GRSJ 224B Final Essay

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Arts Humanities

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Jan 9, 2024

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1 Jain Kashvi Jain Professor Rusaba Alam GRSJ 224B 16 April 2023 Larissa Lai's Iron Goddess of Mercy: An Analysis of Subjectivity and Community The long poem "Iron Goddess of Mercy" was written by Canadian author Larissa Lai. The poem delves into a variety of themes, including Asian Canadian identity and migration, kinship and family history, gender and sexuality, militarism and anti-war politics, neoliberalism, colonialism, globalisation, literary and academic life, mythological and spiritual figures, and more. The poem's use of language and form is one of its notable characteristics. Lai uses a variety of creative devices to produce a distinctive and engaging reading experience, including free poetry, prose, and experimental typography. The poem also includes phrases and characters from the Chinese language, which adds to its depth and richness. In terms of its exploration of subjectivity and identity in the context of Asian Canadian experiences, "Iron Goddess of Mercy" is a thought-provoking and beautifully written book. The poem is a compelling reflection on the connection of subjectivity and social interactions and challenges traditional notions of identity through its creative form and use of language. The poem's intertextual references create a complex web of meanings and associations that challenge fixed identities and create new possibilities for subjectivity. For instance, the poem's title, "Iron Goddess of Mercy," is also a type of oolong tea that is believed to

2 Jain have been a gift from the compassionate bodhisattva Guan Yin. It is an antidote to the poem's burning passion and rage. The social process of subjectivity is explored in depth and on multiple fronts in Larissa Lai's Iron Goddess of Mercy, showing how identities are not fixed but rather interconnected and created in relation to others. The poem emphasises the interdependence of subjectivity and the changing nature of identity through its use of intertextuality, numerous genres, and styles, and multivocality. In the hybrid text Iron Goddess of Mercy, which combines poetry, memoir, history, and myth, the author challenges the way that Asian Canadian identity and history are typically represented. It also uses polyphony and multivocality to show how subjectivity is connected. The poem blends together different voices, viewpoints, and experiences to produce a dynamic and multidimensional language that rejects fixed identities and linear narratives. The piece discusses numerous aspects of subjectivity, notably those relating to gender and power dynamics. Gender inequality is one of the topics discussed, as seen by the phrase "Gender equality of the final violence?" (Lai 39) This shows that violence is not gender-neutral, and that women may endure more discrimination and injury as a result of their gender. There is also an exploration of cultural and racial prejudices, with the line "Don't you know they skin us the same way?" (Lai 39) implying that people of diverse ethnic backgrounds may be treated similarly by society. The work critiques the dominant economic system and its impact on individual and collective subjectivity. The phrases "made us debt puppets flubbing justice through the sense of the dollar" and "the fleas of the market on a lark through our bloodstreams" (Lai 8) imply that

3 Jain people are shaped and controlled by economic factors that are outside of their control, which results in a loss of agency and autonomy. The phrase "hegemonies abundant as kittens itchin' for a hessian sack" (Lai 8) suggests that these economic factors are deeply ingrained in hierarchical structures of power and dominance, which are upheld by those who stand to gain from them. The phrase "the chief grief of our sea change" (Lai 8) implies that to confront and alter these systems, there must be a change in consciousness and social action. The statement "If we didn't eat apples, would we stop feeling shame?" (Lai 7) argues that shame is a socially created emotion shaped by cultural beliefs and norms. Subjectivity is related to this because people internalise social norms and expectations and use them to create their own sense of self. The phrase "Whose workshop worlds this revolution when the stakes are hot and high?" (Lai 7) alludes to social control issues and power dynamics. This relates to the social process of subjectivity because in order to create their own identities and assert their own agency, people have to battle hierarchical power structures. "Michif whispers lift sibilant on mountain breeze" (Lai 46). This statement is about cultural identity and how it shapes subjectivity. Michif is a representation of a distinct cultural identity and history that has been ignored and marginalised. The whispers on the mountain breeze suggest a connection to nature and the land, which may be a source of strength and resilience for individuals and communities that have faced marginalisation and persecution. The words "the captain of whose ship quipping like an Englishman for a better colonialism" (Lai 46) refers to the colonizer's (in this example, an Englishman) attempt to uphold and defend their authority over the colonised. This strengthens the notion that one group has more power and agency than the other, affecting their subjectivity and experience.

