camille deng - disgusting profane or woefully misunderstood

8/9/2019 Camille Deng - Disgusting Profane or Woefully Misunderstood

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Aurnee RahmanMarch 16 th, 2013

Honors 391AFinal Paper

Camille Deng Disgustingl! Pro"ane or #oe"ull! Misun$erstoo$%

#hen it comes to $i&ersit! in I Am Charlotte Simmons , there 'ust simpl! $oesn(t seem to

)e much o" it* +es, there are the A"rican American athletes, Helen in the hall a!s ho is $eeme$

to )e a -troll,. the ga! reporter "or The Daily ho is also a part o" /he Millennial Mutants,

Ran$!, an$ then there(s Camille Deng* For a school as )ig an$ prestigious as /om #ol"e ma es

Dupont ni&ersit! out to )e, it seems interesting that #ol"e chose to inclu$e such limite$ &ariet!

in the ma eup o" the stu$ents* n "act, Camille is the onl! Asian American stu$ent e&er

mentione$* n top o" her )eing a minorit! stu$ent, Camille is also portra!e$ as a massi&e "orce

to )e rec one$ ith* t is ith this "orce that Camille iel$s a po er an$ strength that seems to

)e lac ing in the ma'orit! o" the "emale characters in the no&el* 4ut Camille(s a! o" asserting

hersel" is o"ten e5tremel! &ulgar an$ her humor can )e $istur)ingl! crass* #h! is Camille, one

o" the "e ethnicall! $i&erse stu$ents in #ol"e(s )oo , $epicte$ as )eing so cru$e% #ol"e(s

choices in creating Camille Deng(s character ultimatel! sen$ a )roa$er message a)out

preconcei&e$ notions o" race, minorit! status, an$ omen* #hile Camille ma! )e consi$ere$

$isgustingl! pro"ane, it is "or this &er! reason that she is oe"ull! misun$erstoo$, )oth )! her

peers an$ possi)l! )! mine as ell*

/he most o)&ious a! in hich Camille stan$s out "rom other characters in I am

Charlotte Simmons is )! her race* n "act, the "irst time rea$ers are intro$uce$ to her through

A$am(s narrati&e, she is re"erre$ to as -A s inn! Chinese girl name$ Camille Deng. Pg* 1718*

/om #ol"e ma es a &er! o)&ious mo&e to point out that in some a!, Camille(s Asian American

i$entit! is suppose$ to sa! something* Ma!)e the American part o" her isn(t e&en as important as


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the Chinese part* :he is not a s inn! -Chinese American. girl, she is 'ust a s inn! -Chinese.

girl, although it is clearl! apparent that Camille is secon$ generation Chinese American* 4ut h!

oul$ it )e important that Camille is o" Chinese ancestr!% #hether or not e&er!one is rea$! to

a$mit it, there still persists racial )iases )ase$ on hat e )elie&e people "rom $i""erent cultures

are suppose$ to )e an$ act li e* :tereot!picall!, Asians an$ Asian Americans are regar$e$ as

)eing -smart,. an$ -intellectual*. #ell, /om #ol"e $oesn(t re"ute this* Camille is a mem)er o"

the Millennial Mutants, an elite group that consi$ers themsel&es to )e the cream o" the crop, the

)est o" the )est* 4ut )! letting this stereot!pe sli$e, #ol"e accomplishes letting rea$ers "all into

the com"ort o" la)els an$ categories* #e(re o a! no ing that Camille is an intellectual* tma es sense to us in her capacit! as an Asian American stu$ent at an elite uni&ersit!* Camille, in

this regar$, is e5actl! ho e e5pect her to )e*

/hen there is the ;uestion o" ho Camille actuall! is* +es, she is e5tremel! intelligent* t

is o)&ious* 4ut there is another si$e to Camille that might )e consi$ere$ $i""icult to reconcile

ith hat e no her as Asian American, )ut more importantl!, Asian* #hether perpetuate$

)! the me$ia or some other personal )elie" s!stem, it is o"ten regar$e$ that Asian omen are

su)ser&ient, ;uiet, an$ respect"ul* Camille is an!thing )ut* :he is lou$ an$ "orce"ul* :he $oesn(t

ta e $isrespect "rom an!)o$!, an$ she hersel" cannot )e )othere$ to al a!s respect e&er!one

aroun$ her, especiall! i" she has something to $isagree ith them on* :he is not mee , nor is she

e&er "rightene$, e&en hen others aroun$ her might )e* t is ith her $istincti&e rhetoric that e

clearl! get the picture that Camille is "ar "rom ho e might originall! thin she is* :he(s not

a"rai$ to curse li e a sailor* :he ill !ell an$ spit an$ $o an!thing to pro&e a point she cannot )e

al e$ all o&er or intimi$ate$* /his i$ea o" Camille can )e $i""icult to s allo , an$ this seems to

mani"est itsel" as $istaste "or her character in )oth A$am an$ Charlotte(s min$s* /he! see


