Posted by gardenergirl on January 16, 2007, at 13:16:51
In reply to let me add -, posted by one woman cine on January 16, 2007, at 12:32:37
Mel, just kick me if you wish, because I know you can speak for yourself.
However, I'm going to speak, too. Hope that's okay with you, onewomancine.
I agree with you that stereotypes hurt. I don't believe, though, that Auntie Mel suggested this book to Deneb in order to learn all about Chinese women. Rather, I believe she suggested it as a tool for Deneb to read and reflect in hopes of improving her relationship with her mother.
It would be dangerous for anyone to assume that anyone belonging to a certain group is exactly the same as a portrayal of the group, whatever the medium. Similarly, there is more within group variation versus between groups variation. But you know that, I'm sure.
Still, it can be helpful to have a place to start and some "grist for the mill" to stimulate reflection when trying to understand something. Deneb is likely to take in information (whether from this book or anything else), digest it, compare and contrast it to other examples and to what she already knows, and then either assimilate/integrate it or let it go. She's a pretty smart cookie in a lot of ways. I doubt she took Mel's recommendation as, "This is a map of your mother."
Of course I could be wrong, because I can only speak for me, ya know.
gg
poster:gardenergirl
thread:721248
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20070112/msgs/722884.html