As I traced a running theme of homosexuality in Andrew Lam's Birds of Paradise Lost, I considered the struggle of sexual identity as a representation of the struggle of developing a national identity and the ongoing storm that Vietnamese refugees experience. In "Close to the Bone", Ethan recounts the development of his sexual identity as a storm which his partner, William, served as a safe port (174). By illustrating two conjoined men wrapped in both the American and Vietnamese flag, I meshed images of sexual and national identity. Choosing mostly pencil to create my illustration, I imagined the minimal color as representation of the often black and white singular view that a person must be of one nationality and renounce another, or that a person of must be of only one sexual orientation. Combining both flags and a conjoined image of a homosexual couple pressed against a stormy sky symbolizes the struggles and complications of duality and biculturality.
By Lauren S.
This is a beautiful illustration of a very prominent theme in the collection of short stories. I also found myself tracing this theme through the book and found that I related the struggles of acceptance of the homosexual community to those of the refugee community. Your depiction of both flags joining together this being is very well thought out. It makes me think about how there must be a meshing of culture to have any type of acceptance within this new environment. Homosexuality plays an even bigger role in the lives of some of the characters within the stories because they themselves find that they must find a way to mesh three different aspects of their identities. Generally, homosexuality is not accepted within the Vietnamese culture and I find that including it in the stories creates a wonderful mirror image with the trouble of accepting the American culture.
ReplyDelete-Kristena R.
Your depiction of theme of homosexuality in the book is a simple and elegant display of a thought provoking subject. I like your rationality for using the color scheme of black and white as much of the older generation in the book is very compartmentalized in their point of view about homosexuality as it is restricted by their cultural understanding and upbringing. The clouds can also be representational of their clouded view that obscures them from being able to see beyond it and open to accepting this other world. In using the two flags it also supports this ideology of contrasting and blending worlds that the "lovers" are caught between. Homosexuality is a multilayered thematic within the novel as it is a complex subject in all the facets that it relates to and effects and your drawing definitely brings this out.
ReplyDelete-Jennifer V.
The images of the faces without an unidentifiable gender really encompass the moral of “Close To the Bone.” Nonetheless, I can also see a connection between this story and “Love Leather,” and although Douglas Kim might not be sure of his identity, he is searching and exploring new spectrums of his sexuality. Although there are no mentions of homosexuality in that story, there are however conflicting identities. Douglas has a split personality, his calm, and timed self, and his sadomasochist self. These two versions of him are living in a conjoined happiness. This exploration of identities makes him happy, and although he tells Le that he needs a father, he is now open to be himself. I went on a tangent, but I just see many similarities in both of these stories, and agree on the ideas of split personalities.
ReplyDelete--Alfredo R.
I think you picked a really neat topic to respond to. One thing that I thought was particularly interesting about the partnership in this short story was William's perspective. We don't get to see much of him in Lam's story, but what we do see is very telling. William cares about David as though he were a part of his own family, and is incredibly understanding of Ethan's situation. What would Ethan's struggles with his family look like from an outsider's perspective? I liked that you styled your pictures to purposely fight against traditional concepts of sexuality and nationality binaries. Good stuff!
ReplyDelete-Abigail I.
The juxtaposition here of different types of identities works alarmingly well! By placing these figures against the backdrop of a torrential lightning storm, you have illustrated so much of what goes on in the minds of those who struggle while exploring their sexual identities. There seems to be a balance between both sets of clouds, the pair of lightning bolts, the two heads, and the two flags flanking the figures--then it all comes together as one, ending in a sharp point over the blankness of the rest of your canvas. Might this represent a fierce, unyielding hope to be viewed as equal? a resilient refusal to be split apart by societal circumstances? the power of love to conquer all?
ReplyDeleteYour minimal use of color is an excellent representation of the "singular view" that sexual orientations are polar opposites rather than distributed over a gradient. Your image has uplifted and inspired me, so thank you!
--Sandra H.