Cycle 22: At the Western Palace

Quotes from At the Western Palace which I felt described a lot about a character, morals that cultures have, or just something I felt was interesting.

"Her bad boy and bad girl were probably sneaking hamburgers, wasting their money. She would scold them...Her American children had no feelings and no memory." (pg. 114-115)

I found this quote interesting because of the explanation it has for Brave Orchid's "American Children". When reading all that she says about her 'American Children' it seems as if she disrespects the American culture and thinks that the Chinese culture has more respect and such. I didn't like this personality shown of Brave Orchid because it made her look like a bad woman who didn't respect the culture she was living with and who didn't like her children and very stubborn and ignorant.

"She was a tiny, tiny lady, very thin, with little fluttering hands, and her hair was in a gray knot. She was dressed in a gray wool suit; she wore pearls around her neck and in her earlobes. Moon Orchid would travel with her jewels shower. Brave Orchid momentarily saw, like a larger, younger outline around this old woman, the sister she had been waiting for." (pg. 117)

This is the first quote described about Moon Orchid, Brave Orchid's sister. It gave me a clear image in my head of how Moon Orchid looked like. It was quite descriptive talking about her age and the things that she was wearing. It also talked a little about the type of person Moon Orchid was, wearing a pearl necklace while traveling to America.

"Lovely Orchid, the youngest aunt, owned either a shoe store or a shoe factory in Hong Kong, That was why every Christmas she sent a dozen pairs, glittering with yellow and pink plastic beads, sequins, and turquoise blue flowers." (pg. 119)

This is another description of another sister, the youngest sister, Lovely Orchid. It's amazing how the readers had never been informed of any of Brave Orchid's sisters until now and it was fun to learn about them. All three sisters seem to be very different based on the types of things they do. After learning about two of Brave Orchid's sisters I'm wondering if she has any more, or if she has brothers that might be mentioned in the next chapter of the book.

" "Eat!" Brave Orchid ordered. "Eat!" She would not allow anybody to talk while eating. In some families the children worked out a sign language, but here the children spoke English, which their parents didn't seem to hear." (pg. 123)

Another cultural difference and I also learned that Brave Orchid may have not understood much English. Although the story is written entirely in English there had been parts in the book where Maxine Hong writes "the children spoke in English" therefore meaning that most of what we've read must've been told in the Chinese Language.

"Brave Orchid looked at this delicate sister. She was such a little old lady. She had long fingers and thin, soft hands. And she had a high-class city accent from living in Hong Kong. Not a trace of village accent remained; she had been away from the village for that long." (pg. 127)

This was a deeper description of Moon Orchid and her weaknesses. Apparently she is a very frail woman compared to Brave Orchid, who is loud and obnoxious. Even if they are sisters, they don't quite seem to share much similarities at all. It described the place which she came from and talked a little about how she lived her life.

"When she complimented them, they agreed with her! Not once did she hear a child deny a compliment." (pg. 134)

This quote was written from the perspective of Moon Orchid, who had just come from China to America and is fascinated with the American Culture. In this part of the book, Moon Orchid had been carefully observing the life of Brave Orchid's children and even imitating them. She tested things with the children, her nieces and nephews, and learned that they enjoyed hearing compliments and welcomed all of her compliments with open arms.

"Brave Orchid rushed along besides her relection in the glass. She used to be young and fast; she was still fast and felt young. It was mirrors, not aches and pains, that turned a person old, everywhere white hairs and wrinkles. Young people felt pain." (pg. 147)

A very interesting quote in the book because I learned a little about what Brave Orchid felt about herself. She knew how strong and capable she was, but looked a little down on herself. After reading this quote I had asked myself, "Does Brave Orchid yell at her children and Moon Orchid to make herself feel better, or is that just her personality?" She knows that she's getting old, and maybe she's afraid of death, even if she doesn't want to admit. Maybe she's not even afraid of death, she's just afraid of aging and being weaker than others. She seems as if she doesn't want to lean or rely on anybody but herself.

"Brave Orchid's daughters decided fiercely that they would never let men be unfaithful to them. All her children made up their minds to major in science or mathematics." (pg. 160)

This quote explains a little about womanism within Brave Orchid's family. Apparently after watching their Aunt, her daughters wanted to be stronger than Moon Orchid and wanted to be like their mother - a strong, independent woman. I thought it was amusing for Maxine Hong to write that they majored in science and mathematics to become this strong woman. Is that an inference stating that to be a stronger woman you have be good in those areas? It was a very interesting part for Maxine Hong to add at the end of the chapter.