The Spirit of Vision

On The Spirit of Vision: Writing from the Inside/Outside, Chang argues the importance of accepting every aspect of who we are in order to understand our own view of the world and others’. She sets herself as an example of how rejecting her cultural past over the years had changed the understanding of her world, “I found that it was easier to keep my home culture at home and assimilate at school… I had erased my ethnicity”, and her view of others, “at school, I crinkled my little nose at the other Koreans who exposed their Korean ways to the world. I laughed at them.”  (Chang, 46)

While reading through the first paragraphs of the article I thought, “How could I possibly like or relate to the work of someone that negates part of her identity?”  I obviously disliked some of the things Chang narrated, but to my surprise I found myself liking,relating and even respecting her experience. I did not like how Chang rejected anything involving Korean heritage; however, I understood the reasons she did so. An experience, either positive or negative, can change us and, suddenly, we might never be the same. “My hand had been slapped, and my medium of expression retreated deep inside like an insecurity. This was my first experience writing.” (Chang, 46) Being scolded at her first experience writing changed Chang negatively; however, this is not always the case. Discovering my grandmother’s journal has made me passionate for writing, a positive change. 

Also, Chang found easier to silence her past and assimilate to her present. After years gone by, she realized her error during the tutor training seminars. “In the seminars… I allowed the silent part of my cultural past to unfold through reflections encouraged in the seminar.” (Chang, 46)  I did not like the attitude she assumed.  I believe that a person should not prolong the redemption of his or her problems and if Chang felt uncomfortable with her cultural background, she should have taken action or reflected on negating her heritage long before her sophomore year.

Ironically, despite not liking a couple of her initial views, I can relate to not accepting completely my cultural background. Since I was a child I have been taught to be proud of my Dominican heritage, which I am; however, I do not necessarily favor all Dominican traditions, views or attitudes. I personally find absurd to eat rice and beans every day, to applaud after your flight lands or to speak loud all the time, but I would not negate or reject my culture because of these aspects.

Chang realized the error in her ways. I absolutely liked her change, regardless of the time it took her. Accepting her cultural background influenced her greatly, “my culture wrapped me like a warm and comfortable blanket to stand up for who I am, to speak with a louder voice than I had before.” (Chang, 47) Chang’s new state aided the students she tutored that felt as she had in the past. Most importantly, her newly recovered heritage provided her with a new vision of her world, her inside, and of others’ worlds, the outside. Being able to appreciate, accept and embrace such visions was Chang’s greatest accomplishment. This I respect the most.

 *Reference : Chang, L. (2010). The spirit of vision: Writing from the inside/outside. The Writing Center Journal, 30(1), 46-47.