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Camille as o)no5ious an$ em)arrassing* n$ee$, Camille(s )eha&ior can )e o)no5ious an$

em)arrassing to those aroun$ her, )ut is it reall! )ecause o" hat she has to sa!, or )ecause it 'ust

$oesn(t "it ith the picture A$am, Charlotte, an$ rea$ers ha&e in their min$s o" hat it means to

)e o" Asian $escent% /he pro)lem is that )eing Asian is not a personalit! trait* e$ this an$ ta en it ell past a happ! me$ium* n a a!, it is

o&ercompensating* t is a recurring theme in I Am Charlotte Simmons "or e&er! character to

stri&e to "it in in their o n a!, an$ Camille ma! not )e an e5ception* :he $oes not o&ertl! go to


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the great lengths man! o" the others go to in or$er to "in$ her place, )ut she ma! )e $oing it

su)consciousl!* $on(t thin it is a purpose"ul $ecision "or Camille to )e as a)rasi&e as she is*

Rather, it coul$ 'ust )e ho she $eals ith constructing her i$entit!*

#ith the construction o" her o n i$entit!, Camille has access to a &ie on minorit! status

not rea$il! apparent to e&er! stu$ent at Dupont* Camille is o)&iousl! a minorit! stu$ent ith

regar$s to her race, )ut she is also inclu$e$ in the minorit! hen consi$ering her status as a

mem)er o" the Millennial Mutants* /his might )e a &er! uni;ue case to the atmosphere o"

Dupont ni&ersit! /om #ol"e has create$, )ut it seems that there aren(t man! stu$ents ith

aspirations as lo"t! as the mem)ers o" the Millennial Mutants* n "act, there $oes not e&en appear to )e an! other stu$ents ho ta e aca$emics in lieu o" a social li"e as seriousl! as the in$i&i$uals

in this group* As such, )elie&e that Camille "eels a responsi)ilit! to stan$ up "or minorit!

groups? to )e the asserti&e &oice the! ma! lac * Camille seems a$amant to pro&e that 'ust

)ecause she is a minorit! stu$ent, she is not to )e tri"le$ ith* Her Asian )ac groun$ ill not

stop her "rom con;uering the orl$, nor ill her association ith the Millennial Mutants*

Camille illingl! an$ rea$il! stan$s up "or her homose5ual "rien$, the Millennial Mutants as a

group, an$ hersel"* n these moments, she is argua)l! ru$e, &ulgar, an$ toes the lines o" her

)oun$aries* :ome ma! e&en sa! she o&ersteps them* 4ut $espite these claims, Camille

accomplishes e5actl! hat she sets out to $o $e"en$ hersel" an$ her "rien$s*

:tic ing up "or other minorities, though, is not a con$ition particular to Camille* thin

most minorities "eel some sort o" collecti&e nee$, or at least $esire, to stan$ up "or other minorit!

groups* For e5ample, Pro"essor @uat, li e Camille, also $eci$es to stan$ up "or the B4/@

communit! in the chapter -:tan$ p :traight For Ba! Da!*. As a e ish man, Pro"essor @uat is

$escri)e$ as )eing someone ho cannot stan$ hat he consi$ers to )e in'ustice an$


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mistreatment* Pro"essor @uat appears to prett! clearl! e5press his $istaste in the a! the e ish

minorit! o" the : has ha$ to assimilate an$ thro a a! all that the! are* He "eels cheate$ )!

e ish people ho assimilate$ completel! to American culture )ecause he ha$ to struggle to get

to here he is* 4ecause o" this, Pro"essor @uat is supporti&e o" the un$er$og mo&ement* He has

a $istaste "or the groups he consi$ers to )e un"airl! pri&ilege$* /om #ol"e seems to ma e it clear

that Camille, li e @uat, e5presses similar &ie s, pro)a)l! as a $irect result o" )eing a minorit!

stu$ent* /he $i""erence, ho e&er, is that hen Pro"essor @uat ma es his speech, people seem to

thin he is )eing more elo;uent an$ polite than hen Camille tries to $e"en$ the entire group o"

stu$ents assem)le$ hen the )o!s "rom the :t* Ra! house tr! to cause a ruc us* /rue, Camillethro s out some nast! or$s at them* +et, once again, Camille is a)le to $ri&e the "rat )o!s o""

an$ sa&e her group* #here some pro"essors might )e appalle$ ith Camille(s )eha&ior, it 'ust

ma es Pro"essor @uat lo&e an$ a$mire Camille all the more* #ol"e seems to )e ma ing a point

a)out minorit! soli$arit! here, hile contrasting the spo en or$ st!les o" @uat an$ Camille*

nterestingl!, e get the i$ea that @uat is much more li e Camille than the &i)e he ma! )e gi&ing

o"" $uring his speech* He ill $o hate&er it ta es to ma e sure he is not steppe$ on an$ al e$

all o&er* Camille an$ @uat, in$i&i$uals ho "eel li e the minorit!, a$'ust their )eha&ior in a a!

