Ho Yan Lam
English 1101
November 25, 2015
Summary of Research Documentary Film

The documentary, “The Cave of Forgotten Dreams”, by Werner Herzog touches on the different areas represented in the cave. Throughout the film, it connects different aspects of the cave to our world today such as the flute, drawings, and the footprints left behind. When scientists discovered the flute, it functions the same as ours today. Although it was something that was invented more than 30 thousand years ago, people’s creative mind is still similar. Another area represented in the cave was religion that was portrayed through art and small statue. Throughout the cave, a women without a head was found. There were other weird figures that were put at the entrance of the cave. Scientist believe it was a superstition of the people back then, like how many people in the world believe in a god today. They must’ve worship an animal or human. The last aspect discussed in the documentary was the footprints left behind in the cave. There was this specific scene where they found footprint of a boy next to a wolf. This remains a mystery today as to how they got along and interacted but it is similar to how to tame different animals, I’m assuming. This documentary touches on the different life style and art work found in the cave and was able to connect to our world today. They communicated through art, just like how we communicate through camera and films today.

ENG 1101 – D376
Ho Yan Lam
November 8, 2015
Summary of “From Doo Wop to Hip Hop”

The essay “From Doo Wop to Hip Hop: The Bittersweet Odyssey of African Americans in the South Bronx” by Mark Naison discuss the creation of hip hop in South Bronx. Around the time after World War II, Patterson Houses (public housing) was considered to be a better place to be. For less than fifteen years, it was a place of peace, safety, organization, and success. However, that quickly changed when heroine came into the picture. People no longer felt safe walking down the streets and gangs began to form. One thing that reunited the community was music. Hip hop developed at a time where adult presences were not in the life of young people in The Bronx. A Jamaican immigrant, “Cool DJ Herc”, held parties where everyone began attending. Breaking dancing and rapping evolved from the harsh life these people had to live through and although it was nice that many found an escape through music, The Bronx had now become an area for the poor. Public housing is no longer considered a “better place”.

ENG 1101 – D376
Ho Yan Lam
September 30, 2015
“Free Schools” – Summary

DeWitt Clinton was the mayor of New York between 1803 and 1815. He believed in equal education opportunity for everyone in different social classes. Giving free education for the entire population would create equality. He criticized Europe’s way of treating their people. The thinks the fundamental error of it is preventing the poor from receiving education. Clinton quoted from Montaigne: “Man differs more from man, than man from beast.” By that he means there’s a bigger gap between men in Europe due to its difference in education level than between a man and a beast. For this error to be corrected, he thinks New England should be more like New York. But he failed to see the cons of New York’s system because “great cities are at all times the nurseries and hot-beds of crime.”

English 1101
Ho Yan, Lam
September 9, 2015

America and I

1. Yezierska’s initial impression of America was that it’s a “land of living hope, woven dreams, aflame with longing and desire,” (54). Russia on the other hand, was a place of “airless oppression” behind prison bars and deathless songs, (54). She believed America was a place that would turn Russia’s prison bars into beautiful violin strings. One was a place of new dreams and hope while the other place was a trapped world.
2. Upon arriving America she aspires to be free from work long hour works just to fulfill her hunger. She wants to be a creator of something, someone who can give back to society, and be treated like an actual human being. But before getting lost in her dreams, she must first “put her feet down on earth” and think about the reality of having food and shelter (55).
3. No the “Americanized family” does not treat her fairly because when she asked about her wages, she didn’t get any. Instead she was responded with “a sudden coldness” and the “four eyes turned into hard stone” as they look her up and down (56-57). They said she was always lucky enough to have her own bed to sleep in and three meals a day that was considered her pay. The Americanized family never once asked her whether she wants to work from early to late night. She dedicated her whole mental and physical energy to that family but she never got anything in return; she was not treated fairly.
4. The best part about working in Delancey Street was that she had the evening and the whole night to herself. Although that place barely paid enough for meals and a mattress, she was able to have some time alone on the rood with the silent night. She ended up losing her job because the old woman at the sweatshop began to demand too much. Her working hours were getting longer and she let her unhappiness known to the owner. She threw a fit and got fired.
5. She wants to do work that’s associated with her head, her feelings. She thinks contributing only her hands work is not enough because it does not fill up the emptiness she feels in her heart. She simply wants to be happy with the work she does but she cannot pinpoint on how she can achieve that. She wants to be treated as a human being rather than a working machine. The thing that’s stopping her is that she doesn’t know what steps to take to reach her goal. Whoever she ask will give her a cold response because all she mentions about is money in front of them. They get put off by the idea that she’s not contributing to the society with her skills but all she wants in return is more money.
6. No I don’t agree with the author’s argument that immigrants should receive free room and board because really, room and board is not free anywhere around the world. Even back in their mother country, they had to pay for room. It’s not America’s responsibility to provide them with room and board if they did not save up enough upon coming to America. Although life is indeed hard for new immigrants, they should’ve prepared their mind that nothing will ever go as smoothly as they imagined. Americans do not get free room and board themselves, so it’s not realistic and fair for immigrants to get those advantages and benefits.
7. The author learned from the pilgrims that “through danger, famine, pestilence” they still stayed focus to their goal and pressed on. They did not question or beg anybody for help but instead, they stay persistent and true to themselves. She realized that when she was cheated of her wages by the woman at the sweatshop, she got angry and lost her heart. She was not strong hearted and persistent enough to fight all the people then went against her. This idea allowed her to realize that she does not have to ask or beg anyone for help and success; she must rely on her own skills and determination to figure things out.
8. The author utilizes the word “hungry” to show how she was desperate for something other than real food. She wanted money, she wanted acceptance into the American culture, so she begged like a hungry beggar and like a hungry cat following their boss’s footsteps just for a little something. However, that hunger was not associated with her “appetite” for actual food. The author wanted to show her reader’s that she was desperate for both actual food and something else in the American society. The appetite could be fulfilled by actual food but her hunger and longing for complete acceptance cannot be achieved. Even though she has three meals a day and a bed to sleep in that hunger in her heart would not go away. She sees other immigrants with the same hunger in their heart but America is not willing to accept them for who they are because they feel immigrants cannot offer them anything useful. Therefore immigrants must suppress their true desire to adjust into the American culture and become one with everyone else that has a hunger in their heart hidden away.

