M Butterfly: Capitalism for Song

In Hwang's “M Butterfly,” the conversation between Song Liling, a male Beijing opera actor who masquerade in female role, and Comrade Chin, a female revolutionary friend of Song show the switch in their gender roles.

Chin greatly respect her country's political view, Communism, and despise anyone who act against it. “Don't forget: there is no homosexuality in China!” (p.48) Chin very suspicious of Song's relationship with Rene, a Frenchman diplomat, she warns Song further relationship with Rene. This shows Chin's respect towards her country as well as her masculine characteristic, demanding Song not to counter act against communism principle. In addition, this quote foreshadows Song as corrupted character who does not believe in communism principle. Although Song says, “I'll try to imagine the Chairman taking my positions” (p.48) meaning that he will do this part for the Chinese community, he takes his own words very lightly and this line may be referred to his mockery towards the Chairman, one of the most prosed person in Chinese history, because later in this play Song show his self motivation and strong individualistic characteristic which contradicts communism principle.

Possibly due to his career in opera actor, Song has many opportunity to interact with the Westerners such as Rene, and be influenced by capitalistic idea of lifestyle. When Rene tries to convince Song to get married with him, Song disagrees and reasons him, stating capitalistic view of argument. Song says, “Rene, we Chinese are realists. We understand rice, gold, and guns. You are a diplomat. Your career is skyrocketing. Now, what would happen if you divorced your wife to marry a Communist Chinese actress?” (p. 65) In here, Song points out the importance of Rene's career and back up his words mentioning that even the communistic Chinese concerns about their career, making money to buy “rice, gold, and guns.” He is able to reason against him with capitalistic ideals because his influence of the Western culture allowed him to pursue for his own individual wealth, goals, and lifestyle.

Pattern Recognition: Brain storm

Internet and the prospects of online social networks:

F:F:F becomes big part of Cayce's life

Cayce makes friends over F:F:F

She travels to find the creator of F:F:F with the help of her friends and her connections

Her interaction in cyberspace (social network), caused by the interaction among social network, becomes more of her reality than the current job with Blue Ant Corp. owned by Bigend.

Gibson provide few allusions to indicate Cayce's desire for cyberspace as her reality.

Allusion of Peter Pan statue.

Peter Pan is fictional character, similar to virtual reality; however, children are polishing the statue, showing that virtual reality can provide love and comfort to real person. Just like how Cayce feels strongly about her journey to find the creator, effected by F:F:F

Mentioning Coleridge.

Coleridge, 18^th century poet, is a founder of the Romantic Movement, which “was a complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement” (wikipedia) so it was pro Industrial Revolution and “against aristocratic social and political norms” (wikipedia) meaning that Cayce is pro technology, in this case cyberspace or social network like F:F:F. And she doesn't really trust Bigend so her rebellious attitude towards Bigend is shown in allusion of Coleridge.

Marketing and/ or Commodification- how trends become products

Cayce works for Blue Ant, owned by Bigend.

Her job as “coolhunter” is to recognize the coming trend and to inform to Blue Ant.

She has this ability to recognize the trend because of her allergy to those things.

However, Cayce can hunt cool and it is produced not because they are mainly good quality goods but because they are advertised well by others.

Magda's job effect into commodifiers

Magda basically sits on the bar and find people who looks somewhat fashionable and have conversation with them about fashion. If the opponent says something positive about his/her fashion or that of others, Mada's job is to flatter him/her or the others about their fashion. Cayce targets these people and the praised trends become the products.

Sudden disappearance of Cayce's allergy

At the end of the novel, her allergy suddenly disappears. This is allusion, showing that majority of the produced goods, the cool and fashionable products, are not actually cool or fashionable

Pattern Recognition: Virtual reality as Real life

         In William Gibson's Pattern Recognition, social network, more specifically the blog site “F:F:F” becomes big part of Cayce Pollard's life. “F:F:F” brings new interest (hobby) to Cayce and aside from her real job as “coolhunter,” she pursues adventure to find out the creator of “F:F:F,” traveling all over the world looking for clues that lead to the creator of F:F:F. Through her journey, she meets new friends: Parkaboy, Ivy, etc. from F:F:F and indirectly interact with them, deepening their friendship. Her passionate interaction in F:F:F becomes her virtual reality, having surreal journey to find the creator with help of friends whom she meets through F:F:F and associates of friends. Although she face multiple hardships throughout her journey, Cayce truly feels content with her virtual reality as her real life.

         Cayce expresses her happiness and gratitude towards the creator through e-mail when she gets the creator's e-mail address. Cayce starts off with her introdution: name, age, current place, and even her personal life. Her introduction seems very odd knowing that Cayce is very intellectual figure. Especially with recent unpleasant events during the course of her journey, it is very odd for her to give her personal information and her life story about some stranger she has never met. Her inconsiderate about her personal information shows that she is comfortable talking about herself to the creator and this could also indicate her gratitude towards the creator.

         The creator's F:F:F is the middle piece to connect Cayce and other friends whom she met in F:F:F. Being an intellectual person, Cayce expresses her gratitude by saying, quoting Parkaboy, “He says it's like Coleridge” and “He says it's shamanic.” (p.255) Coleridge is English philosopher, poet, and a founder of the Romantic Movement in 18^th century (Wiki). Cayce is referring F:F:F as act of Romantic Movement because she felt that her involvement in F:F:F was a form of revolt against her real life of being “coolhunter” under Bigend, who is the power figure in Cayce's life and in this novel. When F:F:F is referred to as “shamanic,” Cayce believes that it pieced together her and her friends, like a shaman who connects with the spiritual world, allowing people from the the real world to communicate through shaman.

         Cayce sees Parkaboy and Ivy as friends from “spirited world” or virtual reality and she enjoys her relationship among them. While she is messaging the creator, “She stops, and looks over at Peter Pan, noticing how the bronze ears of the rabbits at his base are kept polished by the hang of children.” (p.255) In here, Gibson gives children who are affectionate to Peter Pan, as supporting evidence of Cayce's happiness in virtual reality as her real life. Peter Pan is fictional character yet children are affectionate and show the sign of love by polishing the rabbits that is under Peter Pan.