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4 Jain We can see how the phrases "I flushed my mother down the assimilation drain" and "we ran for survival, or we ran for opportunity and the two weren't necessarily that far apart" (Lai 14) relate to the social process of subjectivity by emphasising the difficulties of forming an identity in a foreign culture. The speaker struggles with the shame and loss of abandoning their cultural roots and assimilation into a new community, while also realising the practical realities of survival and opportunity that drove them to move. The phrase "We sublimate under the weight of the plunder" highlights even more how colonisation and exploitation have an effect on the minds and identities of marginalised populations. The expression "shoving forms to shut us up, insisting on an attitude of gratitude even as our sisters are incarcerated in camps of man's making" (Lai 25) emphasises how institutional power can constrain and control the process of subjectivity by silencing dissenting voices and enforcing conformity. The text's use of the phrase "Red Redress" (Lai 3) emphasises the necessity for justice and accountability in society, which relates to the social process of subjectivity. To overcome systemic oppression and inequality, the idea of redress refers to the act of rectifying a wrong or seeking compensation for harm done. The word "naked" is used in the context of a blade and an open wound to imply sorrow and vulnerability, emphasising how urgent it is to make amends. It implies that the wound will not heal unless it is properly handled, and that society must confront difficult realities to progress. This connects to the larger idea of subjectivity, as the experiences of individuals and marginalized groups are often ignored or silenced in dominant narratives, and redress is necessary to acknowledge and address these experiences. The book discusses how language, culture, and power interact in complex manners and how these elements affect how people perceive themselves and their place in the world. The

5 Jain individual is wrestling with their own relationship to language and cultural identity, recognising how they have been influenced by both their home tongue and the prevailing language of English. Their efforts to understand the political and historical complexity of their country and its interactions with colonial powers is also represented in their journey. The passage "I taste by rote, a surfeit of Inglish that dims yet compensates my mother tongue" (Lai 20) highlights the conflict between the individual's fluency in English and their sense of displacement from their mother tongue. The reference to the "Confucian tangle" and the speaker's identity as a "new feminist with a third world inkling" relates to the broader cultural and political influences on their sense of self and subjectivity. The lines "Could I open my mouth, release another poetry, a lifetime’s worth of pent-up Cantonese?" (Lai 20) suggest the possibility of using language as a means of resistance and self-expression, and the importance of reclaiming one's cultural heritage in the face of cultural erasure and assimilation. The question asked by Old Owl also emphasises the importance of identity and belonging in forming individual subjectivity (Lai 58). The description of gardens as "erupting from the difference of gardeners and the traces of other forces at work in their midst" (Lai 58) might be interpreted as a metaphor for how social standards, cultural values, and historical settings influence individual subjectivity. The statement "current fascisms remember the same sorrow to call me 'back' under cover of another wounded brother" (Lai 58) implies that political ideologies influence how people perceive themselves. Referring to the article by Sophie Lewis, many of us have been compelled to reconsider how we perceive families because of the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdowns, social distancing measures, and other restrictions in place, many of us have had to rely on technology to stay in touch with loved ones or to find new means of creating meaningful

6 Jain connections with others. In some circumstances, this has meant broadening our concept of what defines a "family." The idea of a family has traditionally been connected to a small, close-knit group of individuals who are related to one another through blood or marriage and who reside in a single household. However, the pandemic has demonstrated that this definition is too narrow. During these difficult times, many people have had to rely on friends, neighbours, and even strangers for help, blurring the boundaries between "family" and "community." The pandemic highlighted the value of community and group care. People have come together to help one another, whether through mutual assistance organisations or online networks, suggesting the possibility for more inclusive and supportive forms of care. Lewis contends that we must shift our focus away from the nuclear family and towards more diversified and adaptable forms of caring. This could include broader conceptions of kinship and community, as well as increased support for non-traditional family structures such as single-parent households, co-parenting arrangements, and chosen families. The pandemic has also brought to light the inequality that governs many traditional family systems. For example, women and children have borne the burden of caregiving tasks, often at the risk of their own health and well-being. This has highlighted the need for more fair and inclusive forms of caregiving and support, which may need reconsidering our understanding of the family unit. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has compelled us to reconsider our concept of family and to embrace a more expansive, inclusive, and compassionate perception of the ties that sustain us. By breaking down the walls that divide us, we can build stronger, more resilient communities that are better prepared to confront the challenges of the future.