ENG 1101
Ho Yan, Lam
September 5, 2015

New York Was Our City on the Hill

1. Life was extremely hard in America for Danticat’s parents at first because his dad had to work two “minimum-wage jobs to support two households in two countries” (74) and her mom also to work in a textile factory. They worked more hours than anyone, for less money, and for fewer benefits.
2. The Faustian bargain is the concept of Danticat’s parents giving up everything to provide the best for them. I think it was a fair offer because the parents moved to New York in hope of a better future for the kids. They would’ve stayed in Haiti and be sure there would be no future for them. However, they were willing to risk everything they’ve ever had back in Haiti for an imaginative future in New York. Although the children might have to take in the burden of working since a young age and helping around by working summer jobs, anything would’ve been better than staying in Haiti and not seeing a future.
3. Uncle Joseph’s view on America was that the future for the poor was not a given. There will be no guarantee that they’ll have a better future there because even if their parents work hard, a better future was something “to be clawed from the edge of despair with sweat and blood,” (74). However, the kids saw living in New York was a dream, their “city on the hill,” (74). If was a fantasy that was close to impossible of being achieved. They were young and too naïve to see the reality behind their fantasy.
4. First lesson Danticat learns about life in New York was that the poor were “likely to be working more hours than anyone else, for less money, and with few if any benefits,” (74).I think this lesson is extremely commonly shared between immigrants because although America is known to be one of the most diverse cities, there will always be unfair fields in the world. Places will always take advantage of the fact that many immigrants are not fluent in English and offer them less than what they’re suppose to earn upon taking a job. They’ll take advantage that new immigrants will do anything to support their family; even if it’s to work ridiculously long hours for little pay.
5. “It is the burden of each generation to embrace or reject the dreams set out by those who came before.” What children own their parents all depends on how much the child values their family. Some might think they don’t owe anything to their parents because they might have a mindset that they were forced immigrant. Others might want to return and favors and relieve any burden their parents might have as a way of showing appreciation. However, I think the most basic thing a child owes to their parents is taking care of them when their parents can no longer work due to old age. Their parent’s dreams are to have a better life for their kids and they work all the time to achieve it. When their kids begin to take care of them, they’ll know by then that their kids have matured and grew up to be happy and thankful people.
6. An immigrant is someone who believes they left everything in one country and starting all over again in another. A transnational is someone who thinks they have rights in both countries and have a living quarter in two countries. Danticat’s parents ultimately identified themselves as immigrants because they considered Brooklyn their family and not Haiti anymore. They didn’t want to live away from their friends and community in Brooklyn.
7. After 9/11, Danticat’s father had to worry about terrorism, “both becoming a victim and being blamed for it,” (76). This treatment of him occurred all due to his appearance and race.
8. Uncle Joseph’s death connects to the beginning of the essay because as someone who’s poor, his future was not guaranteed. He died from fleeing gang violence and under United States custody. U.S doesn’t always secure one’s safety and freedom.
9. Past tense was used in the title of the essay because after experience life in New York first hand, Danticat no longer believe in the fantasies of America she had when she was younger. It’s no longer “walking the penny-gilded streets and buying all the candies,” (74) they hope for. It’s more like working her first summer job at the age of 14 and not having much left after paying bills and buying a week of groceries.

ENG 1101
Ho Yan, Lam
September 10, 2015

The Prologue of “Invisible Man” (Summary)

In the Prologue to “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison, the author addresses the theme of feeling invisible. The invisible man beats up another man at one point and walked away laughing. He chooses to live underground because he sort of gives in to the idea in his head that people find him invisible. Although he calls himself the invisible man, he likes to live in the light because it reminds him that he’s alive. Ultimately the main character struggles with internal confliction as to whether he needs to prove to the world that he exist or he just needs to know himself that he’s alive.