Seven Daughters & Seven Sons and Mulan

Seven Daughters and Seven Sons
&
Mulan

Big Understanding:
Prescribed gender roles and restrictions can limit individual potential.

Essential Questions:
1. Why do many religions/belief systems have clearly defined gender roles?
Many religions/ beliefs systems have clearly defined gender roles because men were thought to be more important than women because they could get educated then but women couldn't. Women were just thought to bried babies, cook and clean for their husbands.

2. When, if ever, is it appropriate that someone defy gender roles?
Yes it s appropriate, because say that a husband became ill and he wasn't well enough to get out of the house and earn his living for his family, then the wife could go out and make the money for her family instead of the husband.

Novel/Movie Connection:
1. What are the cultural attitudes toward marriage in the novel, Seven Daughters and Seven Sons, and the movie, Mulan?
The cultural attitudes towards marriage in the novel, Seven Daughters & Seven Sons, and the movie, Mulan, is that the movie and the novel have basically the same idea of what marriage was like in the olden days. like how the women and the men are different (on question #1). Also Men were like the head of the family, they made all the decisions and were basically incharge of his family.

2. How is education for girls treated in the novel as well as the movie?
Girls weren't allowed to be educated in the novel as also in the film. Boys were the ones that were. Girls were just expected to be housewives and nothing else.

Grandmother's Trial Questions

Grandmother- Rowan Gaskell

1. How have you been affected by your husband's landlord status?

I have been affected by my husband's landlord status by how we are a black family because the red guards, people, Ji-Li's "class mates" and Mao himself think we are one because my husband was a landlord. (p 58).

2. You were labled by Mao as a landlord's wife. What were the difficulties?
I had to live in constant fear about everything. Like for example, i had to go hide the park because i was afraid that the officials would come and search for me. And we used a broom as a sign for warning. (p ).



3. How has your life changed since the cultural revolution?
-I got slapped (p254)
-"black" family
-sweep streets?
-I had to hide in the park
-afraid that the officials will come after me
-my old clothing and belongings destroyed

4. You have lived for some time, and you have seen China without Mao and with Mao. What do you think is the better way for China? With Mao or without?
Well, Mao has done some good things while he has been in China as the Chairman. But he has also done lots of terrible things to China and more importantly, my family and An-Yi's family. He has made my family destroy our lovely, beautiful dowry's, i got slapped by someone for being a landlord's wife, (p254) and Ji-li wasn't able to become a red guard because she is a landlord's grandaughter, (p58). Also Mao's followers wrote a da-zi-bao about Ji-Li and An-Yi's mother. I think China would be better off without Mao. We are not the only family he has ruined, but we are one of them.

Red Scarf Girl

1. Who are the members of Ji-Li's family? Describe her family home. What class status does her family belong to? What occupation of her father? Mother?

The members of Ji-Li's family are Ji-Yong as the younger brother, (11 years old), p14, Ji-Yun (10 years old), Song Po-Po (the nanny/house keeper), p14-15, mom and dad, grandmother, (who used to be the principal), p14, Aunt and cousin, (they live downstairs and the cousin is You-Mei, p15, a cat called "Little White", p17. You-Mei's baby (Hua-Hua), p15. Her family home is a big building in Shanghai, a french window and high ceiling, p15, and had only one room. The apartment was warm and bright, p7. There was a private bathroom, as big as some peoples house,p15-16.They lived on an alley, p20. Family occupation: Her dad is an actor and her mom was an actor, p13, (her mom now works in a sport store). Her grandmother was vice-principal of her old school, p14. Family class status: Upper middle class, p16.

2.  What is Ji-Li's life at school like? What special honor is Ji-Li picked for at school? Describe Ji-Li's parents reaction. What does Ji-Li do instead of entering the audition?

Ji-Li's life at school: Ji-Li was expected to succeed in everything, she was able to excell, p1. They were accusing her and her best friends for spreading the "four olds", p34-36. Ji-Li scored a perfect score on a math test, p6. The central liberation army arts academy choose Ji-Li for their dance troop, p6, for what honor she was chosen for. Her parents reaction: They said no. They said that they had political problems that were complicated, p10. She gives a note to the principal abouthow she cannot participate in the try-outs, p11. 

