Valdivia 1

Valdivia, Clarissa

Professor Batty

English 102

Deceptions and false hope

The views of people can contradict our views on how we view society. The society

burden of getting know people for a certain understanding can tear the foundation of honesty

between people. In David Henry Hwangs N Butterfly deception is the biggest issue but above

all that it brought up a sense of confusion in sexuality between the main characters created a

bigger twist. The play started off as something that has to do with politics but then has a plot

twist of events by involving Song the male character pretending to be a woman to deceive a

traitor named Rene Gallimard. Rene Gallimard was a married diplomat that falls in love with a

Female that then he cheats on both with another women. The problem wasnt the sudden

sexuality change but instead the deception that was done between two male heterosexual men

that dont want to admit that they can be homosexual. Homosexuality is a big issue in many

places especially different regions and places but it in different places there are they start off by

showing the traditional dynamics of China to how women should behave and that who and who

belongs together but, the idea that they ignored the tradition to later create something bigger than

them. Tradition is an important part of a custom but the feelings of a person is more important

than anything but never done because of confusion and fear.

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In the play Song was a so called Chinese women that respected herself and expected

Rene to do it also. Maybe Song was already questioning his sexuality thats why he played the

role of the women so well. Simone says In itself homosexuality is as limiting as heterosexuality:

The ideal should be capable of loving a woman or a man; either a human being without feeling

fear, restraint or obligation. Song at that time felt like it was an obligation to feel things for

Rene but at the end became more subtle than he thought it would be. Song tells Rene to close his

eyes and from there says Im your butterfly. Under the robes, beneath everything it was always

me. Now open your eyes and adore me. He tried convincing Rene that thing between them was

more than just his case to complete. Also, he wanted to explain that he was the main thing not

what was in the outside but in the inside. Although the temptation might have been there for

Rene everything that happened between them was humiliation enough. At the end it didnt

matter because of what he did to him was more hurtful than anything that can happen. He lied y

making him believe he had a son and then made him believe that they were always going to be

together. In that point of view id understand the hurt because the faith that was put in song flew

away like the dragon fly on his lap in the film.

They never change their points of views because they dont know what they are feeling

because it was something new. In the play it describes to us how Song and Rene had sexual inter

course but with her; clothes on with no question asked from Rene. Yet when Rene cheated and

had sex with Renee it came to question more with Song and his relationship but not enough to

push her Rene told Song I want to see you.. naked. Of course that couldnt be done because

that would ruin the whole plan with receiving information. The reality if song and exposed
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himself to Rene nothing would happen or be the same because of the gender similarities and

because of what China would think of them. It was said by Alfred Kinsey The sooner we learn

this concerning sexual reach a sound understanding of the realities of sex. Although we all

knew about the masculinity of song in the play he showed us a perception of a traditional

Chinese woman than any other woman she carried herself with grace and respect. The way it all

happened it made it seem that maybe he belonged more as a female then a male. Song was

talking to another minor character named chin which was his help with all the lying. Song

explained to chin how he wanted to serve the revolution and chin answered serve the

revolution? Bullshit! You wore dresses also mentioning that if he wanted to help the revolution

was to use his own money to make the west better. By the sound of what Chin said Song

continuously practiced to be a female but he knew he wasnt is instants of the film it seemed that

he desired to be a woman but then remembered he was a guy and there was nothing that can be

done. Alfred Kinsey said Only human mind invents categories and tries to form facts into

separated pigeon holes. Meaning we only have one mind set but then in our path we see things

and live with things that make us change for ourselves and since we dont like change we dont

accept it or dont want to acknowledge it till its time to confront it. Leaving your past is one of

the hardest things especially if that past made you feel a certain way. To forget is as easy as

forgiving someone and Rene knew that. Along with losing someone that meant a lot to him that

made him leave his wife and even send him to a prison the memories were still there. When he

believed he had a son or the moments they had together to bond on a forbidden life because of

the lifestyles was all for nothing. On top of all that it opened some new doors in his sexuality and

not understanding if he was really in love with man or if he was just obsessed with the perfect
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image of someone he loved. Truth is no one knows what they really are What is straight? A

line can be straight, or a street but the human heart is curved like a road through mountains. I

believe that that was what was happening with Rene he loved someone but never pursued it

because of what his title would be. The fear of moving past a fiction that felt so real. He knew he

was played and felt ashamed he knew that this whole situation would just bring him dishonor

from everyone especially from the mentalities people had in the west and east. To how he people

in the east were more superior then the west and the image to the west cant be without the east.

In the last act Rene repeats to himself and others while locked up in his prison cell Death with

honor is better than life.. life with dishonor The love of a butterfly can withstand many things

unfaithfulness, loss and even abandonment. But how can it face the one sin that implies all

others? The devastating knowledge that underneath it all that the object of her love was nothing

more nothing less than.a man. Continuing all that he kills himself because of the joke he was

made. He felt abandoned by the oly thing he thought could create peace in his life but, by his

description he makes it seem that just because Song was a guy that it was just fictional not

acknowledging the intention towards the end of the play. East and West are similar by the

interpretation of what Song did to Rene was vulgar and disgusting but at the end people from the

west still had more of an open mind then the east.

The confusion and fear created in this played cost a life not because Rene was sent to

prison but because of the love that was shown was all an act to get information. The Butterfly

was a beautiful view but, as it flew away it took a little of Rene and thats what the questioning

was. Who knows what would have happened if Song didnt hurt Rene would they have worked

out despite theyre the same gender ?

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Work Cited

Allen, Dennis W. "The marketing of queer theory." College Literature, vol. 25, no. 1,

1998,p.282+. LiteratureResourceCenter,library.lavc.edu.Accessed 18 Oct.2017.

Anand, Pooja V. "Attitude Towards Homosexuality: A Survey Based Study." Journal of

Psychosocial Research, vol. 11, no. 1, Jan-Jun2016, pp. 157-166. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=116399409&site=ehost-live.

Schiavi, Michael. "Looking for Vito." Cinema Journal, vol. 49, no. 1, 2009,

p.41+. LiteratureResourceCenter,library.lavc.edu. Accessed 18 Oct. 2017.