By: Maggie

Identity PortfolioThe Inside Scoop on Mao’s Death

Featuring:

My Family Tree

A REAL Interview

A Historical Narrative

Research Notes

Bibliography

My Reflection!

Real

interview from

a person who was

actually there!

Interview

GENERALWhat was your favorite part of your childhood?Swimming in the lake.What shocked you the most during your childhood?1971, Nixon came to China for an official state visit. Communists told them that you need to kill America and capture Nixon, so they were shocked that Chairman Mao had friendly meetings with himChairman Mao died, people lined up on the basket ball courts crying, and some kids fainted. Tried to faint because it was a sign of loyalty, but couldn’tWhat was school like?Wanted to go to school but was too young, went at 6 years old. Youngest one there, two years early. Had classes with 4 grades together.What things did the communists have you do?Killing birds, study Carl Marks, read about Chairman MaoWhat memories do you have about killing birds?At night, birds fall asleep. Use flashlights to search for them. Flashlights stun the birds, then you shoot them with a handmade slingshots. Stole the rubber tubes from the nurses office to make slingshots, and used tree branches for the body.8 years old, shot first bird and ate it (baked)

SPECIFICAny vivid memories of you on the basketball court?When Mao died, he was 82. He was fat and a chain smoker. Legend said Mao never brushed and was old, so it wasn’t a surprise that he diedHow long did you stay on the court?Half a day. Loud speaker gave a speech for a really long time, because it was the official funeralWhat did you do when it was over?We went back to class, just like normalWhere were you when the speakers told you to get out?In class, in the morning (math.)What happened through the day?Kids were lined up in army formation, half a hour kids started fainting

Research Notes

BritannicaChairman Mao died on September 9th.

Mao created the Red Guards, who would kill anyone who disagreed with him.

1958, he started a program called the Great Leap Forward.

Mao made farmers work on big farms called communes, and when it failed, the Great Famine started.

BBCChairman Mao died in year 1976 at the age on 82.

He died 10 minutes past midnight, but has been in poor health for several years.

No foreign visitors has seen him for quite some time.

People wore black armbands and mourned before a portrait at the Forbidden City.

His body is in the Great Hall of People.

Family Tree

Family Member that I will be interviewing

REFLECTION

1. How has working on this project helped you learn about your family’s history and given you a better sense of your identity?

It makes me realize more of what kind of a person my dad is and also what kind of things he went through that I didn’t experience. It also made me feel that I am truly lucky to grow up in the generation that I live in, because my dad didn’t have half the things I did.

2. Why do you think doing a project like this is important?

Not only did I learn about my dad, but I also learned a lot about what kind of a person Chairman Mao was. I learn when, where and why he died. It gave me a new perspective on the ordinary things around me, for example, thoughts like, “What kind of things did that old guy over there experience?”

3. What part of this project did you enjoy the most? Why?

I enjoyed the interview itself, because I got to talk a lot with my dad and his childhood, and I saw some of my dad’s personality and how he grew up. I felt like a got to talk to him like I don’t normally do. We even ventured into some more philosophical topics and questions.

4. What specific challenges did you face during this project and how did you over come them?

It was really hard to find a topic to write about, but I eventually found one. I did this by examining it’s historical importance and how my dad felt when he talked about it. When I was writing my rough draft, I thought of changing topics, because I didn’t think mine was specific enough.

5. Compared to the first narrative you wrote in September, do you think you’ve grown as a writer? In what ways?

I don’t really think I’ve grown much as a writer. I think I need to work on editing and time management, because I think I spent too much time on research and not enough time for the actual writing.

6. What advice would you give future students as they begin this project?

To make sure you get a good topic before you start writing, and also do a lot of research and editing to make sure you get good support and no convention errors.

Fainting Will Be the Death of MeHistorical Narrative

! Heads of all ages surrounded me and bobbed up and down as people wrote. Across the classroom, my teacher yelled at some poor twelve year olds . Everyday, it was boring, yet still satisfactory, because everything was just the way it was meant to be. Well, not for long. ! Suddenly, the speakers buzzed with static and a muffled voice came through. “Attention!” the principle boomed. The class fell silent and looked up. “Everyone is required to go to the basketball court right now.”! All of us were confused and puzzled, but our teacher raised her hand to her mouth and her eyes grew wide.! “Alright, class,” she murmured. “Everyone out, single file.” ! With that, we lined up across our cramped classroom, youngest to oldest, and strode outside to the basketball courts.! The whole school filed onto the outdoor court, line by line. A chill was sent through the crowd as the wind blew above our heads. Soon enough, the loudspeakers that were strung around town burst to life with a man’s voice, undoubtedly one of Chairman Mao’s first-hand men. Excitement and jealousy ran through me. I’m going to be just like that person! I’ll be the most trustworthy guard Chairman Mao will ever have! I wonder what kind of things he knows that nobody else does... like a spy! I thought willfully. We all waited in silence, expectantly.! “Ahem... The... Our... Our Great Leader... has passed away,” the man choked, then continued. “Today, we shall honor all that he has done for us.”! Everybody around me froze or gasped, but my six year old brain did not comprehend this situation. “What does “passed” mean? Guys? What does “passed” mean!?” I whined impatiently, still oblivious to what was happening.! means died. China is doomed!”! Now, I too, was shocked. Tears welled in my eyes. I wasn’t listening to the speakers or everybody crying. !

The wind seemed to howl with us, adding a dreadful effect to the day, but the only sound apparent to me was my own hiccups and sobs. ! Soon, the speakers began to emit sniffling too. Did our Savior, leader, and invincible superhero really die? Was the one who has given us food and shelter, and fuel for our dreams really gone?! Half way into his obituary, I heard a giant thud, thud, thump. Startled, I looked up. People around me were dropping onto the ground, forming gaps in the strait, uniform lines.! What? People are fainting? Why...Why am I not fainting? I thought. I will be Chairman Mao’s most trustworthy guard! Those people are just drama queens. I should be fainting! Thoughts darted frantically through my mind. What can I do to faint... Oh my god! Chairman Mao died! Faint already!! Tears were consistently streaming out of my eyes, yet nothing I thought of would make me faint. Apparently, my body disagreed with my brain. Half a day, I went on like this. Desperately trying to lose consciousness while the rest of China was grieving and wondering how to prevent condemning their country to it’s doom. You’ll never be Chairman Mao’s most trusted guard now, so why aren’t you fainting! I screamed in my head.! My heart thumped as the speaker ended his speech. My eyes were red and puffy. I stood amongst knocked-out students, fallen warriors who had perished in a violent war, but it was I who wouldn’t be having my statue carved in marble. I wasn’t the one who had demonstrated my undying faith. Even though the ones who remained standing were crying in the stillness of the day, it felt like I was the only one upright.! Finally, when our eyes ran dry, our voices were lost, and half of our population was unconscious, we went back into the buildings. Line by line and age by age, we shuffled slowly back to class, followed by stretchers for the unconscious.! Just when I thought my tears had subsided, I was overwhelmed with a new wave of guilt and disappointment. With heavy hearts, we continued class and resumed life. However, unlike others, all I was mourning about was the fact I couldn’t faint, and how I must have looked like the most treacherous follower ever.

Bibliography

Thank you to all those who I got my research notes from!BBC News"1976: Chairman Mao Zedong Dies." BBC News. BBC, 09 Sept. 1976.

Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/9/newsid_3020000/3020374.stm>.

Britannica"Mao Zedong." Primary Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online

School Edition.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2012.

<http://school.ebonline.com/all/elementary/article?articleId=353423>.

Thank You !