46 pages • 1-hour read
Stay True: A Memoir
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Essay Topics
Discuss the Hsu family dynamic in relation to immigrant culture.
Describe the changing content of Hua’s zines. What role did zines play in Hua’s life before and during college? How do zines relate to Hua’s identity and relationships?
Discuss the role of the mundane in adolescent friendships.
Discuss Hua’s friendship with Ken in relation to Mauss’s ideas of reciprocity, connection, and gift exchange.
Taking Mauss’s “In Memoriam” into account, explain how Stay True is both a tribute and a gift to Ken.
Discuss the evolution of Hua’s attitude toward Ken’s death as it relates to grief and guilt. What role did therapy play in this shift?
How did Ken remain present in Hua’s life even after his death?
How does Hua’s memoir address cultural differences within diverse Asian American communities?
What might staying true mean to Hua? How does it relate to issues of identity and authenticity?
Discuss how and why Hua employs theory in his memoir. Incorporate a discussion of Derrida, Mauss, Carr, and Taylor in your response.
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