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Published: December 9th 2014
Students...
...busily practicing their conversational English by reading out loud to themselves. I have threatened to fail my students if I catch them doing this weirdness. “You know how our teachers teach us classical western literature?’ Sophy waved her arm in the arm as her voice rang out across the restaurant. We were having breakfast with her after attending a poetry convention the previous evening. We had been paid very well to show up and read a bit of poetry to a Chinese audience.
“Well, I guess it depends on what you consider classical literature.” I answered slowly, catching Sean’s eye. Just because Sophy was part of the most elite poetry clan in China and an expert translator for some of the most preeminent authors in the country did not mean that she knew good western classical literature.
“Like Whitman, you know, Whitman?” She flung her hair back, smiled at me while stuffing a piece of dragon fruit into her mouth. “You know him?” She said, little chunks of white erupting from her mouth with the words.
I knew of Whitman, but American poetry has never been my forte so I turned to Sean. “Is that the author of ‘O Captain, My Captain’?” Sean shook his head, yes.
“Oh yes, I do!” I turned to Sophy, excited. “Although I am not an expert
This has nothing to do with learning good...
...but is a good picture of Sean in front of our favorite fruit juice stand. We go for at least one a day. on Whitman,” I picked up my tea and took a sip, “how did you learn it in school? Did you study him when you took your Masters?” Maybe she could teach me something.
“Oh yes,” Sophy nodded eagerly. “I did study Whitman and other poets like him during my Masters and also my BA, because you know that I specialized in English Literature.” She laughed. “We spent so much time studying the analysis of these great works!” She licked her fingers with a satisfying smack.
“What do you mean, studying the analysis?” Sean asked.
Sophy huffed a little impatiently. “You know.” She wagged her finger at us. “That many authors write great works and then other people write their own analysis of these great works.” She paused and looked around the restaurant, “we studied the analysis.”
“You mean that you never read the original works?” Sean asked the corners of his mouth scrunching together as it does when he is trying to control what he is saying.
“Of course not!” Sophy laughed and shoved the rest of the dragon fruit into her mouth, “why would we do that?”
“Why would you do that indeed?”
The New Taxi of Guangzhou
Again, nothing to do with the topic at hand, but am very happy to see this old school British style in GZ. Just wanted to share. I heard Sean mutter under his breath and with those words; I knew that he had completely withdrawn his mind from this conversation.
However, I was curious. “So you mean that you never once read a page of a piece of English literature and you received a BA and an MA in English Literature? You only read the synopsis and other people’s analysis?” How intriguing.
“Well, I would read a bit sometimes. And I did have several professors that brought in some classical English Literature and showed us all the grammar mistakes.” Sophy laughed. “It’s really weird that your classical literature has so much grammar mistakes! You really should fix that!”
“What do you mean? Grammar mistakes in classical literature?” I was confused. Maybe she was talking about her crazy analysis pieces. “Are you saying that your teacher would bring in pieces of classical English literature and then criticize the grammar?”
“Of course! We looked at the grammar of many writers and there was a lot of mistakes.”
I raised an eyebrow and looked over at Sean who was completely busy ignoring this conversation. No help. So, I turned back to Sophy, “which authors?”
Hangzhou Trip
One of my favorite pictures from our Hangzhou trip. “Which writers?” She laughed again and drank more coffee. “Oh lots and lots. “
“Who?”
“Well,” she exhaled long and hard as if I should have known this already, “Shelley, Byron, Whitman, yes...Whitman also made a lot of mistakes... who else?” “Dickens, Bronte, Joyce...yes...Joyce was really confusing.”
Well, at least she had that right. Joyce was a challenge at the best of times.
“So, you mean to tell me that you never opened any of these novels and discussed the ideas in them,” Sophy opened her mouth to interrupt but I held up my finger as she opened her mouth, “but you all so carefully read other people’s analysis of the ideas and,” I held up my finger one more time because Sophy was just so ready to interject again, “that the only time your teacher brought in any of these texts was so that you all could criticize the grammar?”
Sophy paused and smiled, “yes!”
“Every school in China does it like this?”
“Well only the good ones!” Sophy exclaimed proudly. “I went to the best university in China.”
I didn't even have to look at Sean to know that he
On our balcony...
...we have a lot of things happening. One morning, we watched this little spider take down this giant bee and kill him. was carefully studying the noodles on his plate.
Meanwhile, my mind was whirling. I definitely had something to say here, but the problem was going to be to how to say it tactfully? However, after a moment’s consideration, I figured it would be best to say whatever came to mind.
“You know Sophy,” I started slowly, “I studied writing when I was at university and one of the first things that my writing teacher said to me was that after spending so many years learning proper grammar, “I paused and met her eye, “that the true art was in learning how to break those rules elegantly.” I paused and raised my teacup to my lips. “Your teachers were so busy pointing out the grammar mistakes of these classic artists, that they missed the art.” I took a sip of my tea and placed it down. “It’s a shame that you never discussed the ideas either...”
“Oh well, that’s just how we do it here! We have our own system. And we learn good English.” Sophy laughed again and ran her hand through her hair. “Oh! It’s time to catch the train! Are you ready to go?”
Indeed. We had made our money here. I looked at Sean and he nodded his head. It was time to blow this Popsicle stand.
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Cheri
non-member comment
Empty stomach
I a, so glad I read this upon first coming downstairs this morning prior to eating or drinking. My stomach started to churn as I realized as you both did that not only had Sophy not read any of these wonderful writers but that she thought that what they had written was chock full of grammatical errors! Where I work I am considered the grammar police and this would just drive me around the bend! Erin, you were much more diplomatic than I ever could have been- congratulations!