Analysis Of Stereotypes In Jacqueline Woodson's Tangled Threads

Groves High School has a set of rules that set a certain standard for its students. In the book Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl Story by Pegi Deitz Shea and If you come softly by Jacqueline Woodson both sets of characters go through similar situations. In Tangled Threads, main character, Mai Yang is deported to the U.S from a refugee camp in Thailand, after the devastating war in her hometown Laoz. Once she finally gets to America after a agonizing 10 years she learns to deal with the newly found American customs but still keep in touch with her Hmong roots. In If you come softly, main characters Elie and Miah, juggle the obstacles and society’s opinion on being an interracial couple in the 1990’s. The characters in these books demonstrate three

A right way that was displayed by the characters in Tangled Threads was in the beginning when Mai moved to America she wasn’t being judgmental like her grandmother was to the Americans. Before they could even get to America her grandmother found any and everything to complain and hate. This rule was also shown in a negative light in Tangled Threads when Mai judged her cousins, later on in the book, because she felt that they were too “Americanized” and out of touch with their Hmong roots. For an example they changed their names to Heather and Lisa and didn’t quilt anymore. In If you come softly the rule was shown positively when, even though alot of people were against black and white interracial dating they still were a couple against all odds. One time when Elie and Miah were skipping school they were given weird and dirty looks, but they chose to ignore it. The characters also represented it negatively when Elie told Anne about Miah, but quickly disapproved because he was black. Anne was judging Miah because he was black and not based of his personality. Stereotyping people and judging them based off of outer appearance is

In Tangled Threads Mai positively displayed this rule when she continued to strive to keep improving and learning but at the same time kept in touch with her personal Hmong background. Everyday she went to the library with her best friend to study and also participated in a Hmong dance team where they perform every New Year. On the other hand, Mai’s cousins, Lisa and Heather, displayed the rule negatively when they were ashamed of being Hmong and did not put any effort into their academics. As for the book If you come softly the characters also represented the rules negatively and positively. Miah was always taught to play basketball and he always made basketball his main priority. This shows him having integrity with his sport. Elie showed it negatively because in the beginning she lied about not liking Miah, which is not being honest, and honesty is what integrity is about. Both books showed maintaining integrity is an important part of