Play in the City 2013

While reading NW by Zadie Smith was a truly perplexing experience, I found the story of Felix to be the most curious part of the novel. For example, did Smith put him in the book simply for the reader to get attached to him and kill him off in the end (sounds like a tamer Game of Thrones)? It also seemed as if he had two romantic attachments: Annie and Grace, both of whom he was unsure about. That sparked an interest in the romantic attachments of the other characters, like Leah and Michel and Natalie/Keisha and Grace. The relationships in this book seem to be very complex and I'd like to read deeper into how they got together in the first place and how they manage to handle each other.

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The romantic relationships in Zadie Smith’s NW sparked my interest.  The novel focuses mainly on ones between Felix and Annie, Leah and Michel, and Natalie and Frank.  Each is very complicated and filled with unique problems that revolve around common problems such as money and children.  These characters make impulsive mistakes, judgments, and decisions that only hurt them in the long run.  What confused me most was definitely Natalie’s listings and Leah’s relationship with Michel.  Many times Leah speaks down to Michel and seems embarrassed by his poor English especially when surrounded by others.  Their relationship is one of the most interesting ones as they are so different, not just based on race and culture.  Their interests are completely divergent and neither are honest with one another. 

What defines people more their cultural exposure or what they want to be? What was happening when Natalie yelled at the black man smoking the cigarette in the park on page (337)? What defines Keisha/Natalie more, her cultural identity or her drive to be on the so-called right side? As she argues with him she calls him “man” at the beginning of her sentences and points out that she grew up in Harlesdon. Throughout the argument she is worried that the crowd might perceive her as ridiculous. If I wrote about this I would focus on Natalie in this scene or maybe compare Natalie’s and Leah’s upbringing and drive and how they ended up being as adults.

I was struggling in ZW, in those people’s conversation when I read the book. Many times, they arouse the sense of agreement and belonging for me. I felt so depressed when I read the conversations between Felix and his ex Annie, when she refuse and ridicule the help Felix wants to offer and the optimism he wants to express. Felix wants to change and has hope. It’s like a light in a dark room, making me feel warm. But Annie is so cruel that her smashes the dream:” you are lucky that you are happy... and you want everyone to be happy and good because you are…does it never occur to you some people might not find life as easy to live as you do?” It’s so true! I am desperate when I read it because I am the person like Felix- who always wants to help, wants to change, to influence others in a way that I think is better, but perhaps they don’t like it at all. I can’t help anyone. I feel isolated because they can accept what I regard as horrible situation. Maybe I will further think this point and relate to the city- a indifferent and fragmented world collaged by the indifferent people.

I’ve lived in Hangzhou, a city that is clean, beautiful and cozy, like a paradise to live in. I’ve also lived in Shanghai, a city that is exciting, intense and ideal for ambitious youths. Now I’m in a new city. Upon my arrival, I was unarmed, and given a pair of glasses and a scribble board.

Since I’m unarmed, I submit myself to all the possibilities. When facing different people, things, and ideas, I don’t attack them with my gun—the helpless human nature of opposing things different from us, the malicious criticism that bursts out as fast as a bullet and hurts much. On the contrary, I’m open to challenges. I let the homeless guy I met challenged my perception of my role in the city. During The Quiet Volume, I like how the artist seems to read my mind and control my emotions. I’m not ashamed of letting others into my head because I don’t consider it a weakness of determination, but just my way of appreciating and understanding an artwork—to let myself be immersed and savor my feelings.

I’m now sitting in Collier Library at Bryn Mawr, writing my homework for fall break with three other girls in a study room. Just two days ago I was lying in an apartment of Manhattan with my friend reading Zadie Smith. And two weeks before that, I met Zadie Smith and got a signature on my NW. If I go a little farer back to August, two months ago, I was in my hometown in China, and I knew nothing about this place I’m now sitting, or the people I’m sitting with, or how to take the greyhound bus to New York, or who Zadie Smith is. But now here I am, writing this paper, trying to think something out of these two months.

In order to have a clearer picture of something as a whole, a person has to look at it deconstructed into parts. In the first half of this course I have looked at the city and writing in scattered playful components.

When we first went into the city, we road in by the Septa and saw the outside environment change from suburban, to a bit urban, and then underground as the train deposited us under the city. We emerged from Suburban Station to see some the city’s biggest landmarks within walking distance. We were given maps with landmarks and streets that we eventually attached physical memories to. These memories were not only made up of the landmarks and streets, but also of the homeless population and other demographics in Center City. By the end of the trip we had a clearer idea of Center City; and in later trips we gained a greater understand of some of the neighborhoods that branch off from there. We built up a clearer picture of Philadelphia by looking at its components of buildings, streets, and people.

Quiet volume deconstructed the way we think about words by playing with how we comprehend letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs. Visiting the mosaics in the Magic Gardens provided a platform for us to dismantle the way we view the city and ourselves, and the two interacting together. Then when writing, we were given room to recollect our raw and deconstructed thoughts.

Play in the City: an interesting concept. To discuss what play is, means, can be, and to then go out and try it in a city as varied as Philadelphia. I had hoped, going into this course, that when I walked out I would walk out with a different way of thinking about the world- a difficult demand to be sure. Thus far I have not been disappointed. Ant Hamilton’s Quiet Volume changed how I thought about libraries, reading, even silence. Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Gardens helped change how I think about silent art forms like mosaic and painting, and to the canvas and materials themselves. The trip into Bryn Mawr proved that these lessons I am learning apply everywhere. It is clear that my experiences in this course have changed how I think about the world, given me more tools with which to think about the world, and that can only be positive.