In Sui Sin Far's story, "The Land of the Free," we begin with this scene- a huge amount of emphasis being placed on the 'faith' the young child has in his mother- and the entire exchange surrounded by the beautiful, picturesque images of a new land for the family. Far is immensely gifted in the way she tugs on your heartstrings during this piece, and we soon come to see that this "Land of the Free," is anything but. Mother and Child are soon separated, and when they are finally reunited in the final scene- her precious "Little One" has become a perfect stranger- with no faith in his mother sweeping across the features of his face.
Sadly, not much is known about Sui Sin Far, or, Edith Maud Eaton. We know that she was the product of a Chinese mother and english father- one of 16 siblings. Far's work gave a voice to the Chinese immigrants that were so often over looked, and she seemed to maintain an immense pride in this part of her heritage. Her stories were drenched in the raw emotion of immigration and put a spotlight on the awful treatment many of them were subjected to. This was the subject Far insisted on writing about, and "although her appearance and manners would have allowed her to easily pass as a dignified Englishwoman, she asserted her Chinese heritage and wrote articles that told what life was like for a Chinese woman in white America."-Wikipedia.
Far by health standards was a weak person most of her short life, but the power behind her written word is stunning. I found myself struck by the very real and raw emotions in her story, "In the Land of the Free." The idea of a separation of mother and child is horrific enough, but Far leads us down the path where the story takes on an even darker tone. Betrayal, manipulation from their "friend" James Clancey, and the eventual rejection of mother from son all make the story a painful piece of reality that is mostly ignored. Families really were separated like that, and many people took advantage of the immigrants in any way they could. Far's bravery echoes through her words, and she forces her reader to examine a part of history that was a very real part of her people's lives. Her ability to draw her readers in and make them feel the emotions of these immigrants is astounding.
She was truly a gifted woman- and a powerful voice to all of the forgotten.
20 points. "Betrayal, manipulation from their "friend" James Clancey, and the eventual rejection of mother from son all make the story a painful piece of reality that is mostly ignored." Good point -- and well written.
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