Discussion Leading - My Year of Meats

Pat Seiberg, Taylor Mulligan, Richard Bisso, Marcus Andersson

Summary

Jane – Chapter 4
                       Jane explains that she has a new lover named Sloan Rankin, a Nebraska Film Commissioner, and they have an odd relationship which mixes well were her exotic personality and style.  She tells us she has short, man-like brown hair, green eyes, and small breasts.  She also enjoys wearing men's boxer briefs and combat boots.  She and Sloan had a long distant relationship where they got “into this phone sex thing” (52).  When Jane and her crew finally arrived in Nebraska they were formally introduced to Sloan although the Japanese crew didn't look Sloan in his face as they were introduced.  Sloan and Jane have a romantic evening later after everyone is in their rooms for the night and Sloan finds it necessary to belt out Nebraska State facts as he is having sex with Jane.  Posing as the Kansas Film Commissioner, Sloan was able to call the Japanese office and convince them that they forgot to submit their location permits.  This gives Sloan Jane's itinerary for the month which gives him even more opportunities to see Jane.  

Jane has to make sure that the people that are on BEEF-EX are physically attractive because these are the expectations of her producers.  “They don't want their meat to have synergistic association with deformities. Like race. Or poverty”.  Although the network keeps insisting that they need more authenticity. While filming in Oklahoma, Oda, the director, got into some Schnitzel that he had an allergic reaction to due to the amount of antibiotics that are pumped into our cattle.  Jane then assumed the role of director because of the show's necessity to press on.  From here she begins to film families that are much less like the Summer's family and more like the huge, diverse and unique family that Vern and Grace have.

                     Jane is now the director of the production of My American Wife. She wants to teach her Japanese audience what it really is to be an American, not just the polished versions that were showed earlier. The result is the story of Vern and Grace and their 12 kids.

Akiko – Chapter 4

Akiko wakes up alone which is of no surprise.  She finds doing very simple tasks challenging like walking in the market near young mothers as well as going to bed at a decent hour.  We learn of her diary of lists from which she believes can be made into poetry.  As she watches a little boy chase his hat tears well in her eyes and the audience is left to assume that this is because of her not being able to produce children because of the health of her ovaries but the Japanese societal expectation that she must at some point have a child to preserve her husband's lineage.

Akiko is getting affected by My American Wives as she watches it. She makes the meat dishes from the tv-show, listens to the same music as in the production, and thinks about adopting just like the woman on TV. The reason why she thinks of adopting is because she doesn’t seem to be able to have kids on her own. She visits a doctor who says that Akiko is doing this to herself. John gets angry when he finds out. He doesn’t want to adopt – he wants to have his own kids.

Jane – Chapter 5

Jane continues seeing Sloan, a musician who treats her as passive when sleeping with her. When Jane is with Sloan, he compulsively wears two condoms because he is afraid of contracting AIDS. Sloan asks Jane eventually if they can have unprotected sex, at which point, Jane thinks it's because he wants a deep, meaningful relationship. She later finds out that it was simply an experiment for Sloan.

Later, Jane goes to church to film Miss Helen Dawes for Japanese TV. Also, Ueno tries to impregnate Jane while in an elevator, at which point Jane ends up kicking him in the groin, telling him to take "the right-hand elevator."

Akiko – chapter 5

Akiko explains that her marriage with "John" was arranged by her boss at the manga publishing house. She reveals her slow decent into her eating disorder and how it is connected with "John". When Akiko was married to "John", she had to give up all of the things she enjoyed and just now realizes it. After a trip to the Doctors, "John learns of her bulimia and he comes home drunk, believing that Akiko is purposely sabotaging their chance at having kids. Akiko replies to his assumptions by saying that they can adopt kids like the American families in the show. This reply throws "John into a fit of rage and he ends up shaking her and dropping her into a China Cabernet.

Discussion questions

    1.  The Japanese man Joichi Ueno goes under John or Mr. Wayno in the book, when working in the US.

“‘His name is Joichi Ueno,’ I explained to my ex-flight attendant PA. ‘That’s pronounced ‘Wayno’. He likes to be called John.’” (41)

“‘I am Joichi Ueno,’ he announced, ‘but you can call me by my nickname. That is ‘John.’’” (103)

Our names are in very close relation to our bodies. Our names are our information tag telling a story about who we are and where we come from. What our names really do is naming our bodies. What do you think happen with foreigners´ self-image when coming to America and getting a new name? How important are our names in connection to ourselves and our bodies?

     2. "When I returned from Japan andvisited Quam, I found that all the local businesses from my childhood had been extirpated by Wal-Mart. If there is one single symbol for the demise of regional American culture, it is this superstore prototype, a huge capitalist boot that stomped the moms and pops, like soft, damp worms, to death. Don’t get me wrong. I love Wal-Mart.” (56)

      Jane explains that the local businesses were consumed by the superstore Wal-Mart. And further explains this will be the demise of regional American culture. At the same time, she admits she loves Wal-Mart. We tend to criticize issues that we still consume. Why do we continue to shop at superstores like Wal-Mart even though we know they destroy small businesses?

      3. “Do all Americans carry guns?” (88)

How does the Japanese perception of Americans and American culture differ from reality? Can the same be said about the American perception about other countries?

4.       Akiko is a product of her culture. She gave up everything she loved to prepare to be a mother. Mothers don’t write violent manga stories. 

Would Akiko be a completely different person if she lived in America? How are the expectations of women in America compared to Japan at this time?

Contemporary connection

Connection between Akiko’s eating disorder and present day expectations of models.

Medical News – Bulimia, anorexia and fashion models
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/76241.php