thi bui’s the best we could do : a teaching guide · 2018-09-05 · thi bui’s the best we could...

ThiBui’sTheBestWeCouldDo:ATeachingGuideTheUOCommonReadingProgram,organizedbytheDivisionofUndergraduateStudies,buildscommunity,enrichescurriculum,andengagesresearchthroughthesharedreadingofanimportantbook.

Aboutthe2018-2019BookAbestsellingNationalBookCriticsCircleFinalist,ThiBui’sTheBestWeCouldDooffersanevocativememoiraboutthesearchforabetterfuturebyseekingtounderstandthepast.ThebookisamarvelousvisualnarrativethatdocumentsthestoryoftheBuifamilyescapeafterthefallofSouthVietnaminthe1970s,andthedifficultiestheyfacedbuildingnewlivesforthemselvesasrefugeesinAmerica.Bothpersonalanduniversal,thebookexploresquestionsofcommunityandfamily,homeandhealing,identityandheritagethroughthemesrangingfromtherefugeeexperiencetoparentingandgenerationalchanges.AbouttheAuthor

ThiBuiisanauthor,illustrator,artist,andeducator.BuiwasborninVietnamthreemonthsbeforetheendoftheVietnamWarandcametotheUnitedStatesin1978aspartofawaveofrefugeesfromSoutheastAsia.BuitaughthighschoolinNewYorkCityandwasafoundingteacherofOaklandInternationalHighSchool,thefirstpublichighschoolinCaliforniaforrecentimmigrantsandEnglishlearners.ShehastaughtintheMFAinComicsprogramatCaliforniaCollegefortheArtssince2015.TheBestWeCouldDo(AbramsComicArts,2017)isherdebutgraphicnovel.SheiscurrentlyresearchingaworkofgraphicnonfictionaboutclimatechangeinVietnam.

AboutthisGuideThisguideofferstheUOteachingcommunitypeer-reviewedcurricularresourcesandactivitiestosupportstudents’engagementwithTheBestWeCouldDo.Itbringsforwardthebook’smajorthemesandkeycontexts–alongwithsuggestedsourcematerials,concreteactivities,anddiscussionquestions.ItalsoraisesthemeaningfulteachingchallengesandopportunitiesthatTheBestWeCouldDopresents.Areyouusingthebookinyourclass,program,orstudentgroup?Letusknow!Oremailcommonreading@uoregon.eduDoyouwanttoknowmoreabouthowtousethebookinyourclass,program,orundecidedifyouarereadytousethebook?ContacttheUOTeachingEngagementProgramattep@uoregon.eduorCommonReadingFacultyFellow,JulieVoelker-Morris,atjvoelker@uoregon.edu.

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The2018-2019teachingguideforTheBestWeCanDohasbeendevelopedthroughcontributionsofthefollowingUOfaculty:

TaraFickle,AssistantProfessor,English

LynnFujiwara,AssociateProfessor,EthnicStudies

CharleneLiu,AssociateDepartmentHeadandAssociateProfessor,Art

ShoshanaKerewsky,SeniorLecturerII,CounselingPsychology&HumanServices;CHC

LeeRumbarger,AssistantVice-Provost,TeachingEngagementCenter

Tze-YinTeo,AssistantProfessor,ComparativeLiterature

JulieVoelker-Morris,CommonReadingFacultyFellow;SeniorInstructorII,PPPM

TuongVu,Professor,PoliticalScience;AsianStudies;CenterforAsianPacificStudies

AmandaWojick,Professor,Art

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FoundationsI:VietnamesePronunciationGuideIftheVietnameselanguageisnotfamiliartoyou,pleasetakethetimetovisitthepublisher’spronunciationguide(incorporatedintotheirteachingguidelinkedbelow)tolearntheappropriatepronunciationforthenamesthatappearinTheBestWeCouldDo.Itwouldalsobehelpfultodirectstudents’attentiontothisguidebeforeaclassroomdiscussion.YourVietnameseandVietnameseAmericanstudents/classmateswilllikelyappreciatethisgesture.Link:http://www.abramsbooks.com/thebestwecoulddo/

FoundationsII:NarrativeSpecificityWhenengagingwithanarrativeworksuchasTheBestWeCouldDo,studentsneedtobeawareofavoidinggeneralizationsorrelianceonpriorconceptions.Students,ledbyfacultyfacilitation,shouldconductcriticalreadingsofthebookthroughhistorical,socio-cultural,textual(closereading,visualliteracy),andcarefulcomparativeanalysis.Theyneedtopracticegeneratingargumentsbyinteractingwiththebookinspecificways,inthiscasewithspecificillustrations,momentsofaction,characters,andnarrativesequencing.Studentsshouldbeencouragedtoallowthemselvestoquestionandbeopentoquestionsfromothersratherthanimmediatelyknowingananswer.Instead,theworkofreadingcarefullyandcloselyencouragesseekinganswersthroughself-study,dialoguewithothers,andacademicresearch.FoundationsIII:Keywords,Themes,andContextsAseriesofBigQuestionsmotivatingclassroomdialoguearefirstofferedabouttheTheBestWeCouldDo.Thesequestionsaregroundedinspecificthemesandcontextsfoundinthebookincluding:

• Refugees,Resettlement,Race• GenderandFamilyDynamics• War,Nation,Politics• GenreinAsianAmericanLiterature• StereotypesandthePoliticsofRepresentation/FormandContent• Struggle,Freedom,Self-Determination• MemoirandOralHistory• GraphicNovelandVisualAesthetics• TheTitle:TheBestWeCouldDo

FollowingthelistofBigQuestions,specificteachingexamples,textsandresourcesascompanionstoBui’sworkaswellassuggestionsforfurtherstudyareshared.Facultyareencouragedtoapplyandadapttheseideas.Wehopethattheyserveasspringboardfornewideas.Additionalteachingtools,includingarticles,interviews,anddiscussionquestionsarepostedintheonlineresourcesontheCommonReadingwebsite.Ifyouhaveresourcestoaddtothelist,pleasesharethemwithus!

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FoundationsIV:DefinitionsComics:Sometimescalled“sequentialart.”Comicsareimagesplacedindeliberatesequence,usuallytotellastoryvisually,sometimeswithaccompanyingtext.

Cartooning:Whencomicsartistssimplifyimagestotheiressentialmeaningsortospecificdetailsinordertoamplifymeanings.

Content/Story:Whathappensinthenarrative,fictionalornon-fictional

Narrative:Thewaytheauthortellsreadersaboutwhathappens.Thisincludesthebeginningandendandthestructureinwhichitistold,thatiswhateventcomesafteranother.Typically,narrativehasadeliberate,intentionalorganization.

History,historiography(thewritingofhistory):Thisisthehistoricalrealitywithinthenarrative.Thenarrativeswehavedeterminewhatwehearaboutthestory:it/theyprovide/sametaphoricaland(inthiscase)literalframefortruth.

Autobiography:Anauthortellingusaboutthemselvesinparticularways;itisheavilyreliantonnarrativesoftheself,andoftenbetraysafallibleselfinparallelwithfallibleothers.Memoir:Awrittencollectionofmemoriesaboutpublicandprivatemomentsoreventsthattookplaceintheauthor'slife.

Graphicnovel:Abooklengthcomicformthattellsacompletestory,whethernon-fiction,fiction,oranthologized.

Refugee:Apersoninsearchofrefuge,asintimesofwar,politicaloppression,orreligiouspersecution.

Immigrant:Apersonwhomovestosettleorresideinacountryofwhichtheyarenotnativeormaynotpossesscitizenship.

BigQuestionsforReadersofTheBestWeCouldDoThissectionprovidespotentialquestionsforclassdiscussionsorforapproachestostudent/facultyresearchandclassroomengagementwiththebook.Refugees,Resettlement,Race:HowdoesthestoryofThiBui’sfamily’ssurvivalfrompoverty,war,escape,andresettlementintheU.S.informourunderstandingoftherefugeeexperienceintheUnitedStates.HowdoesthisnarrativechallengethemodelminoritymyththatassumesAsianAmericanshaveattainedsocialandeconomicsuccessanddonotexperienceracism?GenderandFamilyDynamics:TheBestWeCouldDobeginswithThiBuigivingbirth.Throughoutthegraphicnovel,genderandfamilydynamicsareeverpresentwithtensionsbetweenspouses,genderedexpectationsforgirlsandwomen,andattimesgenderbasedviolence.HowdoesThiBui’srepresentationofgender,family,class,andmasculinityimpactthelargernarrative,andhowdoweasreadersreconciletheserepresentations?