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7 Jain "The Iron Goddess of Mercy” is deeply connected to the idea of kinship, exploring the ways in which our relationships with others shape our identities, our sense of belonging, and our connection to the world around us. Both "Iron Goddess of Mercy" and the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the limitations of traditional ideas of family and connection. They encourage us to think more critically about how we relate to one another and to seek other modes of support and care that may be more inclusive and flexible to the requirements of our changing environment. The piece "We 'Other Victorians'" by Foucault explores the ways in which the Western cultural heritage has historically suppressed public discussion of sex and sexuality. He contends that this repression was a result of both the establishment of social regulations prohibiting discussion of sexual problems by the state and the Church, as well as the emergence of the middle class, which put a high importance on moral restraint and decency. However, the West was not the only place where sexuality was suppressed. Indeed, the West's global colonial expansion brought with it a distinct type of sexual repression that was employed as a tool of colonial rule. The imposition of Western moral standards on non-Western cultures, as well as the suppression of non-Western sexual practises, was a fundamental component of colonialism. Neoliberalism, an economic philosophy that evolved in the latter half of the twentieth century, has also played a role in the control of sexuality. Neoliberalism emphasises individuality, competition, and free markets, and has been linked to the privatisation of public services, the weakening of workers' rights, and the expanding gap between rich and poor. Its impact on sexuality has been to further individualise and commodify sexual relationships, as well as to reinforce traditional gender norms and power.

8 Jain In the framework of colonialism, the suppression of non-Western sexual practises was sometimes justified by a narrative of "civilization." Non-Western civilizations were viewed as being undeveloped, barbaric, and in need of Western education and supervision. This concept of civilisation was used to justify imposing Western sexual norms on non-Western cultures and to criminalise non-Western sexual practises that were deemed immoral or abnormal. This resulted in the erasure of various sexual cultures as well as the uniformity of sexual beliefs and practises. The impact of colonialism on sexuality may be seen throughout the history of numerous colonised cultures. For instance, the British colonial administration in India passed laws criminalising same-sex relationships, which were previously acceptable in Indian society. Similarly, colonial powers imposed rigid moral rules that criminalised polygamy and other non- monogamous unions in many African civilizations. Neoliberalism has also had a big impact on sexuality. Sexual interactions are increasingly being seen as a product that can be purchased and sold, leading to the commercialization of sexuality. It has also strengthened traditional gender norms and power dynamics, with males being expected to be dominant and sexually aggressive and women being expected to be submissive and available. Finally, sexual suppression has been a constant component of Western cultural tradition, and it has been exploited as a tool of colonial dominance and neoliberal control. The imposition of Western sexual norms on non-Western cultures has resulted in sexual culture standardisation and the erasure of different sexual practises. Along with commodifying sexual relationships, neoliberalism has strengthened established gender norms and power dynamics. However, there have been movements for more sexual autonomy and diversity, both in response to and despite these broader social and cultural trends.

9 Jain Larissa Lai's "Iron Goddess of Mercy" is intimately related to the concepts of neoliberalism and colonialism since it examines how these systems affect the lives of people and communities. It is a book that addresses the effects of colonialism and neoliberalism on people's lives and communities. The story shows how these systems interact and feed off one another, fostering injustice and exploitation. In conclusion, Larissa Lai's Iron Goddess of Mercy is a powerful investigation of subjectivity as a social process that is developed in relation to others. In addition to challenging conventional ideas about identity, power, spirituality, and sexuality, the poem emphasises how crucial it is to comprehend how subjectivity is tied to more significant social and political issues. Iron Goddess of Mercy offers a profound reflection on the nature of subjectivity and the ways in which it is shaped and modified by the social and cultural settings in which it is placed using language, imagery, and form.

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10 Jain Works Cited Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality . Pantheon Books, 1978. Lai, Larissa. Iron Goddess of Mercy . arsenal pulp press, 2021. Lewis, Sophie. “Covid-19 Is Straining the Concept of the Family. Let’s Break It.” www.thenation.com , 3 June 2020, www.thenation.com/article/society/family-covid-care- marriage/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2023.

GRSJ 224B Final Essay

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