{"id":702,"date":"2017-03-08T15:37:05","date_gmt":"2017-03-08T21:37:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/?page_id=702"},"modified":"2017-05-17T09:58:27","modified_gmt":"2017-05-17T14:58:27","slug":"personal-memories-vs-governmental-projects","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/personal-memories-vs-governmental-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Personal Memories vs. Governmental Projects (Serena\/Xiaoping\/Mengxi\/Katy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Personal Memories vs. Governmental Projects<\/strong><\/h1>\n

A reading route prepared by\u00a0Serena (FLAC), Xiaoping, Mengxi, Katy<\/p>\n

Throughout the novel, the government promises they won\u2019t change places, but the pressure for modernization results in frequent change in Taipei. Changes such as the relocation or removal of trees for the sake of public projects seem to be the most offensive of these. Thus, while our narrator has a strong dislike of change in general, these changes in particular seem to interfere with her memories. As the places she loves disappear, she feels rootless and restricted to a smaller and smaller area that remains more or less unchanged.<\/p>\n

Image:\u00a0Jinshui Road near Taipei<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t[et_pb_vertical_timeline admin_label=\"Timeline - Vertical\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\" text_text_color=\"#000000\" background_image=\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/946\/2017\/03\/40f8b5d09e5a05a279f67e2a9b39de93.jpg\" line_color=\"#23ce8f\"] [et_pb_vertical_timeline_item title=\"Stop 1\" use_read_more=\"off\" animation=\"off\" text_font_select=\"default\" text_font=\"||||\" headings_font_select=\"default\" headings_font=\"||||\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_style=\"solid\"]<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it possible that none of your memories count? \u2026 Back then, before commercial real estate had led to an unrestrained opening of new roads, a building boom, and land speculation, trees could survive and grow tall and green, like those in tropical rain forests.\u201d (E111)
\n\u201c\u96be\u9053\uff0c\u4f60\u7684\u8bb0\u5fc6\u90fd\u4e0d\u7b97\u6570\uff1f... \u90a3\u65f6\u5019\u7684\u6811\uff0c\u4e5f\u56e0\u571f\u5730\u5c1a\u672a\u5546\u54c1\u5316\uff0c\u6ca1\u5927\u8086\u5f00\u8def\u7ade\u5efa\u7092\u5730\u76ae\uff0c\u800c\u5f97\u56e0\u5b58\u6d3b\u7684\u7279\u522b\u9ad8\u5927\u7279\u522b\u7eff\uff0c\u50cf\u8d64\u9053\u96e8\u6797\u7684\u56fd\u5bb6\u3002\u201d (S133)<\/p>\n

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\u201cOne of these days, the houses in these lanes and alleys would be returned, at a high efficiency rate, to the new administration, which also loved Taiwan, to build, with plenty of corners cut, a dormitory for the Postal Administration or for the Customs Office or for professors at such-and-such university, or residences for government officials\u2026 By then, except for Lane 52 of Wenzhou Street, any other street you\u2019d trod would have disappeared, and you\u2019d have no place to walk, no memory to recall.\u201d (E156)
\n\"\u6709\u671d\u4e00\u65e5\uff0c\u8fd9\u4e9b\u4eba\u5bb6\u5df7\u5f04\u5c06\u88ab\u4e5f\u7231\u53f0\u6e7e\u7684\u65b0\u671d\u653f\u5e9c\u7ed9\u6709\u6548\u7387\u7684\u6536\u56de\u4ea7\u6743\u5e76\u5efa\u6210\u5077\u5de5\u51cf\u6599\u7684\u90ae\u653f\u5bbf\u820d\u3001\u6d77\u5173\u5bbf\u820d\u3001X X \u5927\u5b66\u6559\u5e08\u5bbf\u820d\u3001\u9996\u957f\u5bbf\u820d\u22ef\u22ef\uff0c\u5c31\u5982\u540c\u9664\u4e86\u4e94\u4e8c\u5df7\u4ee5\u5916\u7684\u6e29\u5dde\u8857\u66fe\u7ecf\u7684\u6bcf\u4e00\u6761\u5df7\u5f04\uff0c\u5c4a\u65f6\u4f60\u5c06\u518d\u65e0\u8def\u53ef\u8d70\uff0c\u65e0\u56de\u5fc6\u53ef\u4f9d\u51ed\u3002\" (S164)<\/p>\n

