Blog Post #2

Throughout this chapter we get even more in touch with Chinese culture through Peter Hessler’s words. Within these 50 pages I especially enjoy the parts when the students write about the English books they are required to read. When I was a junior in high school I also had to read these books, and so, when I hear that these Chinese students are analyzing Beowulf and Hamlet like I did, it fascinates me. When I first heard they were going to be reading these two works I was surprised but then curious to see how they responded to them- assuming they wouldn’t have the same thoughts or ideas as me, simply because we weren’t from the same culture. After realizing the Chinese students seemed to have more similarities than differences in comparison to myself and the culture I was brought up in, I was better able to recognize those qualities that did vary from my culture. Specifically, I found a difference on page 40 when Peter explained how his students rarely questioned official texts because that is how they were taught. I was always taught to question and have a mind of my own, so this definitely showed that first big difference between his students and myself. Later on he also touched on the idea of racism and sexism- both issues in both cultures, but then a student added homosexuality to that list, which didn’t quite match American culture because homosexuality has now become more of an “okay” lifestyle here. Seeing as this idea of homosexuality is relatively modern, that shows how culture can evolve throughout time. Chinese culture has also evolved through revolution, which we saw demonstrated in Hessler’s short story about the Heavenly Kingdom on page 54. I am eager to learn more about Chinese culture and the differences and similarities it has with American culture.