"The sickness took away the strength of one of Dawb's legs, as well as her obedience. I know that high on her thigh there is a scar, a curve on her skin like the face of a silent moon--a sad, hidden moon. She played outside after dark. She stopped listening to my parents. Whenever we passed the small noodle shop on the red dirt road that cut across the camp, she would ask for food. I never asked, because I knew that if my parents bought Dawb noodles, they would buy me a bowl, too." (pg 60)
In the last sentence "I never asked, because i knew that if my parents bought Dawb noodles, they would buy me a bowl , too ." Does Kao Kalia Yang sound selfish of herself?
I think she was not selfish. She understood about how parents did for their children whenever one kid wanted to have a doll for their daughter or a toy for their son, so Kao Kalia Yang's had two daughters and one of them wanted to get a bowl of noodles; her parents had to spend twice of the cost of the two bowls of noodles. I think my parents would if I wanted to eat something, but my brother wouldn't; however, they would deal with me not to buy anything for me unless my brother would want one, too. I am not sure this makes sense to anyone.
ReplyDeleteShe was thinking beyond just herself and Dawb. She knew that her family was poor and if they spent money on Dawb they had to buy Kao a bowl as well. She would rather pass a chance of eating a bowl of noodle and save her parents the trouble and money. Selfish? No i think she is a smart girl that is thoughtful and looked beyond what was in front of her.
ReplyDeleteI think Kao knew that if one of them asked the other would get the same thing. Her parents loved them both equally, so buying something for one daughter and not the other wouldn't be unfair to the children. Althought they probably could have shared a bowl of noodles because they didnt have very much money to spare.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Kao Kalia Yang's statement made her seem selfish. In fact, I believe it made her seem less selfish because she didn't whine and cry to her parents to get her a bowl also. She knew that her parents loved her and there was no point in asking or begging for food that she knew her parents would buy her.
ReplyDeleteI remember doing this when I was little too. My parents always treated my brothers and me fairly and never favored any of us. So each of us knew that what one received the other two would also get and there was no need to bother asking.
I wouldn't think its selfish of her to say that. Mainly because they're family, and whatever her parents buy for Dawb they have to buy for her too. Well necessity wise that is.
ReplyDeleteI think Yang never asked because she knew that there wasn't always money in the family so she really didn't need any. But if Dawb asked then her parents would have to buy a bowl for each of them, by having Yang not asked took a stress variable out of her parents lives because knowing that one child is craving something they cannot afford is better than both children craving it. Therefore making Yang not selfish but just considerate.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that she was selfish, but more like she believes that her parents love them equally. Or possibly because they go to that noodle shop so often and Dawb is the one always asking for noodles she can safely assume its routine she would also get noodles.
ReplyDeleteYang is very thoughtful because she gave up her rights to ask for noodles. Since Dawb had gone through the sickness, Dawb needed more attention from her parents. Therefore,Yang wanted to give her chance to her sister.After getting what she wanted,(noodles) Dawb may feel she is still loved and cared by her parents even though she has some problem with her leg.Yang just wanted to give her sisiter a better feeling that even though she is disabled, she is still loved by yang, and her parents.
ReplyDeleteI think that Kao Kaila Yang did more a thoughtful deed rather than being selfish because she was thinking that she'd rather have Dawb to eat rather than herself. Thinking the factthat her parents are not that stable with their current condition. She probably thought that it would be a less burden if she never have to ask her parents to buy her.
ReplyDeleteI dont think yang is selfish because she doesnt want her parents to buy her noodles too. Since theyre are in financial hardship Yang doesnt want to burden them with unnecessary wants.
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