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When you walked by your green wall one day you discovered \u2013 oh my god \u2013 the century-old nightshade trees had disappeared overnight, all for the ostensibly justifiable reason of widening the street. You were so grief-stricken, so distressed, you felt as if you\u2019d lost your best friend.\u201d (E149)
\n\u201c\u5f53\u6709\u4e00\u65e5\u4f60\u8def\u8fc7\u4f60\u4eec\u7684\u7eff\u8272\u57ce\u5899\uff0c\u53d1\u73b0\u5929\u554a\u90a3\u4e9b\u767e\u5e74\u8304\u51ac\u53c8\u56e0\u4e3a\u7406\u76f4\u6c14\u58ee\u7684\u5f00\u8def\u7406\u7531\u4e00\u5915\u4e0d\u89c1\uff0c\u4f60\u5ffd\u7136\u5927\u6078\u6cae\u4e27\u5982\u540c\u5931\u4e86\u597d\u53cb\u3002\u201d (S159)<\/p>\n

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\u201cExcept for the one route that was indispensable in your daily life, you had become reluctant to roam, afraid of discovering more things like the disappearance of a line of century-old nightshade trees, afraid to face the overnight disappearance of old 30-foot maple trees on which sparrows and emerald eyes perched the year round. The latter had been replaced by a gigantic billboard, selling upscale housing 100,000 NT a square foot. Directly across from it, in Lane 243, Jinhua Street, a row of 50-year-old eucalyptus trees had been taken down by his Excellency the Mayor, who never stopped crowing about how much he loved this island and this city. Even more ironic was that the place was immediately turned into a small community park with tiny trees.\u201d (E152-153)
\n\u201c\u8fd9\u6837\u7684\u7ecf\u9a8c\uff0c\u6108\u6765\u6108\u73cd\u60dc\u4e86\uff0c\u9664\u4e86\u5e73\u65e5\u4e0d\u5f97\u4e0d\u7684\u751f\u6d3b\u52a8\u7ebf\uff0c\u4f60\u53d8\u5f97\u4e0d\u613f\u610f\u4e71\u8dd1\uff0c\u5bb3\u6015\u53d1\u73b0\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6574\u6392\u767e\u5e74\u8304\u51ac\u4e0d\u89c1\u7684\u4e8b\uff0c\u5bb3\u6015\u53d1\u73b0\u4e00\u5e74\u5230\u5934\u4f4f\u6ee1\u4e86\u9ebb\u96c0\u548c\u7eff\u9508\u773c\u7684\u4e09\u5341\u5c3a\u7684\u8001\u69ed\u6811\u4e00\u5915\u4e0d\u89c1\u3002\u7acb\u4e86\u597d\u5927\u770b\u677f\uff0c\u4e70\u8d77\u4e00\u576a\u516d\u5341\u4e07\u4ee5\u4e0a\u540d\u95e8\u5b85\u7b2c\uff0c\u5b83\u6b63\u5bf9\u7684\u91d1\u534e\u8857\u4e8c\u56db\u4e09\u5df7\u4e00\u5217\u4e94\u5341\u5e74\u4ee5\u4e0a\u7684\u6849\u6811\u4e5f\u7ed9\u53e3\u53e3\u58f0\u58f0\u7231\u8fd9\u5c9b\u7231\u8fd9\u57ce\u7684\u5e02\u957f\u5927\u4eba\u780d\u4e86\uff0c\u5e76\u5f88\u8bbd\u523a\u7684\u5f53\u573a\u5efa\u4e86\u4e2a\u79cd\u6ee1\u5c0f\u6811\u7684\u793e\u533a\u5c0f\u516c\u56ed\u3002\u4f60\u518d\u4e5f\u4e0d\u613f\u610f\u8d70\u8fc7\u8fd9\u4e9b\u964c\u751f\u7684\u8857\u5df7\uff0c\u5982\u6b64\uff0c\u4f60\u80fd\u8d70\u7684\u8def\u6108\u6765\u6108\u5c11\u4e86\u3002\u201d (S162)<\/p>\n