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War,Nation,Politics:ThetraumaofwarandpoliticsshapesThiBui’sconnectiontoVietNamasherhomeland.WhydidmanyVietnamesepeoplesupportthecommunistrevolutionbutmanyotherswereagainstit?Whatwerethedrivingforcesthroughoutthecenturiesofconflict,andhowdoesnationhoodandindependenceforVietNamshapetheidealsandhopesfortheVietnamesepeopleandwhatarethegapsfromtherealitiesofwarandtraumathatweseeunfold?HowdidwarandrevolutionaffectindividualVietnameseandtheirrelationshipswiththeirlovedones?GenreinAsianAmericanLiterature:Whatgenrewouldyouclassifythisbookasandwhy?WhatdoesitmeantobeAsianAmerican,accordingtothisbook?Towhatextentshouldwereadthisbookasrepresentativeasopposedtosingularandwhy?Whydoesthenarratorsuggestthatthedefininginheritanceofherfamilyhistoryisa“RefugeeReflex”(305)ratherthananyspecificaspectofVietnameseculture?Furthermore,whythendoesshegoontorealize,uponreflectionandasexplainedinthepreface,that“RefugeeReflex”isaninadequatetitleandthatTheBestWeCouldDobettercapturedherconcerns?VietThanhNguyen,alsoadiasporicVietnameseAmericanwriterwhoarrivedasarefugeeasayoungchild,haswritteninseveralpublicforaaboutthedifferencebetween“refugee”and“immigrant”literature:forNguyen,refugeesdonothaveachoiceforthemostpart,andthreatentheintegrityofthehostnationinawaythatimmigrants(whopresumablymakeachoicetomigrate,makeeffortstowardsassimilation,andmayreturntotheirplaceoforiginshouldtheysochoose)donot.DoyouagreewithNguyen’sdistinction?HowwouldyoureadTheBestWeCouldDoalongthelinesNguyensuggests?StereotypesandthePoliticsofRepresentation/FormandContent:Whatistherelationshipbetweenformandcontentinthisbook?Thinkabouthowracial/national/genderdifferenceisvisuallydepictedinthisbook?Howdothetextandimagesworktogether?Whatkindofargumentisthistextmaking?Whatisitsvisualrhetoric?Struggle,Freedom,Self-Determination:ThroughoutTheBestWeCouldDo,beingachildinarefugeefamilyisthesubjectofmuchanxietyandintrospection:asthenarratorwrites,“HowmuchofMEismyown,andhowmuchisstampedintomybloodandbone,predestined?”(324).Neartheendofthebook,inaflashofmutualunderstanding,thenarratorarrivesatapoignantrealizationabouthermother:“ToletherbenotwhatIwanthertobe,butsomeoneindependent,self-determining,andfree,meanslettinggoofthatpictureofherinmyhead”(319).Here,itisnottheparentbutthechildwhomustlearntoletgoofanarrativeofloss:eventhestoryofthemother’spastisalloweditsmeasureoffreedom.Musthistory,intergenerationalsuffering,andfamilial/intimateexpectationsdeterminealifefromtheoutset,orcanoutcomesbechangedthroughconversation,reflection,andwilledrewriting(howeverdifficult)?Howwouldyoudescribethecomplexinterplaybetweenself-determined,colonial-determined,andstate-determinedfreedomintherefugeenarrative?HowdoesTheBestWeCouldDohandletheparadoxoffreedomasitiscommonlyplayedoutintheUnitedStates:thatitisleastavailabletothosewhoaremostinneedofitsabstractpromise?WhatarethesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweennarrativesoffreedominthisrefugeenarrativeandU.S.nationalistdoctrines?DothesesimilaritiesanddifferencesunexpectedlypositiontherefugeeexperienceattheheartoftheU.S.mythos.Ifso,howmightwereckonwiththisrealization?Howdothesequestionsintersectwiththe

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questionsofgenderandsocio-economicstatus,especiallyinthenarrator’saccountsofhermother’sandfather’sstrugglesinbothVietNamandtheUnitedStates?MemoirandOralHistory:Bui’sprefacenotesthatTheBestWeCouldDobeganasanacademic“oralhistory”ofherfamilybeforetakingonitspresentform.Insodoing,ittellstheirhistoryoutofchronologicalorder,followinginsteadanalternativelogicguidedbytheshapesandelisionsofherandherparents’memories.Whataretherelativevirtuesofthisformofhistory-writing-an“illustratedmemoir”asthesubtitlesuggests?Whatmightbethedifferencebetweenanoralandawritten/recordedhistory,betweenamicro-historybasedonmultipleintertwinedvoicesratherthanahistorybasedoninstitutionalized‘grandnarratives’?Doyouthinkthenarratorsucceedsinherattemptstolearnhowhermotherandfatherbecamethewaytheyare?WhydoyouthinkBuihaschosentoillustratethishistoryinvisualterms?Canyouthinkofotherformsofmediasuitedtothisapproachtohistory:photography,film/cinema,music,evenTwitter,Snapchat,orothersocialmedia?HowdoesThiBuimixinphotographytodiscussthehistoryofherfamily?[Forexample,seep.29foranillustratedfamilyportrait,p.207-9for“SaigonExecution”photodiscussion,andp.267fortheirfamilyportraitsatthecamp.]GraphicNovelandVisualAesthetics:WhydoyouthinkBuichoosethegraphicnoveltotellherstory?Inwhatwaysisthegraphicnovelwell-suitedforanon-linearnarrative?Howdothesequentialimagesofthegraphicnoveldevelopindividualstorylines,presentcomplexstoriesanddiverseperspectives?TheTitle:TheBestWeCouldDo:WhereandhowinthenarrativedoesthetitleTheBestWeCouldDofirstappear?[Forreference,answerisonp.55-thedoctorsattendingthedeathofhermother’sfirstbornbabyapologizeandsaythattheydid“thebestthatwecoulddo.”]Whatwastheoriginalcontextforthisphrase?Doesitresonatewithnewordifferentmeaningsthroughoutthebook,andhow?Whatistheeffectofinvestingthisphrasewithseveralpossiblemeanings?Whoisthe“we”inthetitle,andhowdoitsseveralpointsofreferenceenableareadertotracetheintergenerationaltraumasandsurvivalsattheheartofTheBestWeCouldDo?

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Refugee,Resettlement,Race:SoutheastAsianRefugeePolitics

Contentresourceareasinthissectionincludecriticalrefugeestudiesandrelatedlawsandpolitics.

SuggestedResources:CriticalRefugeeStudies

• CriticalRefugeeStudiesCriticalRefugeeStudiesisanemergingfieldthatchallengestheobjectificationofrefugeesasobjectsofrescue.Thiswebsitedocumentstheworkofscholarsengagedinreshapingthefieldofrefugeestudies.Checkoutthestorymapsandauthors’workandresources.

Refugeeshavelongbeentheobjectsofinquiryforfieldssuchassociology,history,andpoliticalscience.Refugeesarealsooftenfeaturedinthemediaservingasobjectsofsufferingoragentsofterrorism.The“StoriesWeTell”aboutrefugeesaredifferentfromtheonesfeaturedinbooksornewspapers.TheCriticalRefugeeStudiesCollectivebelievesthatrefugeestorytellingallowsfornewformsofknowledgetobeproduced.Thissiteenablesforustoshareourstoriesandourhistories—together.~CriticalRefugeeStudiesHomepage

• “TheHiddenScarsAllRefugeesCarry”byVietThanhNguyen• VietStoriesExhibition,LosAngelesTimes,April19,2018

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• TheDisplaced:RefugeeWritersonRefugeeLives(ed.VietThanhNguyen),feat.contributionbyThiBui(2018).Thisbookbringstogetherrefugeesfromaroundtheworldandthrowsintorelieftheinvisiblecommonalitiesbetweeneachrefugee’sstory.

• YogitaGoyal,“Un-American:RefugeesandtheVietnamWar,”PMLA,March2018.[OnVietThanhNguyen]Link:https://www.mlajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1632/pmla.2018.133.2.378

• ChrisLewa,“Asia’sNewBoatPeople”-OnstatelessRohingyasleavingBurmaandBangladesh(3pp.)-http://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/burma/lewa.pdf

• CourtRobinson,TermsofRefuge:TheIndochineseExodus&theInternationalResponse.ZedBooks,1998.(Withemphasisonhostnations’response)

LawsandPolicies

• InternationalrefugeeprocessesareoverseenandmonitoredbytheUnitedNationsHighCommissionerforRefugees.ReviewtheUN’sHighCommissionforRefugeeswebsite.Drawconnectionstocurrentrefugeestrugglesaroundtheglobe,whatarethesimilaritiesandcommonthemesfoundinTheBestWeCouldDo?