to ma e sure the! are ne&er $isregar$e$*

#hile Camille stan$s out )! her race an$ status as a minorit!, she also stan$s out as a

oman completel! $i""erent "rom all others portra!e$ in I Am Charlotte Simmons , e5cept ma!)e

Rachel Freeman* Camille is a oman ho ill not )ac $o n* :he is not li e other girls in the

no&el in that she is ne&er chasing a"ter )o!s, part!ing all night, ha&ing se5, or tal ing a)out

material things* Camille is the opposite o" this, )ut still, /om #ol"e reall! paints the girls in the

)oo as one $imensional* t is note orth! that #ol"e $oes this, an$ perhaps he $oes it


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intentionall!* " #ol"e ha$ onl! ritten a)out girls as shallo as 4e&erl! an$ the other sororit!

girls, it oul$ not ha&e )een possi)le to see the e5act light in hich #ol"e criti;ues them* /hese

omen $o not stan$ up "or themsel&es or their )o$ies* #hile the! engage e;uall! in their use o"

pro"anit!, the! seem to onl! $o it to "it in ith the "rat )o!s or athletes* /he! are illing to

completel! gi&e themsel&es up* Camille, on the other han$, is &er! a$amant a)out not gi&ing

hersel" up* 4ecause o" the portra!al o" Camille, rea$ers can )egin to ;uestion the $ou)le stan$ar$

that is set up "or omen*

pon our "irst intro$uction to Camille, A$am(s "irst though o" her is, -/hat s an *. #h!%

#e no through the no&el that Camille is not a promiscuous girl* A$am(s use o" the $erogator!term seems to stem "rom his $istaste in her character as hat he consi$ers to )e outsi$e his i$eas

o" a oman* He $oesn(t ac no le$ge that there are omen ho no hat the! ant an$ are

illing to "ight $irt! "or it, or that this $oesn(t ma e them less o" a oman* :imilarl!, Charlotte

has a &er! negati&e &ie o" Camille hen she meets her* Charlotte is appalle$ )! the a! that

Camille acts to ar$s the lacrosse pla!ers* :he consi$ers Camille(s use o" language, )oth &er)al

an$ )o$il!, to )e $isgustingl! un la$!li e* /o Charlotte, this is a ea ness* 4ut h! can(t

Camille $e"en$ hersel"% All the men o" the no&el rea$il! use cru$e humor an$ &ulgar language,

)ut the! are rarel! put at "ault* n"airl!, Camille is $egra$e$ )! her peers* /hrough use o" crass

means, Camille is the onl! one ho is a)le to get the lacrosse pla!ers to lea&e ithout hurting

an! o" the mem)ers o" the Millennial Mutants* :he isn(t a"rai$* :he $oes hat she has to* 4ut

$oing so automaticall! la)els Camille, ;uite "ran l!, as a )itch* t shoul$ )e consi$ere$ a strength

that Camille is a)le to a$apt her language to the situation* t is har$ to )elie&e that Camille oul$

use this in$ o" language in a classroom or pro"essional setting, so her altere$ &oca)ular! sho s


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that she un$erstan$s hat she is $oing* /his $oes not ma e Camille less o" a oman, it simpl!

ma es her a strong, no nonsense, con"i$ent oman*

Camille Deng is ru$e, &ulgar, an$ o)no5ious* cannot argue these "acts a a!* Ho e&er,

this is not a "ault in Camille* t $oesn(t ma e her ea , it 'ust ma es her misun$erstoo$* Her

personalit! is a conse;uence o" her status as an Asian American, minorit!, oman ho is tr!ing

to pro&e her &alue in the orl$* :he ill not )en$ o&er )ac ar$s "or an!one, an$ she is

$etermine$ to sho her s ills in the orl$ as an in$epen$ent, strong, an$ con"i$ent person* ust

)ecause e ma! ha&e an i$ea o" hat a person shoul$ )e li e = )e it )! their race, gen$er, or

some other "actor = $oes not mean that that is the a! the! actuall! are* /he! shoul$ not e&ennecessaril! )e e5pecte$ to )e an! certain a!* People ha&e $i""erent personalities across cultures

an$ )ac groun$s* &en so, it is important to consi$er here a person ma! )e coming "rom to

un$erstan$ h! the! act the a! the! $o* Personalit! an$ )eha&ior are a com)ination o" inherent

traits an$ en&ironmental "actors* nli e hat some o" m! peers an$ Camille(s peers ma! thin ,

Camille is not a nast! person* :he is a misun$erstoo$ girl tr!ing to "in$ a a! to $eal ith li"e

'ust li e an! o" us*

camille deng - disgusting profane or woefully misunderstood

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