This drawing depicts a clock, a shoe, and the bottom of a show. The bottom right
corner of the drawing is a mix of black and purple. In Vietnamese culture,
black represents evil and purple represents sadness. I used these colors to
represent the narrator’s conflicting feelings about the way he treated his
uncle. In the story, “Step up and Whistle,” he took advantage of his uncle’s TS
in a very evil way on multiple occasions. The shoes are a representation of him
trying to run away from his past. He is unable to do so, which is why he has
several pairs of used shoes, but still feels the guilt towards his uncle. The
clock represents the passing of time, but also the remembrance of the past. This sketch also includes a quote outlined in blue. The blue represents hope, which
the narrator feels towards his daughter who also has TS. The colors and images
combined represent the narrator’s inner struggle with his feelings towards his
uncle. There is guilt for the outcome of the war, but also for the poor treatment
of his uncle. The footprints of the past will remain forever in the narrator’s
mind and heart.
By Kristena R.
A fascinating portrayal of the narrator's feelings in "Step Up and Whistle"! The profound nature of these colors in Vietnamese culture augments your analysis, providing a true visual representation of the characters in this story and the conflict between sadness and guilt. It might be interesting to delve into the Vietnamese conception of evil through black and sadness through purple; I wonder how these colors came to represent such emotions. I also wonder about the role of yellow in Vietnamese culture; did that at all factor into your using it around the clock?
ReplyDelete--Sandra H.
The spectrum of colors used in this representation really emphasizes the symbolism behind Randy and his uncle's relationship. The blue and black in the corner also symbolizes the distance Randy creates from his previous evil safe, and the transformation which he goes through in search of a purer spirit. He is humiliated by his former self, and in searching for light he is no longer dark but a lighter shade of darkness in blue. Although it represents sadness, his running helps him deal with his past self in giving him an outlet to express his anger. I really like how you mentioned footsteps, because in essence, sometimes footsteps are eliminated by the air, and sometimes in muddy waters they stay there yet they are hidden.
ReplyDelete--Alfredo R.
The narrators penchant for running in "Step Up and Whistle" is quite accurately depicted in this drawing, nice work. Running from his past, his present, and his future all under the ticking hands of the clock. The character has so much guilt, and so much pain, that it nearly drives him to suicide, and all he can do is try to outrun his pain. Not only that, but he is trying to outrun his daughters condition, and his guilt and fear that he somehow karmically caused it. The colors add a nice level of empathy for the character, the blue and purple for depression, and the black for death and loss. Well done.
ReplyDelete- John G.
I thought this was a really neat picture, and enjoyed how you pointed out the color scheme. I feel the clock and shoe prints captured the essence of the story. I liked how you mentioned that the clock represents the passing of time, but also the remembrance of the past- the hands on the clock always move forward, but they always return to their starting points. This running shoes as a symbol for attempting to run from one's past made for a great image. The image of the shoes' connection with guilt was nicely captured by the foot print it leaves, demonstrating that the hardships faced by many Vietnamese refugees and the guilt that encompasses leaving families and homeland are never forgotten despite how assimilated one becomes. This was a very cool picture capturing the guilt of 'Step Up and Whistle". Great job!
ReplyDelete-David T.
I really like how you decided to show two different views of the shoe. It helps visually represent the two sides of the story in multiple ways: I immediately thought of the difference between the truth and the published story, as well as the narrator's perspective and his uncle's perspective. Your illustration does a good job of capturing the important aspects of the story. Good post!
ReplyDelete- Paige M.