literature log 13

For me, "Romantic" is a word related to hope and love. Because I think romantic is a way to express love, and without love, there is no hope. However, this story made me sigh and romantic seemed not important.

 

As I was reading "American Dragons", by Laurence Yep, I wondered that some people have no choice to get romantic, and it's why the title of this part of story is called, "There's No Reason to Get Romantic". An example of what I mean is on page 199-202. "She was just making a suit for the undersized groom, this large woman who never married, when she died." I think this line is a good example of the main idea of this story. Although the poet's grandma had many things she needed in her life, she didn't get married. And everytime she made something good for others, it made people felt that she was lonelier. 

 

Something interesting happens on page p.200 where it says: "She smiled, stretched her arms to take to heart toe eldest daughter of her youngest son a quarter century away. She spoke a tongue I knoew no word of, and I was sad I could not understand, but I could hug her." I had different feeling as the author because I thought the elderly felt happy at that time while their grandchildren stayed with them. It's enough for them to be with them rather than talk to them much. However, I understood the feeling of the writer.

 

So far, the plot in "There's No Reason to Get Romantic", reminds me of a story in the news. The article was that an elderly was living in Vietnam in her lifetime. Her wish was to visit her son in United States before she died. Finally she could accomplish her wish and she was so delighted. This plot in the news made me think of the poem in the story, "Grandma Ling". The line: "She smiled, stretched her arms to take to heart the eldest daughter of her youngest son a quarter century away." The way they look are similar because both plots expressed the aspiration of elderly to see their families.

 

I am looking forward to reading the rest of this book because I think the coming story is talking about "Dreams". When people talking about dreams, there will be a lot of desire and hope comes to my mind. It is an attractive topic that I hope to read it soon.