• ReviewtheTimelineofrefugeepoliciespreparedbytheUnitedStatesCitizenshipandImmigrationServices.WhatisthehistoryofrefugeepoliciesintheUnitedStates?Whilerefugeepolicyhasalonghistoricalpresence,itwasnotheighteneduntilWWII,andthenwasmorepresentinthe1965Hart-CellarImmigrationAct.

• The1980RefugeeActwaslargelyinresponsetotheinfluxofrefugeesfromSoutheastAsiancountriesfollowingtheU.S.warsinSoutheastAsia.TheinfluxofrefugeesfromVietnam,Cambodia,andLaosignitedwhatsomescholarsrefertoascompassionfatigue,thatleadtothislawthatlimitedentryandresourcesforrefugees.

Films,Videos,Art:• AVillageCalledVersaillesDocumentstheexperiencesofaVietnamesecommunityinNew

OrleansimpactedbyHurricaneKatrina.• WhydoWeCallAsiansModelMinoritiesGivesbackgroundontheracialpoliticsofthemodel

minorityconstruction.• NPR:AsianAmericansandPovertyDiscussesthesignificanceofpovertyamongAsiangroups,

particularlythosewhocameasrefugees.• PassorFailinCambodiaTownPBSdocumentarylookingatthechallengesamongCambodian

youthinAmericanschools.• SentencedHome-documentarythatfollowsthelivesofthreeCambodianAmericansfacing

forceddeportations.ThiswasmadepossibleaftertheCambodianRepatriationAgreementin2002,asimilarlawwaspassedwithVietnamin2008.

• KhoaDo,MotherFish(2009):IndependentfilmexaminingtheexperiencesofVietnameserefugeesnowbasedinAustralia.Adoptsatheatricaldevicere-enactingaboatjourneywithintheconfinesofafactory(aconceitbroadlysimilartoLarsVonTrier’sDogville)withanamateurcastofformerrefugees.

• Digitalexhibition:13ArtistsOnImmigration.(June19,2018).Link:https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/19/t-magazine/immigration-art.html

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TheVietnamMemorial,1981.WashingtonDC.Link:MayaLin’soriginalcompetitionsubmission• AStrongClearVision(1994):PBSDocumentaryonthecontroversialdesignandcreationof

VietnamWarMemorialinWashingtonDC,oneofthemostfamousmonumentsintheUS.MayaLin,thena20-year-oldyearoldChinese-Americanstudentsubmittedthewinningdesignofamonolithicblackline,cutintothelandscape.Veterans,whowantedarealisticfigurativerepresentationofthesoldiers,werealsooffendedthatanAsianAmericanwasselectedtocommemoratethisevent.Agreatresourcetobeginadiscussionaroundformsofvisuallanguagethataimtoconnectpersonalandcollectivetrauma.ViewTrailer

ClassroomActivities:ActivityA:InsmallgroupsaskstudentstobrainstormpopularconstructionsandassumptionsaboutAsianAmericansintheU.S.ThenaskthemtorecalltheirowneducationandmemoryoftheVietnamWar.Next,askthemtopointoutparticularpointsinthebookTheBestWeCouldDothatchallengethosepopularconstructions.Whatdostudentsthinktheimpactofthosepopularimages/constructionsofAsianAmericansareonVietnameserefugeesandotherSoutheastAsianrefugeesgiventhenarrativeandrepresentationsoftheirexamples?Note:Thefollowingresourcemaybehelpfulforpre-emptingtheissueof‘positive’stereotypes?NPRarticleontheharmsofso-called‘positive’stereotyping:https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/02/17/586181350/strong-black-woman-smart-asian-man-the-downside-to-positive-stereotypes]ActivityB:ListentotheTheRefugeePlaylistonSpotify.Theplaylistdescriptionnotes,“Inaworldthatwelcomesrefugees,wegetworld-changingmusicfromartistslikethese.”Inwhatwaysdotheartistsorsongsonthislistexemplify“world-changingmusic?”Orhowdoesthislistsuggestsongsthat“welcomerefugees?”Arethereanyproblemswithchoicesofsongsorartistsonthislist?Createyourownlistofartistsandsongsthatexemplifythegoalsofthislist.Sharesamplesofthemusicwiththerestoftheclass.TheRefugeePlaylistfurtherencourageslistenerstoparticipateintheInternationalRescueMission(https://www.rescue.org/article/how-help-refugees-united-states-12-ways-stand-welcome).Askstudentstoearnmoreaboutthisorganization,theirmission,andgoals.Howmighttheclass,individuallyorasagroup,becomeinvolvedinthiswork?Orhowmightstudentsdefinewhytheywouldnotparticipateintheworkofthisorganization?

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DanhVo:TakeMyBreathAway,exhibitionatSolomonR.GuggenheimMuseum.NewYork.ActivityC:TheworkofDanish-VietnameseartistDanhVo(b.1975,BàRịa,Vietnam)examinestheindividualselfaspluralandchanging,shapedbylargerpowerstructuresaswellasprivatedesires.Vohasnotedthat,“thingsthatyouknowsowellthataresofamiliartoyou[canbemade]unfamiliarwithvery,verysimpleinformation.”Vomakesfamiliarobjectsappearstrangebypresentingtheminnewcontexts,combinations,orsituations.Indoingso,heaskstheviewerstoconsideredsharedaswellasindividualmeaningsofobjectsandthewaysinwhichwelayerandmakeassociationsamongobjects.ForVo,informationgainedfromthesenewpresentationscanruptureunderstandingsofhistory,identity,knowledge,andpolitics.Linktolearnmore:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A-GKr1vRE0ActivityC1:ReviewtheSolomonR.GuggenheimMuseum’soverviewofVo’soeuvreexhibition.Link:https://www.guggenheim.org/arts-curriculum/resource-unit/danh-vo-take-my-breath-away#section-top.Selectoneormoreofthetopicalworksanddiscusstheminclass.Askstudentstocreatetheirownsculpturalworkthroughrecontextualizing,recombining,orresituatingeverydayobjectsfromtheirownlivesorbackgrounds(oronesthatyoubringtoclass).Whatdoesthisreworkingofobjectshelpstudentsunderstandabouttheirownpositionality?HowdoesithelpthemunderstandVo’sapproachtoartandhispositionality?Howdoesithelpthemunderstandthevarietyofpositions,locations,attitudes,andattributestakenbythepeopledepictedinTheBestWeCouldDo?

ActivityC2:Vo’swork,WethePeople(above),examinesthestateoffreedomintheU.S.‘WethePeople’consistsofabout2501:1scalepiecesoftheStatueofLiberty.IthasbeenrecreatedusingthesamefabricationtechniquesandcobbermaterialastheoriginalstatuecreatedbyFrédéricAugusteBartholdiin1886.Voasksviewerstoconsiderwhatfreedommaybe.AskstudentstolistentoVo’sinsightandviewimagesof‘WethePeople.’Then,leaddiscussionoftheworkbasedonsameofthequestionsinthe“Big

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Ideas”sectionofthisteachingguide.Finally,askstudentstocreateawork(s)thatrepresentstheconceptoffreedomtothem.Linkto DanhVoInterview:AQuestionofFreedom,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ELmm-jNkLs.Guggenheimlinkabout‘WethePeople’:https://www.guggenheim.org/arts-curriculum/topic/we-the-people-detail

VisualRepresentationandIdentityContentresourceareasinthissectionincludevisualliteracy,comicsliteracy,characterrenderingandrepresentation.

Bui’sdrawingsareeloquentyetrenderedwithminimalbrushstrokes.Peopleandfacesaresparseandinshorthand;counterintuitively,lessdetailsallowgreaterempathywiththecharacterandimmediacyinourengagementwiththestory.This‘masking’techniqueincomicsusessimplisticshorthandrenderingofcharactersoftenagainstdetailedbackgroundstoengagethereaderinthestory.Bui’sprosecontainsasimilarsparsenessinhiscompactphrasing,emphasizingtheideaandstorythroughthedirectnessofitsdelivery.

