Well, I just want to make a refrence and point out what came to mind slowly as I continued to read. I had to re-read the story 3 times to actually get a decent grasp of what was being told. Binh is very much like an immigrant in our nation. Always migrant looking for the the type of work that he's profound in. Not very versatile. He's also been living the Paris for 3 years. You would assume after three years, one would find their place in the society. Binh feels completely displaced from the "lively lovers' quarrel between it and it's inhabitants." (Truong, 4) Dispite his experience, he didn't fit into any of the kitchen's communities. It also reflects back to him with immigrants in our nation due to the questions Binh was tackled with. It seems like his scapegoat is drinking his thoughts away. My question is why did they profile him as a sexual deviant ?
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ReplyDeleteGood point.. As far as him being coined a sexual deviant, the only conclusion I could come to was that since he is a gay man living in an unfamiliar place, he can't fulfill any of his sexual fantasies because of how society viewed homosexuality in the 30s (which is when the story takes place). It seems to me that he is sexually frustrated causing him to have sex on his mind quite often. Just a thought
ReplyDeleteKerry- the quote from the story you've included is great. Think about what Binh tries to convey by comparing other people's experience with/in Paris to that between lovers? Also, say more about kitchen communities. Are you noting that Binh has not made friends/developed a support network with other cooks in Paris?
ReplyDeleteDavid- good point about the time period and attitudes toward homosexuality. But why do you say Binh "[has] sex on his mind quite often"? can you cite textual instances for this claim?
"Now madame glared at me to see if she could detect the deviant sexual practices that I had surely picked up" (pg. 477)
ReplyDelete"Madame, you have nothing to worry about. I have no interest in your little girls. Your boys... well, that is their choice, she could have heard me thinking" (pg. 477)