... to California? How does each feel about leaving home? What is young Tom's philosophy for dealing with the future? What does Ma's burning of the old stationery box illustrate? Ma, being used to the life in Texas, feels that California might be a bit much for her country raised family. She expresses her feeling to ... , 124), which means, to live each day as it comes, and not about tomorrow, today. Ma's burning of the stationary box symbolizes the death of an old life, and the start of a new one. The box contained old documents including "a newspaper clipping on which there was an account ...

• Word Count: 5172
• Approx Pages: 21
• Grade Level: High School

... know as for the babies she could barely stand to be around them. Harmon was one known to be quiet and very shy, he always carried a shoe box with him every where he would go not letting any one know what was in it because he always thought it would be taken away from him. As Harmon ... came to trust Janie he would finally decided to share with her what was in the box. In it was a collection of music tapes including Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald and other divas such as them. Harmon and Janie would take the "ladies", which ... the cops were gone Leshaya had decided to go into the house...

• Word Count: 2988
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... for Kingston's own experience growing up as a Chinese-American, torn between the world of Chinese customs and traditions that surround her like "ghosts" and her new, permissive American environment. (Note that for Kingston's mother, the word "ghost" is used in the opposite sense, to refer to the Americans themselves.) Kingston ... her mother's talk-stories. In Kingston's narration, her mother finds independence and success at the To Keung School of Midwifery. Away from the New Society Village, she is responsible for no one but herself, and quickly makes herself known as one of the more br...

• Word Count: 6134
• Approx Pages: 25

... the direction of family history. I inadvertently determined that my grandfather and Eleanor both lived in Italian speaking homes. Additionally, each of their parents immigrated to New York from Italy and ended up in its capital district. "When my mom first came here she had a real hard time. They didn't have ... past Monaco mobsters; although, this suspicion is still unconfirmed. Eleanor then told me about Dan O"Connell, one of the most influential political bosses in the New York capital district, from the 1920's up to almost the 1950's. Surprisingly, Mr. O"Connell was her cousin and a ...

• Word Count: 2875
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School

... duck changed itself into the swan. As the Chinese woman leaves for America, she also wants to change herself into something better and believes her new country will offer her and her future daughter a wealth of opportunity. Upon landing in America, the woman quickly learns that all will not go ... others were celebrating, Ying-Ying watched in fascination as a servant gutted fish, chickens, and turtles. She then noticed that specks of blood covered her new outfit, which her mother had sewn for her for the festival. Wanting to cover up the specks and not knowing how, Ying-Ying rubbed more ...

• Word Count: 6459
• Approx Pages: 26
• Grade Level: High School