The Warrior Woman and The Easter Hat by Nancy Chong.

Hi Mates!!

This is what I have written about my essay. It would be very helpful for me your commets.
Thank you!!
Ely.

Essay.

Introduction: The idea of migrating to a foreign country is not a new issue. For ages people have left their homeland behind escaping from wars, poverty and racial prejudice. USA has been generally chosen as the best place to settle in. In fact America is viewed as the Promised Land because of its powerful government and international language. These two are the factors that make it an attractive land to start life again.

Although immigrants may leave their country with a goal in mind, to work hard for their future generations’ economic welfare, there may be something that money cannot erase from their memories, that is: their unforgettable place of birth.

Thesis: “When in Rome do as Romans do”: this could be applied to the way Nancy’s mother, the main character of The Warrior Woman and The Easter Hat, tries to fit in the American society being herself a Chinese citizen. The fact is that she should behave like most American people do following their customs, traditions or culture in spite of the fact that she feels a Chinese resident in flesh and blood.

Boule de Suif by Guy de Maupassant

The story is set in the Franco-Prussian War where a desperate group of French civilians tries to escape from Rouen which has been recently occupied by the Prussians. The ten travellers decide, for various reasons, to leave Rouen and flee to Havre in a coach.

During the first part of the story, the narrator explains the background of each of the occupants of the coach who talks a great deal about resisting the invaders but they ultimately run away rather than stay in the town. This first section of the story also establishes that the most patriotic passenger is Boule de Suif herself, a fat prostitute and unpopular character in Rouen, while the Aristocrats and Bourgeois betray their country in order to end the war and return to their comfortable lives. Likewise Boule de Suif reveals to be the most patriotic and morally admirable character in the way she resists the Prussian officer’s sexual advances.

On the other hand, the travellers try to persuade Boule de Suif to sleep with the officer in order to let them continue with their journey, filling her head with arguments and saying that it would be for the good of the country. What’s more they try to convince her that it is not morally wrong to sleep with the officer in order to let the travellers and most important the nuns leave to look after the French soldiers.

Finally When Boule de Suif accept to sleep with the Prussian officer, the rest of the travellers throw a party without her and when the coach leaves the next morning, they treat her with disgust. Although she shares her picnic basket with the travellers at first, they refuse to share their food with her at the end of the novel despite the fact she has freed them. Her self-sacrifice in sleeping with the German officer underlines her personal courage which Maupassant contrasts with the hypocrisy of the other travellers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boule_de_Suif