Resources:• McCloud,Scott.UnderstandingComics:TheInvisibleArt.NewYork:HarperPerennial,1994.• Spiegelman,Art.Maus.https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Maus-Art-

Spiegelman/dp/0679406417

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ResourcesonHowtoRead“SequentialArt,”a.k.aAGraphicNovel:

• Duke,"VisualLiteracy"shortreading(https://www.mnsu.edu/success/tutoring/comics_duke.pdf)• McCloud,Scott,UnderstandingComics,Chapters1-3(NewYork:WilliamMorrow/HarperCollins;

PawPrints;2008],©1993)• SmartSmiley,Jesse,"AnatomyofaComic,”

https://jesssmartsmiley.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/anatomy-of-a-comic-page/• AnatomyofaComic:

o Panel:Apanelinacomicbookisoneoftheindividualpiecesofartworkthatmakeupasinglepageinacomicbookorgraphicnovel.Whenplacedtogetheronasinglepage,individualpanelstellastory,oraportionofastory,insequentialorder.

o Caption:Captionsareusedincomicsandgraphicnovelstonarratethestoryortosharecharacters’thoughts.Often,captionsarepresentedinboxorconsistent,separateshapethatdistinguishesthemfromtherestofthepanel.Captionsarenotspeechballoonsorbubbles.

o Onomatopoeia:Soundeffects.Sometimesrepresentedinuniquetextstyleso SpeechBubble:Speechbubblesareagraphicconventionusedmostcommonlyincomics

andgraphicnovelstorepresentspeechofaspecificcharacter.o Emanata:Linestoindicateshock/surpriseo Gutter-Thespacebetweenpanelsonapageofcomics.Guttersaccountfortime,space,

andrhythmofmomentsinsequentialart/comics.Readersofcomicsmakeclosureofthesemomentssuggestedthroughthe“pause”ofeachgutter.

o Closure–Connectionsreadersmakestofillininformationbetweenpanelsorothercontent.Suchconnectionsarebasedonreaderexperienceandimagination.

o Splash:Afull-pageimage.o Spread:Asingleimagethatcontinuesacrossmorethanonepage.o Page:Theentiresinglepageofacomicorgraphicnovel.

Discussionquestions:

• DescribeBui’sdrawingstyle,suchasqualityofline,identifydifferenttypesofmarkmaking,lines,andbrushstrokes;iedoesitlooklikeapendrawing,doesitlooklikeinkandbrushwork,isthestylelooseorcontrolled,isithyperrealistic,soforth?

• Howdoheraestheticschoicesanddrawingstyleconveyspecificpeoplewithindividualexperiences?

• Discussthedifferencebetweencaricatureandcharacter?• HowdoesBuicreateacomplexandnuancedportrayalofAsian-Americansandrefugees?

Activities:ActivityA:Visuallyanalyzeasinglepanel.Discusshowtheartist'srenderinghelpusidentifyandempathizewithspecificcharacters;howdoesitspecifyplaceorevokeanemotion?Visuallyanalyzethecompositionofanentirepagelayout.Discussthedesignelementsandthevisualtransitionfrompaneltopanel;whataestheticsdecisionsweremade?Howdoesitcontextualizetheinformationbeingpresentedinthenarrative?Discusstheforeground/backgroundorfigure/groundvisualorinterior/exterior

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relationshipandtransition.Howdoesitshapethecharacter’snarrativeandidentity,andourunderstandingoftheirstories?Note:thecomicdrawingstylecouldbediscussedincomparison/contrasttoanobservationalorrepresentationaldrawing,orcompare/contrastthesequentialartformtomovingimagesinvideoandfilm.ActivityB:Removewordsfromonepage/section/chapterofTheBestWeCouldDo(theinstructorcouldchooseapartthatbestresonateswiththeirthematicconcerns).Fillintheblankswithyourownwords,givenwhatyouunderstandoftheplotthusfar:whathaveyourwordsadded?Whathasbeenlostinremovingthenarrator’s/characters’/otherwordsandreplacingthemwithyourown?Howdoestheabsenceoftextchangethequalityofyourattentiontotheimagesandotherformalelementsofthecomic?ActivityC:Closure(definitionabove)happensintransitionsbetweenpanels.McCloud(seeresourcelist)notesthat,“closureallowsustoconnectthesemomentsandmentallyconstructacontinuous,unifiedreality.Ifvisualiconographyisthevocabularyofcomics,closureisitsgrammar.Andsinceourdefinitionofcomicshingesonthearrangementofelements—then,inaveryrealsense,comicsisclosure!”(SeeMcCloud,p.67–resourcelistedabove).Havestudentsdiscusshowtheyprovidedclosureatsignificantmomentsthroughoutthenarrative.McCloudalsoidentifiessixtypesofpaneltransitions(pp.70-74andhttps://mediawiki.middlebury.edu/wiki/MIDDMedia/Closure_in_comics).Introducestudentstothesetypesofclosures.Then,askstudentstofindthesetypesofclosureswithinTheBestWeCouldDo.ThiBuiappliesatleast5oftheclosuresthroughoutthebook.Examplesinclude:

• Moment-to-moment:Bui,p.22andthefirsttwopanelsonp.42,• Action-to-action:Bui,p.iiiandp.2,• Subject-to-subject:Bui,p.24betweenpanels4and5,• Scene-to-scene:Bui,p.30,• Aspect-to-aspect:Bui,p.39,• Non-sequitur:?

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Memory,Time,PlaceContentresourceareasinthissectionincludelocation/dislocation,physical/psychological,interior/exterior,stability/confusion.Bui’scompositionalstructureofapanelorpagelayouthasafluidinterplaybetweenthefigureandgroundrelationship,interiorandexteriorlandscapes,andchangingviewpoints.Differentmoodandtoneisachievedwithcontrast(lightanddark),lineorbrushstroke,andcolor.Thepaletteismonochromatic,blackandwhite,andared-sepiatone.DiscussionQuestions:

• WhydidBuichooseamonochromaticpalette?Whydidshechoosethered/sepiacolor?Whatmoodortoneisevokedwiththeminimalpalette?

• Thenarrativespansseveraldecades,howdoestheartistcommunicatethepassingoftimeandmemory?

• BuidoesnottoreproduceAmericanphotographerEddieAdams’“SaigonExecution,”aPulitzer-winningphotographoftsaidtohavechangedpublicopinionintheUSagainstthewarinVietnam.Instead,sheonlyprovidesaroughsketchofit,addingthatitdidnotdeserveaPulitzerPrizebecauseitelidedthecomplexcircumstancesandcontextsthatledtothemoment,paintingthe

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VietnameseNorthandSouthasasimpleopposition(p.206-210).Takeamomenttorereadthesefourpagesandconsider:Doyouagreewiththisassessment?IfyouwereinBui’sposition,wouldyoudothesame?Why?Canyouinventawaytoresponsiblydojusticetothecircumstancesthatledtothatphoto—intheformatofagraphicnovel?Linktoviewandreadmoreabout“SaigonExecution”:http://100photos.time.com/photos/eddie-adams-saigon-execution

• BuidoeselecttoreproducethephotographicportraitsofherfamilytakenwhentheywerelivingintherefugeecampinMalaysia(267).Unlikewith“SaigonExecution,”thisauthorialdecisionisnotdiscussed.Whatistheeffectofincludingthesephotoportraits?Howdothesephotographscontrastwiththe“SaigonExecution”photographdiscussedabove?

ClassroomActivities:ActivityA:Studentscancreateacollageusingfoundorpersonalimages(thiscanbemadeasadigitalcollageorwithcutimagesandglue)thatmergeanexteriorandinteriorlandscapetotellafamilystoryorhistoricaleventthroughtheperspectiveofaspecificcharacter.Asaset-uptotheactivity,highlightexamples/pagesfromTheBestWeCouldDothatdepictaninteriorandexteriorspace.Visuallyanalyzehowtimeandspaceisportrayed;andoftenbroughttogetherinapanelorpagelayout,discusshowthisisdone.Discusshowinteriorandexteriorlandscapescanfunctionasadepictionofaninterior/exteriormindscapeorpsychologicalstates.ActivityB:Identifyanddiscussthevariouslinequality,markmaking,andbrushworkofBui’sdrawings.Throughoutthebook,doesaparticularcharacteristicoflineorbrushstylerepeatitselfinspecificcontexts?DescribetheuseofcolorinBui’sdrawings.Howdothevisualorformalcharacteristicsofthedrawings(suchascolor,composition,linequality,contrastlight/dark)communicatemood,time,emotionsorpsychologicalstates?Howdothedrawingsportrayplaceorlocation?WhataresomeofthevisualdevicesusedbyBuitoconveythepastandthepresent?DescribeBui’sdrawingstyleanditsmeritsincommunicatingastoryorcharacter.Followingthisdiscussion,havestudentsattempttochangethetime,mood,orpsychologicalstatesthroughcopyingandchangingapanel’scolor,line,shape,orotherelementofdesign.Howdostudents’changesinpanelelementsfurtherhelpinunderstandingBui’sstyleselections?

