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Reflection Of Self Reflection

Decent Essays

During the duration of this course and the numerous discussions initiated in lecture, I have been able to utilize the concepts proposed in class to further my intellectual development and thinking. While many concepts have been discussed in class, the topic of secondary witnessing was the one I could relate to the most. Just like Art Spiegelman, I am a second-generation witness to my father's life post-Vietnam war. I am a part of the generation that will continue to transmit my father's war stories to future generations. I am witness to the Vietnam war in terms of how it affected survivors, such as my father, even though I didn't live through that experience myself, tying in the concept of post-memory as well. I first learned about my …show more content…

My father often has a bad temper, even when it seemed like everything is going well. I never understood why my father never appeared happy. I witnessed my dad become a raging alcoholic, which only worsened his temper. After discussing the significance of traumatic events in class, I truly able to understand the strength that PTSD can have on many individuals, causing them to seek out various methods of relief, both good and bad. You often hear about these issues in society, but personally witnessing it as a second generation provides a different perspective on the matter. Growing up, I had to come to terms with my race, nationality, and religion. I was the first person in my family to be born in the United States. While I quickly became Americanized, I never forgot about my origin. To this day, I still speak fluent Vietnamese to my parents because they don't understand English. When I was 10, I went grocery shopping with my parents. While we were checking out, I had to translate what the cashier was saying for my parents. I can vividly recall this Caucasian women behind us muttering to herself, "It's fucking America, speak English for god's sake." At such a young age, I didn't understand why someone would ever say anything like that and why no one jumped in to defend my family. To a lesser degree, I can relate to how the victims of the Holocaust felt because I have been

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