Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Emerging Scholars Book

I think that a good book for the Emerging Scholars this summer would be Copper Sun. I think that this book would be best out of all of the books we have read because it seems to contain content that is more appropriate for high school students. It also incorporates a good deal of history that students already know something about, slavery, while still introducing new elements of this period in history. For example, many of the students have heard about the conditions for slaves once they reached America, but many have not had the opportunity to learn about how the slaves were captured or what the conditions were like for them on the journey to America. In the same way, Copper Sun offers a view of escaping slavery that is unique. I also think that this book would keep kids' interest in having to read it over the summer.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Mulan

After reading the original Mulan story, I can see how some people might think that the Disney version is overly Westernized, yet I can also see why some things might have been added to the Disney story. Those who argue against the Disney version could argue that the love story subplot between Mulan and the captain takes focus away from the true story and distracts viewers from Mulan's true actions and triumphs. In including a love story, the tale is Westernized to imply that even though Mulan was brave enough to fight for her father in the army, the tale would not be complete without her finding a potential husband. However, some aspects of the Disney version are needed to make the film relatable and into a coherent film, such as the back story about preparing for marriage in China and the accepted customs and beliefs of families. Explaining these things is important because not all young, Western audiences have prior knowledge of these customs of the East. In this respect, I would argue that anything designed to be viewed by many different cultures should be adapted in such a way that it allows the audience to understand the culture in which they are viewing; this, however, can be done in a way so as to not diminish the purpose and basic story of the original tale.