Summer’s Dream

I am just reading it but what i have read is amazing!!

So this comment isn’t meant to offend anyone necessarily, but more of an option for me to complain about a certain line used in this book. On page 13 of Summer’s Dream, there is a line that states that Cherry is accessorising her bridesmaid outfit with a “Japanese parasol” and inserting “chopsticks in her hair”. First of all, I am totally on board with Cherry embracing the culture her mother has given to her by taking pride in the cultural items such as the parasol, but the line stating “chopsticks in her hair” annoys me a little. I would like to ask Cathy Cassidy where the idea of having utensils in your hair is considered an appropriate outfit decision, as you certainly don’t see people of colour with forks in their hair. I understand that some may read past the idea of chopsticks being a hair decoration, but after reading up on instances of cultural appropriation done by having chopsticks in hair (such as the Met Gala 2015 incident), the articles have stated that it is in fact not a part of Japanese (or any other East Asian) culture. So therefore, I’d like to ask again, where does the idea of having chopsticks in your hair come from? I also understand that Cathy Cassidy may have gotten confused with the idea of hair sticks, which are called Kanzashi hair pins in Japanese (and are also used traditionally), but the fact that Summer stated, “her Mum is Japanese so the looks fits” as if the fact that Cherry is half Japanese supports the slight cultural appropriation that Cathy Cassidy is (perhaps unintentionally) insisting. It is as if Cathy Cassidy is suggesting this is what the Japanese are supposed to “look” like, seeing that it “fits” her.
This fantasised idea of the Japanese also appeared in Cherry Crush, in my opinion. Cathy Cassidy gave Cherry an opportunity to discuss her version of an idyllic, aesthetic Japanese life, mentioning Kimonos and cherry blossoms. I appreciate Cathy Cassidy’s attempt to appreciate the Japanese culture, however, it seemed to me that she was perhaps just using this ideal image of Japan that most non-Japanese people seem to have of the country, only using it for aesthetics when it fits them. However, I agree that Japan is a beautiful place and everyone has a right to have their own opinion of it, but the story line Cassidy gave for Cherry to use to tell Shay conveyed the idea that this is what most people think Japanese life is like. Especially as Cathy Cassidy has young readers, this instantly portrays a perfect, aesthetic image of Japan to them that they may later use as their “aesthetic”, for example I will use an analogy of emphasising the use of a Kimono and disregarding the cultural identity and history of the clothing. I am in no way of disregarding Cassidy’s readers but more of highlighting the fact that her readers are young and not quite educated on cultural differences and ideas, which allows them to easily form the idea of Japanese aesthetics after reading Cassidy’s ideas.
Despite my opinions as stated above, I enjoyed reading both Cherry Crush and Summer’s Dream as both story lines were interesting and enjoyable.