ActivityC:Reviewfilms,books,musicandinstallationsbyartistTrinhT.Minh-ha.MostespeciallylookatMinh-ha’sworkForgettingVietnam(2015).Link:http://www.asianfilmvault.com/2017/12/forgetting-vietnam-2015-by-trinh-t-minh.htmlFromMinh-ha’swebsite:“Shot in Hi-8 video in 1995 and in HD and SD in 2012, [the final version of] images unfold spatially as a dialogue between the two elements—land and water—that underlie the formation of the term “country” (đất nứớc). Carrying the histories of both visual technology and

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Vietnam’s political reality, these images are also meant to feature the encounter between the ancient as related to the solid earth, and the new as related to the liquid changes in a time of rapid globalization. In conversation with these two parts is a third space, that of historical and cultural re-memory – or what local inhabitants, immigrants and veterans remember of yesterday’s stories to comment on today’s events.” Consider the following questions after watching the film:

• In what ways do Vietnamese women’s daily lives, which have endured war, revolution, and globalization, act as a mainstay of Vietnamese society?

• In what ways do Vietnamese women’s forms of, such as mobile and street vending that have been outlawed in recent years, represent persistence and resistance?

• What other forms of persistence, resistance, even definance, are captured in the film? • How do the metaphors of Vietnamese cultural and geographic stories assist in understanding

the country’s history as well as contemporary political situation? • What aspects of the film are connected to readings and discussions of The Best We Could Do?

MemoirandOralHistory:Voice,Narrative,HistoriographyContentresourceareasinthissectionincludemultipleperspectives,memory,postmemory,storytelling,documentary.Initsreflectionsoneliciting,interpreting,andrevisingtheoralhistoriesofafamily,TheBestWeCouldDodemonstratestheintersectionsbetweenpersonalandhistoricalnarrativesbypresentingitsstoryinanon-linearandnon-chronologicalway.Italsohas“nosinglestory”(211),weavingmultipleversionsand

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perspectivestogether,sometimesevenallowingthemtocontradictoneanother.AsBuiwritesaboutherfather’sstories,eachversionhas“adifferentshapebutthesameending”(100).Resources:AnOtherWarMemorial:MemoriesoftheAmericanWarinVietnam

ProjectbyUniversityofSouthernCalifornia(USC)studentsinaclassbyVietThanhNguyenPublic(anddigital)scholarshipmemorializingtheoralhistories(written/transcribedandvideointerviews)ofadiverserangeofpeopleinvolvedintheAmericanWarinVietnamEschewsUS-andwhite-centricperspectives;deliberatelyshowcasesVietnameseandotherunder-representedperspectives,eg.anti-warprotestors,veteransofcolorLink:http://anotherwarmemorial.com-clickon“About”intoprightcornertolearnmore

Usefulshortguidesonhowtoconductoralhistoriesforpossibleactivities/assignmentsmodeledonAnOtherWarMemorial(above)

Link:http://www.library.ucla.edu/destination/center-oral-history-research/resources/conducting-oral-histories-family-membersLink:http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/libraries/bancroft-library/oral-history-center/oral-history-tips

Alistoffilmsthatdealwithoralhistoryacrosshistoricalandnationalcontexts• Link:https://suzannesnider.com/list-oral-history-and-film• ReaTajiri,HistoryandMemory:ForAkikoandTakashige(1991film).Independentavant-

gardefilmexaminingintergenerationaleffectsoftheJapaneseinternmentcamps.[Cannotfindastreaminglinkonline]

• MattHuynh,TheBoat.Interactive,animatedwebcomicadaptedfromshortstorybyNamLeLink:https://www.sbs.com.au/theboat/

• MattHuynh,TheVietnamWar:1945-1975.Large-scalemuralscommissionedandexhibitedbyNewYorkHistoricalSociety:

Linktogeneralinfo:http://www.matthuynh.com/the-vietnam-war/Linktocloserviewofmuralsonlineasslideshow,video,etc.:https://vietnamwar.nyhistory.org/murals/

CrystalParikh,WritingHumanRights:ThePoliticalImaginariesofWritersofColor,UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2017RocíoG.Davis,“TheAsianAmericanFamilyPortraitDocumentary:MultiplyingDiscourses”inRelativeHistories:MediatingHistoryinAsianAmericanFamilyMemoirs,UniversityofHawai’iPress,2011,116-139Davis,“Layeringhistory:graphicembodimentandemotionsinGBTran’sVietnamerica,”RethinkingHistory:TheJournalofTheoryandPractice19.2(2015):252-267.Linktoabstract:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13642529.2014.973708

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AlexandraKurmannandTessDo,“ChildrenontheBoat:TheRecuperativeWorkofPostmemoryinShortFictionoftheVietnameseDiaspora,”ComparativeLiterature70.2(June2018):218-234.

TreatsFrench,Canadian,andAustralianwritersofVietnamesediasporaofthe‘1.5generation’:borninVietnam,raisedabroad.DoesnotspecificallydiscusstheUSVietnamesediaspora,buttherearecertainlyseveralcommonalitiesinregardtohistoricalandculturalbackground,refugeeexperience.Theterm“postmemory”comesfromMarianneHirsch;seebelow.

MarianneHirsch,“TheGenerationofPostmemory”Oft-citedscholarofmemorystudiesexaminesintergenerationaltraumathroughphotographs.Fulltext(PDF):http://urokiistorii.ru/sites/all/files/hirsch_generation_of_postmemory.pdfDiscussionQuestions(Seealsothe‘BigQuestions’listednearthebeginningofthisguide)

• WhenvisitingtheirearlychildhoodhomeinVietnamasanadult,thenarratorfindsherself“documentinginlieuofremembering”(180).BytheendofyourreadingofTBWCD,doyouhaveasenseofthedifferencebetween“documenting”and“remembering”?DoeitherofthesetermsadequatelycapturetheachievementsofTBWCD,toyourmind?

• Thenarrator’sfatherprovidesahumorouslyunder-statedassessmentofWalterCronkite(AmericanbroadcastjournalistduringtheVietnamWar)andhisapproachtonarratingVietnamforanAmericanaudience:“Thenarrationisonlyokay…butwhatIthoughtwasneatwasseeingfootageofouroldneighborhood”(183).Thenarratorgoesontodeploretheover-blownandUS-centriccaricaturesofVietnaminCronkite’saccount(184-5),yetshe—likeherfather—isalsocompelledtousewhatshehas,inpartbecauseshelacksmemoriesofherown.Theflawedhistoriesthatprecedeherthenbecomethebasisforacrucialhistoricalrevision.

• Haveyoueverfelttheurgetorewriteanunsatisfactoryaccountofsomeone/somewhere/somethingimportanttoyou?Howwouldyoubegin,andwhatwouldyourgoalsbe?Forwhataudiencewouldyourrewritingbedone?

Activities/AssignmentsActivityA:WhatwouldyoudoifyouhadtoadaptTheBestWeCouldDointoafictionalfilm,documentary,photo-essay,oragenreotherthanamemoir?Takeamomenttovisitsomeofthelinkslistedabove,e.g.Huynh’sinteractiveanimatedwebcomicandmurals,theUSCprojectAnOtherMemorial,orthesitesonhowto‘do’oralhistory.Whichartisticordiscursive(formal)strategiesseemparticularlywell-suitedtothepreoccupationsandgoalsofTheBestWeCouldDo?Canyouthinkofanyotherart-formsthatwouldworkwellforBui’spurposes?ActivityB:Rewrite/reimagineonecrucialscenefromtheperspectiveofitsothercharacters.Ifpossible,createastoryboard—keepinginmindtheelementsofacomicspage.Howwouldthenarrativechangedependentonpointofview?Wouldyouintegratetheseveralperspectives,orwouldyoukeepthemapart?[Instructormaywishtopre-selectascenemostresonantwiththeirthematicfocus;thiscanbeasshort/longastimeallows.]Asyouread,keepyoureyesopenforcontradictionsbothwithinonecharacter’snarrativeandacrossdifferentcharacters’narratives(oftenlocatedatdifferentpointsinthebook).Indeed,characters

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sometimesopenlycorrecteachother’sversionofevents.Inliterarystudies,such‘unreliable’narrationisunderstoodasacommondeviceindicatingadeepercomplexityortensionatwork.Whatdothesecontradictionssuggestaboutthenatureoftraumaticexperience,familialintimacy,andthemanystorieswetellaboutourselves?LinkthenarrativecontradictionyouhaveidentifiedtoonethemeofTheBestWeCouldDo(e.g.family,gender,memory)andexplainhowitdeepensyourunderstandingofthattheme.ActivityC:Takeamomenttoreadashortguidetooralhistory(above)aswellastheshortreadingon“VisualLiteracy.”Whichtechniquesoforalhistoryareshownintheformofthegraphicnovel?Howdoformalelementssuchasframe,line,andcolorhelptoguideourapproachtothestoriesbeingtold?ActivityD:Instructorsofhistory,culturalanthropology,sociology,andareastudiesmayalsowishtoconsideranoralhistoryprojectbasedinOregonasmodeledonUSC’sAnOtherWarMemorial(seeaboveforthisandotherrelevantresources)-theissuesexaminedwoulddependontheinstructor’sfocusintheclassasawhole.AcreativemodificationmayinvolvestudentsinterviewingeachotherontheirreadingexperienceofTheBestWeCouldDo,lendingametacognitivelayertothinkingabouthowhistoryiswrittenandreceived,whilealsomobilizingthebasicmethodsoforalhistory.Studentscouldalsoconstructtheirownrespectivefamilyhistoriesthroughthesamemethodologies.ActivityE:ForengagementwithTheBestWeCouldDobeyondthefirstyearcontext(e.g.seniorseminaronthehistoryofraceintheU.S.),studentscouldreadtheKurmannandDoarticlelistedinthissectionwithaneyetosimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweentheUSandotherhost-countrycontexts,thusactivatingpotentialconnectionstowhattheyhavelearnedintheclass.

