They Say/I Say Activity on Olivia Loksing Moy’s Article: Reading in the Aftermath: An Asian American Jane Eyre Worksheet

Instructions:

The point of this exercise is to let you know that when you are writing about someone else’s argument, you must not simply copy and paste the argument of the author, but also comment on them using their argument by using their words to either support or disagree with them - to make your own argument even more valid.

Before I introduce the passages, as a summary, look at what the article is doing: 

• Moy speaks of the ornamental Chinese woman that has not been as emphasized, while there is much emphasis on Victorian history/culture. She finds a need to highlight ethnic studies even within the realm of Victorian studies.
• Many have regrettably said ethnic studies do not fit Victorian studies, but Moy sees there is a fine line since, Victorian culture does indeed have ”Others” and people of color that need to be reconsidered through texts like Re Jane. These neo-Victorian (new-Victorian texts) do not merely mirror the Victorian criticism of ”Others” from the 19th century, but come to reassess and reflect on what could have been different and how it should be changed. She calls these ”aftermaths.”
• Comparing and contrasting Jane Eyre and Re Jane, Moy shows the aftermaths that Re Jane shows. The first one being the reassessment of ethnic bodies such as Jane who gets similar treatment of physiognomy like the Victorian era, but in a different form of Asian bodies/faces. The second one being the lack of “third world woman” / third wave feminism that Victorian novels had, and how characters like Beth hinder Jane from being a true feminist. The third one being the critique of that second wave feminist such as Beth but how Jane subverts such figures and becomes comfortable in her own skin by embodying both Jane Eyre and Bertha.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yanbi6Dh3TF--LrQpzObPT7hpZkqXZEtneUhq6xi2EI/edit?usp=sharing