Woman, Native, Other Trinh Minh ha

1. Woman, Native, OtherTrinh Minh ha Prepared by: Dr. Kay Picart Associate Professor of English Courtesy Associate Professor of Law

2. Guide Question • How does Minh-ha view story-telling?

3. Multiple Choice: • A. As a process that never begins and ends • B. Built on Sameness • C. Is Non-totalizable • D. Is like an “Empty” Gift • E. Can always be possessed • F. Is Inexhaustible within its Own Limits • G. All of the Above • H. A and C only • I. D-F Only • J. None of the options Named Fits Perfectly

4. Guide Question • What is the “triple bind” Minh-ha talks about?

5. Multiple Choice • A. Three conflicting Identities as a Writer of Color, A Woman Dancer and a A Woman of Color • B. Three conflicting Identities as a Thinker of Color, A Woman Artist and a Woman of Color • C. Three Conflicting Identities as a Writer of Color, A Woman Writer and a Woman of Color • D. Three Conflicting Identities as an Activitist of Color, A Feminist Writer and a Woman of Color

6. Discussion Questions • Why does Minh ha find that she is torn between these conflicting loyalties? • How does Minh ha view authorship?

7. Guide Question • What is the “guilt” Minh ha talks about?

8. Multiple Choice • A. The guilt of indulging in “pure art for art’s sake” • B. The guilt of writing for herself alone • C.The guilt of disavowing her gender and race • D. The guilt of wanting a “room of her own” • E. The guilt of being privileged to write • F. A & B only • G. C & D only • H. D & E only

9. Guide Question • How does Minh ha view writing in relation to Sartre’s ideal of liberty?

10. Multiple Choice • A. She identifies with Sartre’s notions of an absolute choice of self and proud assertion of consciousness • B. She believes that it is in the name of My freedom that I stamp out others • C. She believes that “writing for the masses” requires “massification” of the other • D. A & B only • E. A & C only • F. B & C only • G. None of the above fits perfectly

11. Discussion Question • What does Minh ha think of the opposition between “art for art’s sake” and “political art”?

12. Discussion Questions • How does Minh ha view “correct/well behaved” writing versus writing that “steals”? • Do you agree with Minh ha’s characterization of these two types of writing?

13. Discussion Question • Why does Minh ha refer to (ideal) writing as an “infinite play of mirrors”?

14. Guide Question • What is the “Quiller-Couch Syndrome” or “Lady Painter” Syndrome as Margaret Atwood describes it?

15. Multiple Choice • A. States that “masculine writing” is “objective” and “feminine writing” is “subjective” • B. States that “masculine writing” is “universal” and “feminine writing” is “confessional,” and “personal” • C. States that “masculine writing” is “healthy/sane” while “feminine writing” verges on the “sick/neurotic” • D. States that “When she is ‘good,’ she’s a painter; when she’s ‘bad,’ she’s called a “lady painter.” • E. None of the above fits perfectly • F. All of the above

16. Guide Question: • What are the traits of “writing woman” according to Minh-ha?

17. Multiple Choice: • A. The “Priest God Scheme” • B. “And I grow younger as I leave my me behind” • C. “Writing/being written by my body” • D. The body in theory as “fragmenting to decentralize rather than dividing to conquer” • E. A & B only • F. All of the above except A • G. All of the above except B & D • H. None of the above fits perfectly