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Family,Gender,FamilyViolence:Contentresourceareasinthissectionincludeintergenerationaltensions,genderedexpectations,andfamilystructureascommonthemesinAsianAmericanliterature.SuggestedReadings:

• “TheVietnameseDoubleGenderRevolt:GlobalizingMarriageOptionsintheTwenty-firstCentury”byHungCamThaiinVietnameseAmericans:Diaspora&Dimensions(Volume29,Number1,2003)

• “VietnameseAmericanWomen'sHealth:ACommunity'sPerspectiveandReport”ByTu-UyenNgocNguyen,MarjorieKagawa-Singer,SoraParkTanjasiriandMaryAnneFooinVietnameseAmericans:Diaspora&Dimensions(Volume29,Number1,2003)

• “AsianAmericanImmigrantFamiliesandIntimateHarm”byerinKhuêNinh,inKalfou,Volume1(2),2014

• Ingratitude:TheDebt-BoundDaughterinAsianAmericanLiterature(NYU2011)byerinKhuêNinhSuggestedVideoandFilm:

• DaughterFromDanang.Retrievedfromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AU_VUe2HX0DiscussionQuestions

• Whenthenarrator’smotherleavesheralonewithhernewbaby,sherealizesthatfamilyis“nowsomethingIhavecreated—andnotjustsomethingIwasborninto”(21).Howdothechanging

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frames,pointsofview,andnarrowingfocussuggestthenarrator’sstateofmindandchangingrelationshiptofamily?Howisshepositionedalongsidehernewbaby?

Activity/AssignmentActivityA:Buiofferssomethingofafamilyportrait(p.29):itslayoutconveysastricthierarchy,beginningwiththefirstgenerationofherparentsatthetopofthepageandendingwiththe“lamesecondgeneration”(p.29)—herself,herhusband,andherson.Draworotherwisedesignorcreateagroupportraitforyourfamilyoracommunityofpeopleimportanttoyou(suchasyourresidentialcommunity,agroupofhighschoolfriends,yourout-of-schoolband,extendedstep-andadoptivefamily,aclose-knitgroupatwork).Wouldyoufollowthisgenerationalmodelinthisalternativekinship/community,andwhy?ActivityB:ManyreadershavereportedusingTheBestWeCouldDoasavehicleforcommunicatingwiththeirparentsaboutunspokenfamilialpasts.Elsewhere,Buihascharacterizedtheparent-childrelationasatranslationandmutualaccommodationofchangeandgrowth;indeed,shehasoftensaidthatwritingthebookbroughtherclosertoherparents.Doyouhaveacloserelationshipinyourlife(notnecessarilyparentalorfamilial)thatisunder-explored?TowhatextentmightabooklikeTheBestWeCouldDobeahelpfulgo-betweenfordevelopingthisrelationshipandextendingaconversation?Learnmoreat:https://medium.com/the-baton/a-conversation-with-thi-bui-author-of-the-best-we-could-do-on-vietnamese-identity-and-bursting-92689349f113.Writealettertothispersonextendinganinvitationtolearnmoreaboutthisrelationshiportheindividualsinit.

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War, Violence, and Trauma Contentresourceareasinthissectionincludehauntings,demons,VietNamhistoryandpolitics.

Resources:DisasterDrawn:VisualWitness,Comics,andDocumentaryFormbyHillaryShute.HarvardUniversityPress.2016.Chutetraceshowcomicsinheritedgraphicprinttraditionsandinnovationsfromtheseventeenthcenturyandlater,pointingoutthatateveryturnnewformsofvisual-verbalrepresentationhaveariseninresponsetotheturmoilofwar.Note:Considerthatwheretheartisticvisionbecomesreallystrong,thestorybecomesstronger.SuggestedSourcesonVietNamHistoryandPolitics

• Chong,Denise.(1999).Thegirlinthepicture:ThestoryofKimPhuc,thephotograph,andtheVietnamWar.NewYork:Penguin.

• Goscha,Christopher.(2016).Vietnam:ANewHistory.BasicBooks.ThisisconsideredthebesthistoryofVietnamavailable.

• JourneyfromtheFall(film,2007).ThisistheonlymovieabouttheVietnameseboatpeople.• Kidder,Tracy.(2005).Mydetachment:Amemoir.NewYork:RandomHouse.• LandofSorrows(1973).ThisisabouttheTetOffensive,madeinSouthVietnam,withwarviewed

fromcriticalperspectivesofordinarycitypeople:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmEcsIMR08g&feature=share

• Nguyen,Kien.(2001).Theunwanted:Amemoirofchildhood.NewYork:Little,Brown.

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• NhưTảng,Trương,Chanoff,David,&Đoàn,VănToại.(1985/1986).AVietCongmemoir:AninsideaccountoftheVietnamWaranditsaftermath.NewYork:Vintage.

• Pham,AndrewX.(1999).Catfishandmandala:Atwo-wheeledvoyagethroughthelandscapeandmemoryofVietnam.NewYork,NY:Picador.

• WhenWillOctoberCome?(1970)madeinNorthVietnam,supportingwarbuthintingatthesufferingofpeople.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npCV5ghEV1Y

Language and Multilingualism Contentresourcesareasinthisareaincludebi-andmulti-lingualismandflexibility,powerandaccess,inheritanceandlearning,literarydubbing.SeverallighttouchesinBui’stextopenupquestionsofauthenticity,mothertongues,intimacies,inheritances,andcolonialpedagogy,promptingreaderstoconsiderlanguageasavehicleforthebroaderissuesofhistoricaltraumaandcollectivememory.Multilingualismandheritagelanguageacquisition/lossareoftencentraltoimmigrantandrefugeeexperiencesintheUSandelsewhere.Moreover,theFrenchcolonialschoolsystemsignificantlyalteredthelinguisticterrainofVietnam,compellingmanyVietnamesesubjectstolearnFrenchforsocialbettermentormeresurvival:indeed,boththenarrator’sparentsarefluentspeakersofFrenchbythetimetheyfleeVietnam.IfFrenchisthecolonialtongueofVietnam,thenEnglishistherefugee’sneo-colonialtongue,withoutwhichworkandsurvivalwouldbenexttoimpossibleintheUnitedStates.Thesmallmovementsbetweenlanguagesisthusaparticularlydelicate—yetdeliberatelypolitical—narrativetechniqueinTBWCD.Resources

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• UCLALanguageMaterialsProject.AshorthistoryoftheVietnameselanguage.Link:http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=82&menu=004

• ThiBuionVietnameseidentityandtellingherparents’stories.BuidiscussesretainingthediacriticsinVietnamesenamesforherselfandpeoplelikeher.Medium.March29,2018.Link:https://medium.com/the-baton/a-conversation-with-thi-bui-author-of-the-best-we-could-do-on-vietnamese-identity-and-bursting-92689349f113

• ChiVu,“The1.5GenerationVietnamese-AmericanWriterasPost-ColonialTranslator,”Kunapipi32.1(2010):130-146.Linktofulltext(PDF):http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1260&context=kunapipi

• BenTran,“TheLiteraryDubbingofConfession”,PMLA,March2018.Link(mustaccessviaUOLibrary):https://www.mlajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1632/pmla.2018.133.2.428.Examines“literarydubbing”(aprocessof‘translation’inthewritingprocessfromcharacters’speechandthoughtsintheplot’simpliedlanguagetothelanguageoftheimpliedreader)viareadingsofVietThanhNguyen’swriting.ForTran,thisisnotanactoferasure,butarestorativeactforVietnamesepeoplepreviouslythoughtvoicelessorerror-riddenwithinanimplicitlyEnglish-languageframe.AnEnglish-languagereadershipmaynotevennoticethisseeminglyseamlesslinguistictransition(akinto“dubbing”);nevertheless,Trancallsattentiontoitasanactiveandstrategicdecisionmadebyauthorstobuildnarrativevoice.AsimilarthingtakesplaceinTheBestWeCouldDo.WeoftencannottellwhenthecharactersarespeakingEnglishorVietnamesetoeachother,andcanonlyguessbasedonthecontext.Forexample,itseemsunlikelythatthenarrators’parentswerespeakingEnglishtoeachotherwhentheyfirstmetinVietnameventhoughthetext‘dubs’themintoEnglish.Atthesametime,Buitakescaretoretainthediacriticsincharacternamesandaddresses,anddeclinestotranslateFrenchdialoginparts.See“DiscussionQuestions”belowforquestionsrelatedtoTranreading.

