1. How has Mao’s revolution and his rules effected your life? Can you give some examples? Did this create any problems between you and your family or friends? If so, how?
Mao's revolution and rules have effected my life in a negative way. Some incidents that have occurred because of Chairman Mao,the revolution and his rules are; as shown on pg.9 and 10 I wasn't able to participate in the Liberation Army Performing Troupe because my father had told me that our family has political problems and if they inquired in to our family background not only will we not pass the test but our family political problem will be revealed. Another incident as shown on pg.58 is that I don't get elected as a red guard because my I belong to a black family. I had a grand-father who was a landlord and I had never seen him before. He had died for over 30 years but I was still accused of being related to him, and wasn't elected as a red guard, which was my dream.
This revolution and Mao and his rules really created a problem in my life. The problems that it created in between my family and me were; as shown on pg.214-215, when my mom was very sick, I had been persuaded and mentally pressured to change my family name. And when I went to do this horrible thing officer Ma told me that I had to break with my family to get my last name changed, but thats not what I wanted. Thank fully I was in my senses and left that place. Now that I think about it, I could never hurt my parents, at least not purposely. The problem that I had with my friends was that their were people who I were friends with me before this revolution started and before they new about my black family backgroumd and after they found out, they ended up writing a Da-zi-boa about me. This was shown on pg.48-50. This was only because of Mao's "Five Black Categories". All my friends were brain washed. They made up things that had nothing to do with the revolution and still tied that negative thing with my class status. Also on page 179, my grand-ma tells me about my dad getting locked up and not returning home from the strugge meeting. I was shocked and it was Chinese New Years Eve. Normally everyone would be excited and now the whole house was depressed. Mom fell sick. All of his was literally mental torture for me.
2. Did you ever feel that Mao's doing something wrong? If so, were there any incidents related to it?
Yes. I did feel that Mao was wrong at times, but I didn't want to express my self or else I would have been humiliated more. One of the incidents where I felt this, was on pg.108, where Old Qian was beaten up by the Red Guards. It was very harsh. I know I felt very bad but I didn't show my feelings, because or else one of the supporters of this action would accuse me and humiliate me by bringing up my class status and parents.
3. You were a very bright and intelligent student. Did you ever get stopped on going further in your education because you were a "black whelp?" Explain how? Did this pressure you a lot?
Yes. I was stopped many times. As shown on pg.228, I didn't get to participate in the class exhibition because I had a black family background. Even though my presentation was really good and everyone enjoyed it. This pressured me very badly. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I suffered a lot mentally.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Questions and Answers, Ji-Li’s mother (Clauia)
1. How did the Cultural Revolution affect your life?
Answer: It made me feel scared every second of every day. I was afraid that the Cultural Revolution would get so bad that my children would be taken away. Every day I felt sad and sometimes a little bit angry because of my husband's background. I don’t understand why my husband’s background has to do with anything that has to do with my children and me. I have been accused of being a landlord’s wife because of my husband’s dead father. Being accused of being a landlord's wife made me feel very angry and upset because my family and I were NOT wealthy and I did not own any land, my husband and I had to work just like any other family hat to. In other words my family lived a pretty normal life. I also feel ashamed and sometimes embarrassed that my children, especially Ji-Li, cant participate in being a Red Successor or in class exhibitions because of her class status.(page 57-58, 228, 253
2. How do you feel about Mao?
Answer: As said on page 26 through 27 I was not enthusiastic about the "Destroying of the Four Olds". I knew that my family (husband’s background) had a bad past (background). I did not want to get involved into the event because I was afraid that somebody would find out about our family background and possibly ransack our house for Four Olds I would lose all of my family heritage backgrounds. I am not happy with what Mao has done. (Page 26-27)
3. Why did you keep your family heritage items all of those years, why was it sad to destroy them?
Answer: I kept my family heritage items all of these years because they were just too nice to throw away, so me and my mom kept them in old trunks. It was sad to cut them up because they were part of my family; they were part of my life. When I had to cut them up that meant that I was cutting up my family, I was cutting up my life. In addition I or my mom couldn’t feel sad about them because they were four olds. (Page 96-97)
Answer: It made me feel scared every second of every day. I was afraid that the Cultural Revolution would get so bad that my children would be taken away. Every day I felt sad and sometimes a little bit angry because of my husband's background. I don’t understand why my husband’s background has to do with anything that has to do with my children and me. I have been accused of being a landlord’s wife because of my husband’s dead father. Being accused of being a landlord's wife made me feel very angry and upset because my family and I were NOT wealthy and I did not own any land, my husband and I had to work just like any other family hat to. In other words my family lived a pretty normal life. I also feel ashamed and sometimes embarrassed that my children, especially Ji-Li, cant participate in being a Red Successor or in class exhibitions because of her class status.(page 57-58, 228, 253
2. How do you feel about Mao?
Answer: As said on page 26 through 27 I was not enthusiastic about the "Destroying of the Four Olds". I knew that my family (husband’s background) had a bad past (background). I did not want to get involved into the event because I was afraid that somebody would find out about our family background and possibly ransack our house for Four Olds I would lose all of my family heritage backgrounds. I am not happy with what Mao has done. (Page 26-27)
3. Why did you keep your family heritage items all of those years, why was it sad to destroy them?
Answer: I kept my family heritage items all of these years because they were just too nice to throw away, so me and my mom kept them in old trunks. It was sad to cut them up because they were part of my family; they were part of my life. When I had to cut them up that meant that I was cutting up my family, I was cutting up my life. In addition I or my mom couldn’t feel sad about them because they were four olds. (Page 96-97)
Friday, November 28, 2008
Important Blogs
Mrs. Cook
http://www.rachelcook08.blogspot.com/
Ms. Page
http://mspageaisd.blogspot.com/
http://www.rachelcook08.blogspot.com/
Ms. Page
http://mspageaisd.blogspot.com/
Grandmother (Rowan) Trial Questions and Answers
Grandmother- Rowan Gaskell
1. How have you been affected by your husband's landlord status? And you being labled by Mao as a landlord's wife. What were the difficulties?
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).
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 ).
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 ).
2.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
3. 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.
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