W/o Wood

"Woo-Woo"
(a.k.a. Without Wood)

3. Again with the "mothers know best" idea. I don't think Rose's psychiatrist was a good one; he seemed boring and unhelpful. Did Ted want a divorce because of the other woman? Rose is right; with the many American choices, one is bound to choose the incorrect one. I think Rose is over-thinking her divorce with Ted. How can one stay in bed for three days? I'd be bored to death. Rose scared me a little when she started to laugh in the middle of her argument with Ted, but it served him right! That loser, he's not going to kick Rose out of the house now that she's speaking up; that's what he gets for doing "monkey business"! By the way, the house sounded really nice; I imagine high ceilings and windows from the ceiling to the floor. I loved Tan's descriptions and her choices of flower names. What was the whole story about China Mary about?


4. I nearly clapped out of joy when Rose finally stood up to Ted. This scene reveals that Rose was once a fragile, weak, and manipulated girl, but she has found her backbone to grow into a strong and self-determined woman. This is her breakthrough in life.

5. I believe the main conflict of this chapter is Rose vs. herself (internal: man vs. self). She struggles within herself to figure out what she wants and what's wrong in her life: why she still loves a man who wants a divorce with her, why she should despise him, why she lets other people use her and throw her away, why she won't listen to her mother, but other people... Yes, this conflict gets resolved in the end when Rose finally stands up to Ted, refusing to give up the house, finally knowing what she wants. She realizes that she doesn't have to rely on Ted anymore; he has another woman, whatever. He cheated on her and he just can't get away with the upper hand, not when the one that was hurt the most was Rose. Her ignorance has driven her to take control of herself.

6. I think one of the most important themes is: the solution to your problems lies within yourself, not outside. One has to believe that one can overcome his or her problems to be able to do so. One has to stand up for oneself, be proud of who he or she is, and take control of his or her life. This is revealed when Rose refuses to share her feelings with her mother over the phone and her mother insists that she "should speak up for [herself]."

Emily Huynh, Period 4