hated having to stay inside and practice piano when other kids were outside playing and used to cry and scream and beg for my parents to let me quit. But eventually I came to love playing piano and would pluck away for hours if I had the time. In fact, music has become something I would never dream of giving up and I'm eternally grateful my mom pushed me to stick with it. My mother, Lulu's mother, and mothers from every corner of the world force their kids to study, learn music, or play sports with the best of intentions. However, Chua can be a little extreme in her parenting methods.

Charles Cooley might argue that Ms. Chua's calling her daughter "garbage" will affect the looking glass self of her personality negatively, as shaming Sophia when she is disrespectful could end up damaging her self-esteem. However, Chua's criticism may have positive effects by setting high standards for her daughter. If Sophia and Lulu's parents expect nothing short of straight A's in school, they may come to expect that of themselves. The results of Chua's methods could go either way, which is why balance should be the main goal when raising kids, I think. While I don't agree with Chua's rules against playdates and choosing extracurriculars, I do think she has the right in idea in sitting down with her daughters to study until they do better in school. And while I never liked the way Chinese parents casually criticize their children (hey, fatty--lose some weight?), I think it's important for parents to push their kids to do their best in everything. Parents should set high expectations for their children and actively help them to achieve them. At the same time, parents should be flexible and allow their children to pursue what interests them.

College: it don't matter much

When I started reading Gone With the Wind, I was shocked by how different the characters' values are from our own. The book opens with the Tarleton twins Brent and Stuart casually telling Scarlett (the main character) all about their latest expulsion from yet another university. The brothers almost brag about how they were kicked out of the University of Georgia, "...the fourth university that had thrown them out in two years..." (Mitchell 6) and treat it like a joke, as do most other people where they live. In fact, the majority of Clayton County describe the benefits of a classical education as being able to play poker, shoot straight, ride well, and hold down liquor "like a gentleman." My culture shock started here because most people in our time period put quite an emphasis on the importance of receiving a good education. I think the difference in our values lies in our lifestyles. Most 19th century Southerners worked on farms and rarely in factories, so I can understand that a college education wasn't as pressing as it is today, where work in any area could require a whole new set of skills. It felt silly to have to get over the culture shock I experienced during the first few pages reading, but I'm still surprised at how much life in the U.S. has changed.