• VietThanhNguyen,“DislocationisMyLocation,”PMLA,March2018.Link(mustaccessviaUOLibrary):https://www.mlajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1632/pmla.2018.133.2.428.Nguyenreflectsonlanguage,code-switching,resistancetobeinganethnicwriter,andlossofplace;despitebeingpublishedinanacademicjournal,thewritingisinarelativelyaccessibleandpersonalregister.

DiscussionQuestions

• Thenarrator’stwoparentshaveconsiderablydifferentrelationshipstothecolonialFrenchlanguageaswellastheVietnameselanguageoftheirbirth.Compareandcontrasttheirtwoattitudes:seeespecially146,149.Whatistheeffectofsoclearlydetailingthedifferencesbetweenthem?WhatarethesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenthenarratorandherparentsastheyrelatetotheVietnameselanguage?

• Discussionquestionre.Tran’sarticle(linkedabove):DoyouagreewithTran’sargumentthat“literarydubbing”maybeastrategytorestorethevoicesofaminoritywithinamajoritylanguage?Whyandwhynot?Whatistheeffectofhavingdifferenttranslationalstrategiesforthedifferentlanguagesofthefamiliarself,colonialism,adoptedhome,andimaginedreader?Isitimportantwhatgets‘dubbedover’andwhatdoesn’t?

• Asyouread,considerwhereandhownon-Englishtextappear,eitherinVietnamese,French,orBahasaMelayu(theofficiallanguageofMalaysia),withattentiontowhethertheyaretranslated.

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Whosenon-Englishspeechisregisteredbywordsinthetext—inVietnameseorevenFrench,andwhereinthenarrativedotheydoso?Isthereanarrativelogicfortheseattributions?

Forexample:UponarrivinginMalaysiaontheirdifficultboatjourney,thenarrator’sfamilyiswarmlygreetedbyamanwithwhomtheyaremysteriouslyabletocommunicate.Theirlinguisticdifferencesarerepresentedonlytypographically(withconversationbeingplacedinbrackets:<>)andwithasuddenshiftintopidginEnglish(p.257):wedonotknowwhatlanguagetheyarespeaking,orindeediftheyarespeakingatall.Shortlyafter,thegirlsencounterasmilingyoungboywhosewordsareregisteredinhisuntranslatedBahasaMelayu(theofficiallanguageofMalaysia):“Apanama?BolehcakapbahasaMelayu?”(261)[‘Whatisyourname?CanyouspeakMalay?’-mytranslation.]InBui’stext,thesewordsarevividlyrememberedandrealized,yetuntranslatedintoEnglisheitherfluentorpidgin;thegirlsdonotunderstandhim,butaredelightedwhenthekindboypresentstwoboxesofsweetenedchrysanthemumteatothem.ThesetwomomentsofkindhospitalityinMalaysia—presentedinasurprisinglycomplexinterlaceofcomprehensionandincomprehension,impliedtranslationanduntranslatedness—standincontrasttotheharsherreceptionstocomeintheU.S.,whereEnglishisthefluentnormadoptedbythetext,interruptedonlybycharacternamesand,mostsignificantly,thenarratorspeakingtohernewbornchildforthefirsttimeinaquiet,intimate,andtranslatedVietnamese(p.314-315)bearingagreatdealofemotionalweightforthenarrative.

• ConsidertheabovetextualquestionsinconjunctionwithrecentreportsofharassmentandevenarrestsofpeoplewhospeakSpanishinpublicintheU.S.Areyoubilingualormultilingual?Haveyouhaddifficultexperiencesspeakinganon-EnglishlanguageinpublicintheU.S.?Talkwithyourclassmates:doyourexperiencesvarydependingonthelanguagesyouspeakandknow?(IntheUS,notall‘foreignlanguages’areequal-justasnotallforeignersareequal.)WhatarethepossiblefuturesofmultilingualismintheUnitedStates?[Considertoomoreconcretepolicies,suchasEugene’sevolvingbilingualEnglish-SpanishsignagefortheEMXbus.]

Activities:HaveyoueverseenanyVietnamesewritinginEugene,Portland,orotherpartsofOregonwithwhichyouarefamiliar?Makeamapofwhereyouencountersuchwriting.Isthereaspecificpatterntowherethiswritingtypicallyappears?Andifyouhavenotseenany,doalittleresearchonline(Googleetc.)tofindoutwhythismaybethecase.

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Depression and Mental Health: Intergenerational Suffering, Oppression, State Violence Contentresourceareasinthissectionincludetrans-generationaltrauma,racismandoppression,mentalhealth,andstereotypethreat.AfewmomentsinTheBestWeCouldDobravelydepictmomentsofviolence,terror,andanxietyonthepartofitscharacters,andmayinvokeunpredictablereactionsfromreadersofthenovel.Thefollowingresourceshavebeencompiledforinstructorswhomaywishtomediatedifficultquestionsofhowdepressionandmentalhealthareboundupwithintergenerationaltraumaandstateviolencethroughasupplementaryreadingorresearch-basedfindings.Forexample,youmaywanttoapplysuchresourcesrelatedtotrickyplotpointssurroundingthefather’sterror,anxiety,abusivebehavior,andthe“refugeereflex”passedontohischildren.Thiscomplexandinterdisciplinarytopicwouldalsobeanexcellentresearchprojectformotivatedjuniorandseniorundergraduatestudentsinrelateddisciplinessuchaspsychology,anthropology,sociology,neuroscience,orliterature.

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Resources• Bronfenbrenner,U.(1989).Ecologicalsystemstheory.AnnalsofChildDevelopment,6,187-249.• Bui,T.(2017).Thebestwecoulddo:Anillustratedmemoir.NewYork:NY:AbramsComicArts.• Chronister,K.M.,McWhirter,B.T.,&Kerewsky,S.D.(2004).Preventionfromanecological

framework.InR.K.Conyne&E.P.Cook(Eds.),Ecologicalcounseling:Aninnovativeapproachtoconceptualizingpersonenvironmentinteraction(pp.315-338).Alexandria,VA:AmericanCounselingAssociationPress.

• GayleY.Iwamasa,“RecommendationsfortheTreatmentofAsian-American/PacificIslanderPopulations”.GeneraloverviewofcommonissuesculturallyspecifictoAsian-AmericanandPacificIslanderpopulations:examinesissuessuchastrans-generationaltrauma,racismandoppression,andstereotypethreatasnon-biologicaldeterminantsofmentalhealthLink:http://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/ethnicity-health/asian-american/psychological-treatment.aspx

• ShervinAssari,“SocialDeterminantsofDepression:TheIntersectionsofRace,Gender,andSocioeconomicStatus”-http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/7/12/156(focusonwhite,Af-Am)

• DavidEngandShinheeHan,RacialMelancholia,RacialDissociation:OntheSocialandPsychicLivesofAsianAmericans,Duke2019.Linksdepressionandmentalhealthissuestostructuralprocessesofracialization.Interdisciplinaryapproach:dualperspectivesofliterarytheoristandclinicalpsychotherapist.

