Alienation

Alienation in The Chrysanthemums, Everyday Use

and Seventeen Syllables

Belle Lam Tang Ka WingTiffany Wong

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Alienation

The Chrysanthemums

Everyday Use Seventeen Syllables

Which characters

are involved?

Elisa Allen Dee / Wangero

Leewanika

Tome / Mr Hayashi

Who imposes

the alienation

?

Elisa Allen (self-imposed

alienation)

Dee (self-imposed

alienation)

Tome / Mr Hayashi and

society

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Imposition of the Alienation

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How is the alienation imposed?

The Chrysanthemums• Elisa self-imposes the alienation.

– “Fence[d]” herself around the garden with her chrysanthemums.

– Masculine “gardening costume”, scissors as a weapon

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How is the alienation imposed?Everyday Use• Dee self-imposes the

alienation. – Lives in urban area while

mother and sister live in rural area

– Never asks before taking something e.g. benches, dasher

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Seventeen Syllables• Tome self-imposes the alienation

– She is in the world of haiku a space of autonomy. She is “neglected speaking when spoken to” (p.209)

• The alienation was imposed on Tome by society

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Seventeen Syllables• Mr Hayashi self-imposes the alienation

– He remains silent and expresses himself minimally when interacting with others

• The alienation was imposed on Mr Hayashi by society

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Why is the alienation imposed?The Chrysanthemums• Does not want to be let

down, seeking a sense of security

• Wants to stay in her comfort zonegarden (where she is in control of everything)

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Why is the alienation imposed?

Everyday Use• Alienated from her family

– Higher educational level• Prevents herself from being alienated

from city / urban life– Follows the Black Power movement

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Seventeen Syllables• The oppression imposed on Tome by

society and culture makes Tome escape and isolate herself in her world of haikus.

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Seventeen Syllables• Mr Hayashi’s domination and lack of

appreciation to Tome’s artistic sense accelerates his alienation from his interaction with Tome

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How Alienation affects the Characters

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How the characters gain autonomy in the alienation

The Chrysanthemums• Has control over the chrysanthemums

in her garden– “her face was eager and mature and

handsome; even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over powerful.” (pg. 160)

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How the characters gain autonomy in the alienation

Everyday Use• Dee changes her name, being different

from her family – ‘couldn’t’ bear it any longer being named

after the people who oppress her.” (pg. 348)

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How the characters gain autonomy in the

alienationSeventeen Syllables• Tome is independent in

her world of haiku – “an earnest, muttering

stranger who often neglected speaking when spoken to.” (pg. 209)

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How the characters gain autonomy in the

alienationSeventeen Syllables• Mr Hayashi gains

autonomy in his alienation,– Remains silence as he is

free to give commands on his family members

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How the characters gain pride in the alienation

The Chrysanthemums• Elisa takes pride in planting

chrysanthemums – passion and excitement when illustrating

the process of planting chrysanthemums to the tinker, a stranger. (pg. 165)

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Everyday Use• Dee takes pride as she establishes a

sense of superiority to herself and a sense of inferiority to her family – when she can appreciate the quilts and

Maggie “can’t”. (pg. 351)

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Seventeen Syllables• Tome takes pride in her writing of haiku

– “finished one and read it aloud for her daughter’s approval”, introducing her work to her daughter. (pg. 208)

– When Tome receives the “first prize”, she is “pleased and overwhelmed”, “bobb[ing] her head up and down numerous times”. (pg. 217)

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How Alienation affects the Characters’ Relationship

with others

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How alienation deepens disconnection with others

The Chrysanthemums• “Fenced garden”

– a barrier from the outside world – emotional disconnection with others i.e. Henry has talk to Elisa outside the garden

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The Chrysanthemums• Masculine clothing

– an armor and barrier from interaction – protection against external harm – scissors as a weapon

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Everyday Use• Dee makes attempts not to be alienated

from the current urban trend – Spread the urban trend into her family and

calls them “backward” – Breaks her relationship with mother

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Everyday Use• Dee alienates herself from her family

– Changes her name which is “named after the people who oppresses [her]”

– Disconnection and denial of her family background

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Seventeen Syllables• Tome is fully indulged in haikus.

– “Neglected speaking when spoken to and stayed busy at the parlor table”

– Creating disconnection with others – She can talk about haikus and “forget[s]”

about dinner in the Hayano family

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Seventeen Syllables• Emotional disconnection between Tome

and Mr Hayashi – Minimal interaction and communication are

seen throughout the story

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How alienation enhances marriage / generational gap

The Chrysanthemums• Elisa bars herself from being

emotionally connected with others– A distant relationship with her husband

Henry – Short and crude answers – Defensive attitude

“What do you mean by ‘nice’?

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Everyday Use• Dee asserts superiority on herself and

inferiority on her family – Dee has a higher educational level– Looks down on those who live in the rural – Refuses to understand the value of

heritage in the view of her family

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Seventeen Syllables• Tome is buried in her world of haiku, in

her world of alienation– Creates generational gap between her and

Rosie– When she introduces Haiku to Rosie,

Rosie only “pretended to understand it”. (pg. 208)

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Seventeen Syllables• Mr Hayashi alienates himself from Tome

– Picture bride: never had a chance to know her in person before marrying her

– Enhances marriage gap

Alienation

Education

Transcript of Alienation