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\u201cOver half the sweet gum trees, which had been as old as Chokushi Street, were gone; the beautiful Miyanoshita Road had grown into such a state that it was like countless incurable tumors-ugly, ugly. Mournfully, you avoided the area, but what had died of course, included part of you.\u201d (E160)
\n\"\u4e0e\u6555\u4f7f\u8857\u9053\u540c\u5e74\u5c81\u7684\u67ab\u9999\u4e0d\u89c1\u4e86\u5927\u534a\uff0c\u7f8e\u4e3d\u7684\u5bab\u30ce\u4e0b\u53c2\u9053\u53d8\u6210\u957f\u4e86\u65e0\u6570\u80bf\u7624\u7fa4\u533b\u675f\u624b\u7684\u666f\u8c61\uff0c\u4e11\u900f\u4e86\uff0c\u4f60\u5e26\u7740\u54c0\u60bc\u7684\u5fc3\u60c5\u8d70\u907f\uff0c\u6b7b\u53bb\u7684\uff0c\u5f53\u7136\u5305\u62ec\u4f60\u7684\u4e00\u90e8\u5206\u3002\" (S167)<\/p>\n

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Note 1<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t

To begin the entire novella, the narrator asks the question of whether any of her memories count. This question is then connected with seven different observations about the world, during an unspecified time period called \u201cback then.\u201d In each, she emphasizes that \u201cback then\u201d was better. It seems that \u201cback then\u201d is superior in terms of its bluer sky, the resilience of young bodies, the health of forests, the lack of public spaces for young people to roam, the night sky, and the classic American background music. A repeating theme in the book is the linkage of memories to natural and historical spaces. The removal of trees and forests for the sake of human constructions represents an antagonism to people\u2019s memories.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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Note 2<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t

The narrator\u2019s voice loudly conveys distrust of the government to preserve her memories. \u00a0New public projects that seem to be done in the name of \u201clove\u201d for Taiwan simply end up taking private land and destroying it with shoddy construction. Thus, the appearance of governmental progress is utilized as a power play to cut corners. It seems to the narrator that all the places that are important to her, except for Lane 52 of Wenzhou Street, have disappeared along with her memories of those places. Furthermore, '\u4f9d\u51ed' translates most accurately as 'to depend on, rely on, or lean against.\" The translation of the Mandarin phrase \"\u65e0\u56de\u5fc6\u53ef\u4f9d\u51ed,\" may be more accurately translated as \"without memories to rely upon.\"<\/p>\n

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Note 3<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t

The author uses exaggeration when she compares her sadness over the loss of the nightshade trees to the loss of best friends; however, the exaggeration conveys the author\u2019s love of how Taipei used to be. Nightshade trees became part of author\u2019s memory of the old Taipei, and in the narrator\u2019s perspective, widening the street should not be a good reason to destroy the scene of her youth.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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Note 4<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t

As an old soul, You loves her old memories of Taiwan\u2019s environment, including in nightshade trees, maple trees, and eucalyptus trees. Some of them were replaced by upscale housing and a community park that designed by the hypocritical mayor. As all the changes happen, the narrator feels that she has grown unfamiliar with places that use to be part of her.Without all the familiar objects and places, she feels her memories fading away.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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Note 5<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t

The narrator sees the sweet gum trees and Miyanoshita Road as integral figures that played a huge part in her youth and cherished memories. Although the narrator does not go into much detail, the fact that part of the narrator dies demonstrates the strong connection the narrator had with the gum trees and Miyanoshita Road, whether it be physical, emotional and\/or symbolic connections. In contrast, the government does not see the gum trees nor Miyanoshita Road as having any kind of special memory associated with a particular someone but rather \u201cthings\u201d that can be taken away or changed primarily for profit. The narrator also uses words that possess negative connotations (mournfully, incurable, tumors, ugly), conveying to the readers that the change is highly undesirable and so gut-wrenching that she goes out of her way solely to avoid the area. In short, if trees and other plants can easily be replaced with commercial businesses and corporate buildings that will attract people and bring in more income, the government has no problem with removing anything that gets in the way of their plans thus destroying personal memories one by one.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: \u660e\u6cbb\u6a4b\u306e\u7f8e\u89c0\u3001\u9059\u304b\u306b\u81fa\u7063\u795e\u793e\u3092\u671b\u3080<\/a><\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Leah Suffern<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1044,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-702","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1044"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=702"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1797,"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/702\/revisions\/1797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mtoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}