Speak Your American (1942) – Hello Hello (1942); p. 45-96
Padlet Link: https://padlet.com/jmillican/g7i1kj7aydjh
We will go in order of teams for answering questions initially. I will be checking my email during the discussion. If a student poses a particularly good question to me via email, then I will post that question for further discussion at the end of the team discussions.
Team 1 will discuss Henry's social limbo. Why is Henry not really accepted by either his white peers at school or his Chinese ones at home? How do you think this affects Henry? If he could choose to be part of one culture over the other, do you think he would?
Team 2 will discuss Henry's love of Jazz. Why does Henry like jazz? What do Henry and Keiko have to do to be able to sit inside the club? Would Henry have taken such a risk and rationalized it, in any other scenario? Whether you answered yes or no, explain.
Team 3 will discuss the law enforcement assault on the club. What happens as Henry and Keiko are leaving the club? Why? What does Oscar mean when he makes his comment about leaving the South? What does Keiko tell Henry as they are leaving? Why is this ironic in the context of war and fear of spies?
Team 4 will discuss Father and Son relationships. What relationship does Henry compare his relationship with Marty to? How is Henry and Marty’s relationship actually different though? Why is Henry stunned that he is placed in the same category as “Yay-yay” by Marty (not their relationship, but Henry himself as a person)?
Team 5 will discuss the individual versus the group. How does Henry’s view on the arrests of the Japanese differ from those of his father? Why? Would Henry’s father understand if he explained what Keiko had said to him at the club? If Henry's father had a close Japanese friend would his views be different, or is his view of the Japanese Army invading China and killing its citizens too much for him to get past?
Team 6 will discuss Japanese desire to prove loyalty. What is burning in Nihonmachi? Why? Will this make any difference in regards to the Executive Order? What would you do if you were in this situation?
Team 7 will discuss Henry's defiance of his Father. What does Henry do while he is translating between the his father and Chaz's father? Is this a betrayal of the trust his father has placed in him? Explain. Why does Henry do what he does?
Email me a discussion question either before or during the discussion, if you think it is a good one for the group.