The setting in Z.Z. Packer's story "Geese", was very important in understanding what the character went through by being a foreigner in Japan. Especially an American, African-american in Japan. Describing the setting down to the looks the native Japanese projected onto Dina, merely for her looks, because she stood out from the rest. Dina struggled immensely to lead a normal life, the Japanese looked down on her for her color, and at one point even made reference that the Japanese already look down on blacks and only see them fit for custodial jobs and cleaning or assume that they have a criminal background. Once Dina was out of the job at the water park, she had no luck in finding a job that was not custodial work, that she felt she deserved. Dina lived in a house with multiple people that were from all over who also had no luck and finding and keeping jobs. They were so broke through out the story they went with eating very little and having to steal for the things that they did have. Making their faces known around all the local stores because they had all gotten caught at some point shop lifting. The setting set the tone, for me to feel bad for Dina and the others, especially when she got to the point where she gave in to selling herself for money for food. That is something that I wish no one ever had to do, but with all the details from the setting Packer wrote I could see how Dina thought she had no other option to survive.
I actually found this assignment more interesting as I researched then I thought I would, no seriously. Karen van der Zee has lived a very exciting life, full of traveling. Traveling to places I can only dream of, like Amsterdam, Kenya, and Ghana are just a few. Along the way of these adventures she met her husband, in Amsterdam and married him in Rome, he was also what she referred to as a "globe trotting american". From reading her blog information about her life here , she sounds like such a free spirited person, eventually having three children of her own. She writes heavily in the romance style, which is what I would consider her "A Secret Sorrow" to be, I do believe that her own romance is portrayed through this story, because she made the love Kai and Faye had so strong that they were able to have each other, and love each other enough, to not let the fact that Faye cannot bear a child get in the way of their relationship. I do not know if it is a coincidence...
I agree with everything you said! This story is so sad, but they all did what they had to do.
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