• Eng’sandHan’solderwork,widelycitedandofferingthesameconcept/approach:“ADialogueonRacialMelancholia.”Link(fullPDF):https://vanderbilt.edu/olli/class-materials/ADialogueOnRacialMelancholia.pdf

• Video:NewYearBaby.SocheataPoeuv,http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newyearbaby/• Foracontemporaryturn:StephaniedeGooyer,“WhyTrump’sDenaturalizationTaskForce

Matters”(TheNationarticle).ArguesthattheU.S.statehashistoricallyusedfearasananti-immigrantweapon;framesaffectslikeanxietyandfearasoutcomesofstateviolence.Intheprocess,thissourcealsoprovidesamini-historyofU.S.immigrationpolicy.Link:https://www.thenation.com/article/trumps-denaturalization-task-force-matters/

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Activities:SomeNotesonp.275fromTheBestWeCouldDo:

Page275ofTheBestWeCouldDoiscompellingbecauseitisdeceptiveinawaythatmakesitagoodtoolfortraininginterventionistsandtherapists–orthiscouldbetransposedtoaskingstudentstoreadliterarytextandsubtext.ThefollowingexamplesandactivitiesaredrawnfromtheworkofShoshanaKerewsky(©kerewsky@uoregon.edu)Onthesurfaceofthenarrativeonp.275,thereisstraightforwardexposition(e.g.thetextorwhathappensinthescene).InPanel1,weseethefamilyinteractwiththeRedCrossandobtainstickets.Inthesecondpanelsectionthechildrenareimmunized.AndinPanel3,Bốgetsstressfulmedicalnews.Thereisareasonableamountofwordstoreadandthegraphicillustrationstyleisprimarilyoutlines,withjustacoupleofexceptions.Readersmaymovethroughthepagequicklyandwithoutreflection,especiallybecauseitendsonanalarmingnotethathastensthereaderontothenextpage.Itmayappeartobesimplyatransitionalpagethatmovesthestoryalong.However,thereisagreatdealofadditionalinformationonthispage.Thispagecanbeusedtoillustrateseveralconstructsandcompetenciesusedindirectserviceprovision.Beforefurtherobservationsonthispage,it’simportanttoremindstudentsthatwearenot“analyzing”or“diagnosing”theauthororherfamily—rather,wearepracticingapplyingtechniquesforunderstandingpeopleanddevelopinghypothesesusingthememoirasanextendedcaseexample.Hereareafewthatjumpoutatme(ShoshanaKerewsky).Theyleadnaturalisticallyintoeachother,suggestingalessonplanthatdemonstratesaholisticapproachtoabriefencounterwithorobservationofaclientfamily.Technique1:Familykinetics--Thisreferstotheplacementandotheraspectsoffamilymembersinarole-played“sculpture”oradrawing.KineticFamilyDrawingisaprojectiveassessmenttechniqueinwhichthepersondrawstheirfamilydoingsomething.Thedrawingisexaminedandinsomecasesscored,anditmaybeusedasthebasisforadiscussionabouttheperson’sperceptionofselfandfamilyin

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relationshiptoeachother.Innon-clinicalclasses,studentscoulddrawanddiscussasceneoftheirownfamily.Thesekineticobservationsmayhelpusexploreafamily’sinteractions.

KineticFamilyDrawingActivity:Page275couldserveasanintroductiontoKineticFamilyDrawingadministrationandinterpretation.Tohighlightthenon-verbalinformation,youmaywanttomakeacopyofthepagewiththedialogueremovedforthestudents.Thenaskstudentstomakeobservationsabouttheproximityandlocationsofthefiguresastheyaredepictedinrelationshiptooneanother.Someexamplesthatmaybefoundinclude:

o Inpanel1,MáandBốareunited.Theyareinproximityandengagedinthesametask,inwhichtheyareunited.Thisobservationofaclient’sdrawingofBui’sparentsmightleadtoadiscussionofhowsheperceivestheirgeneralqualityofinteractionandengagement.Dotheyalwayspresentaunitedfront?Onlyinthefaceofofficials?Dotheyseemtohaveequalparentalpowerandauthority?Máissigningadocument.Itthissimplyamomentintime,orisMátheparentwhotakescareofbusiness?Inaclientdrawing,wemightaskifBốcanreadandwrite.o Inpanel2,the4childrenaresuperficiallyengagedinthesameactivity.However,acloserlookshowsthatalthougheachfindsthevaccinationpainfulandrespondsverballyandphysically,theyarenotequallyaffected.Movingfromlefttoright,theresponsemovesfrommoretolessintense,withThiapparentlyshowingthemostminimalresponse—hermouthisclosed,andherspeechballoonhasnoexclamationpoints,isinthesmallestlettering,andisdepictedasanon-verbal<sob>bracketedincaretstoshowactionratherthanlanguage.Thespectrumofresponsesisnotassociatedwiththechildren’sages.Wemightaskaclient,doyouseeyourselfasthemoststoical?Themostfatalisticorresigned?Whatdoesitmeantohavetheleastresponse—isitapointofpride?Anexpressionofhelplessness?Inthispanel,thechildrenareseparatedfromeachother.Doesthisreflectthisexperienceinparticular,orisitamoregeneralrepresentationofanaspectoftheirrelationships?Wherearetheirparents?Wemightasktheclienttodrawthesceneagain,includingallfamilymemberswhowerepresent.o Panel3returnstoMáandBo,againwithoutmostofthechildren.Doesthisrepresentanappropriateandwell-functioningexecutivesubsystem?MáandBốarenowphysicallyandpossiblyemotionallydivided,andMáis“outofthepicture”asBốreceivesbadmedicalnews.

Technique2:Theexosystem(ecologicalmodel)–Briefly:familyobservationsarecharacterizedinBronfenbrenner’s(seeresourcelist)ecologicalmodelofperson-in-contextas“microsystemic.”Onp.275ofTheBestWeCouldDo,thepresenceofmedicalpersonnelandissuesalertsustotheimportanceofevaluatingaperson’sorfamily’sexosystem.TheparentsareamicrosystemandtheRedCrossrepresentativesareanothermicrosystem.TheyinteractinwaysthataffectThi,whichisreferredtoasher“mesosystem.”TheRedCrosspersonnelalsoactasagentsoftheexosystem,whichisthetermfordistalsystemsthatactonaperson,butwhichthatpersoncannotinfluencedirectly.Inthiscase,thisincludes:

• Accesstomigrationopportunities,planetickets,andimmunizations• Standardsrelatedtopublichealth• Potentially,standardsforquarantine.

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ExosystemActivityA:10minutes.OnePage.OnelevelofEcology.Buildingontheabovecontext,askstudentsquestionssuchas,“Whatdoyouseeonthispage(TBWCD,p.275)thatisexosystemic?”or“Identifywhattypesofinformationarecharacterizedasexosystemic.”(Reminder:thesearefactorsthatactontheperson,butthatthepersoncannotinfluencedirectly.Examplesmayincludelaws,policies,accesstoservices,funding,orthemedia.)Askthemtoannotateacopyofthepagerelatedtowhattheyobserve.

Now,thegroupcandiscusstheirobservations.Forexample,comparepanel1,wherethingsaregoingsmoothly,topanel3,whichintroducesasignificantobstacle.Inpanel1,MáandBốareunited,aswehavenoted,andareplacedparalleltotheRedCrossworkers,whoareaboutthesamesizeastheparentsandinasimilar,parallelposture.Inpanel3,MáandBốareseparatedbythedoctor,whosefocusisonBố,andwhoisintheforegroundandthereforemuchlarger.Manypracticingprofessionalsdonotadequatelyassessclientfactorssuchasaccesstoservices,economicconstraints,orlawsandpolicies.Anecologicalexaminationofthepagehighlightsthemagnitudeofthesefeaturesofaclient’slifeandremindsustoaskaboutthem.

Hereisonewaythepagemightlookuponannotation:

ExosystemActivityB:Studentsmaywishtorole-playthisprofessional-clientencounterfromthispageinTheBestWeCouldDo,firstasdepicted,thenintegratingprofessionalinterventionskillsthatincreaserapport,checkforunderstanding,anddescribepossiblecoursesofactioninalessfrighteningandless-distantmanner.

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ExosystemActivityC:FollowingtheActivityAexaminingtheexosystemrepresentedonp.275ofTheBestWeCouldDo,studentscanidentifytheirownriskandresiliencefactorsintheirpersonalexosystems.Thissetofobservationscouldleadintoadiscussionaboutstudents’orclients’relationshiptoauthorityfiguresandlegalgatekeepers.Youcancreateanassignmentassociatingthiscontenttocurrent,localpracticessuchasU.S.TBprevalenceinU.S.-andnon-U.S.-borncasesorcurrentOregonpertussiscases

Technique3:Collateralaccounts--Collateralaccountsarethestoriestoldbyotherpeoplewhohaverelationshipswiththeclient.Theyareusedtohelpcontextualizetheclient’sstory,provideadditionalinformation,andsometimestohighlightdifferentperspectivesandinterpretations.Collateralsintherapymayincludeparents,siblings,romanticpartners,caseworkers,teachers,orothers.

InTheBestWeCouldDo,ThiBuitellsthisstory.Sheisthe“indexperson”becausecollateralaccountswouldbefocusedonher.Studentsmayspeculatewhatthecollateralsmightsay.Askstudentstocreateresponsesvisualornarrativebasedresponsestothefollowingprompts:

• HowmightoneofThi’ssisterstellthestory?WhatwouldsheaffirmordisconfirmaboutThi’saccount?

• WhatwouldMáorBốsay?Whatwouldtheirfocusbe?Wouldtheydepictthesituationsimilarlyordifferently?

• HowwouldtheRedCrosspersonnelordoctorconveythestory?