Literature Review #3

 Dragons I have Known & Loved by Laurence Yep



Yep, Laurence. "Dragons I have Known and Loved." Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, vol. 21, no. 3, 2010, pp. 386-393,502. ProQuest, https://login.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/login?url= ?url=https://www-proquest-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/scholarly-journals/dragons-i-have-known-loved/docview/821561151/se-2?accountid=13626.

Summary:

Yep explains the clash between the western and Chinese version of dragons in multiple ways. He wrote a book, "Dragon Prince", which is a great example on the difference between the views of dragons. He also talks about how he personally identifies with dragons through his years, almost seen as an outcast like a dragon would. The dragon has also helped him get in touch with his Chinese roots. 

Author:

Yep has published around 60 books for children and adults, winning multiple awards. He has a PhD from SUNY and taught at UC Berkeley. From his youth, Yep has identified with being an outsider, which he reflects in his writings.

Key Terms:

Key terms that I will use in my essay is "ultimate amphibious creatures," which is describing the nature of dragons as more of a overall statement (3). Another key concept I will go into is the concept of identity and it's relation to dragons or how people can use dragons to help with their identification like Yep did. I can connect this with another source on how dragons mirror the human psyche.

Three Quotes:

"I learned that Chinese dragons were benevolent creatures who brought the rains and helped make crops grow" (1)

"America emphasizes independence, individualism, and innovation while Chinese culture values dependence, cooperation, and tradition." (2)

"Her six older sisters had not been able to get beyond the menace of the dragon’s fangs and claws. She, on the other hand, had seen a lithe, beautiful creature. At the heart of the tale is our sense of wonder when confronted with the power and majesty of Nature. As the woman, who is named Seven, says, “The eye sees what it will, but the heart sees what it should.”" (5)

Value:

This source is a rich, first person case on the clash between Chinese and American cultures. The emphasis of the difference is put through the lens of the interpretation of a dragon, which ultimately provides insight on the self and identity. 

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