Grandparents vs Me
What the project means to me and who I am
& how it connects to the History of US:
& how it connects to the History of US:
Assigned Identity/Membership
Both my grandparents lived in rural areas of Taiwan. My grandmother was considered the smartest girl in her village. However, her family was extremely poor and couldn’t afford her education after elementary school. Due to her unfortunate circumstances her knowledge and opportunities to gain valuable skills were limited. She had an arranged marriage with my grandfather, who was rather rich. Even though we grew up in different types of societies, I may have an assigned identity that I’m not aware of. Nonetheless, I have more opportunities to follow my desired path.
Gender Roles
Gender roles also came into play- women had to be docile, and the men were the ones who provided for the family. The family was structured as a patriarchy- men were the head of the family. This was enforced by Japanese customs. My grandparents were greatly affected by their assigned identities. My grandmother learned to be submissive and obeyed my grandfather even if she didn’t agree with all his ideas and principles.
This boy is wearing what my grandparents wore- the vest and the way the hair is tied shows the customs of my grandparents.
Education
Even though Japan strived to increase schools and chances for higher education, my grandparents had few opportunities for education. As explained previously my grandmother stopped going to school because of financial issues. My grandparents had to learn Japanese in school. Also the curriculum set by the Japanese glorified the Japanese to the extent that all the young boys admired them, which showed that there was propaganda and brainwashing involved. During World War II, my grandparents were prevented from many activities; they were only allowed to go to school. They also hid in air-raid shelters when there were bombing raids, which took much time away from their learning.
Language
Since Japanese was the only other language my grandparents learned besides Mandarin and Taiwanese, the languages we speak differ. I can only speak several phrases in Japanese and Taiwanese, so communication can become difficult sometimes. The only language we truly share is Mandarin. My parents can understand Taiwanese but not Japanese, so the differences between generations are increasing. I feel severed from my past because my generation has already lost so much of my family’s culture.
Religion
We also have different religions- my parents and I are Christians but my grandparents are Buddhists. Therefore, we have different practices and views on life. Every time my grandmother asks us to accompany her to the temple, we always decline. Even though we respect each other’s religion, there’s a gap between us because we no longer share the same cultural background.
Economy
I live in the Bay Area, which emphasizes on business and industry. On the other hand, my grandparents had experienced working on farms. With Japan’s involvement, Taiwan has industrialized, so my grandparents have witnessed the gradual change of an agricultural to a more industrial economy. However, I was born into this type of economy, so I don’t really think that it is very significant. In fact, I expect to see so much business booming and I cannot imagine otherwise. Therefore, my grandparents have a broader perspective than me when it comes to society and its progress.
Media/Technology
In modern-day society I have easy access to cars, airplanes, and phones to communicate and travel around the world. However, my grandparents grew up without these luxuries of technology. They only had the radio and newspapers for news. For transportation, they usually walked, even if the distance was several miles.
The Arts
The forms of art and literature that my grandparents had were more traditional. They were more realistic and had to adhere to strict trends. In response to Japanese rule, the new literature movement in Taiwan during the 1920s focused on having works written in vernacular Chinese that contained nationalistic sentiments and humanitarian concerns (Pei-Yin, “Negotiating Colonialism: Taiwanese Literature during the Japanese Occupation”). On the other hand, I am surrounded by contemporary and abstract works. Since I live in America, I embrace multicultural works of arts because they provide different perspectives.
Personal Connection- Two Generations
My grandparents and I have many differences and similarities. However, I felt disconnected from my past because I barely knew anything. Through this project I have gained knowledge of what happened to Taiwan as a whole, but I have so many different experiences from them. I may never truly understand my grandparents’ history and thus I may never truly comprehend my own past. Nonetheless, I will continue to look for my own place in society.
Although the Japanese colonial rule is not directly related to me, this historical era still has shaped who I am. My grandparents’ lifestyle and customs were altered, so my parents and I would have been brought up differently if Japan was not involved with Taiwan’s affairs. Taiwan also would have not industrialized, and I wouldn’t have been able to come to America. Japan, Taiwan, and the US are all part of my history.
Although the Japanese colonial rule is not directly related to me, this historical era still has shaped who I am. My grandparents’ lifestyle and customs were altered, so my parents and I would have been brought up differently if Japan was not involved with Taiwan’s affairs. Taiwan also would have not industrialized, and I wouldn’t have been able to come to America. Japan, Taiwan, and the US are all part of my history.