3. What are the "four olds"? Provide some examples of each and explain why they need to be destroyed. What does "prosperity" mean? Why is it considered an old thought?

The "four olds" are, old ideas, old customs, old cultures and old habits, p 21. An example for all of them, p32-33, a man was walk by and he was wearing pointy shoes. The shoes were the four olds, so they cut them up. "Prosperity" means 'doing well'. It is considered an old thought because, in the book, they want to have everyone equal.

4. What is a xenophile? Why is it bad to be a xenophile in Revolutionary China?

A xenophile is an individual who is attracted to foreign people, cultures or manners. It is bad to be a xenophile in the Revolutionary China because it was considered disloyal to your country.

5. What are da-zi-bao? What are being done with them? Who is Jiang Xi-Wen? Why does Ji-Li hang a da-zi-bao on her house? 

Da-zi-bao are posters that people put on houses all over their schools acusing people of things. Jiang Xi-Wen is Ji-Li's Aunt, p44. Ji-Li hangs a da-zi-bao on her house because she wanted to fit in because her friends were doing it to.

6. Why does Ji-Li stop going to school for a while? (She has been accused of what?)

Ji-Li stops going to school because her class mates wrote a da-zi-bao about her and because after the da-zi-bao she caught a fever.

7. What is a rightist? Use your own words to briefly explain the process of remolding one's ideology.

A rightist is someone who opposes or disagrees with the party. 

To remold one's ideology is to change there beliefs and ideas according to your beliefs.

8. What did Ji-Li's grandfather (her dad's father), do for a living? How does this effect Ji-Li's life?

Ji-Li's grandfather was a landlord and this effected Ji-Li in a bad way because being landlord was  considered exploiting. So her classmates expected her to remold her ideology. 

Flex Day Response

Answer one of the above questions and add two points of observation or reflection from the day about the two places we visited (Sterling Styles factory and Up2Date apparel office). Also you can compose a question that you may have from our flex day adventures. You should post these three items on your blog page.
1) answer a question 2) make two observations or reflections (or write your own questions that you may have) Three things in total!

6. How old do you think the workers here are, on average?

I think that the workers here are 17- 30 years old on average because they looked really young in age. There are probably older women or men working there, but i think that is the main age for workers that work there. One question that i have in mind is, how much do the people get paid for the whole day? It might seem a bit personal, but I'm just curious to know because, the people do so much in one day.

Blog Question: 

What is the message he is trying to get across to his classmates?

The message that he is trying to get across to his classmates, is that people shouldn't bully other people by saying nasty things about them, sending horrible letters,(etc.), because one day it could happen to them and then they would relize that they shouldn't have done that. What Elliott is trying to say, is that everyone is responsible for Parkland School's bullying problem. For example when he says "the rest of you are all part of it- because you let it go on" (page 91- 92).  Elliott is also trying to tell his classmates how bullying can make people feel and how unfair bullying is. "So tell me what happens to you when you don't have so many friends one day, or you don't have so much money, or something bad happens to you". (page 92)  

Blog Question: After the Bully Lab was renamed, the Revealers, and the stories of the three Darkland students were released and well received by the student body, Elliot wanted to publish Russell’s narrative about Richie punching Russell in the face.

1) Why was Russell so opposed to the idea (pg. 110)? Explain.
Russell was so opposed to the big idea because he was afraid that Richie was going to bully him more. I don't really know how to explain it, it's just that i think Russell feels scared that Richie will be more angry with him and for that, he will get bullied a lot.

2) What is happening to the relationship between Russell and Richie. (3 pts)

The relationship between Richie and Russell, (before the idea of posting bully stories around the school) was that Richie bullying Russell all the time. But now, Richie is beginning to get a lot nicer to Russell. For example, when Russel was getting bullied by the "Jock Rots" Richie came and stood up to them for him.

3) Two Peer Comments (4 pts each)

All About Me!

Hey everyone!
Welcome to my new blog! Let me tell you a bit about myself.

My name is Rowan. I live in Bangladesh and the school i go to is called AIS/D. My favorite subjects are Language Arts, P.E and Choir. I was born in Canada, but i grew up in Scotland. So I live here now. I have great friends and I am looking forward to this year ahead of me!