Often critics absorb a wide spectrum of things, and then hone in on what sticks out to them, and in some cases, it is completely arbitrary. The members of the UH Pamantasan Council claim that Blu's Hanging is indecent and offensive, and yet it lacks the fundamental grace to recognize that indecency and explicitness are the only avenues which lead to honest writing. It seems that the main concern of the UH Council is more concerned with cultural falsities as oppose to a holistic appreciation of the novel which is unapologetic to several cultures, not just Filipino culture. Blu's Hanging is not devoid of praise nor merit simply because it may or may not misrepresent a culture or a subset of ethnicities.
On the contrary, I do strongly favor the position taken in the the article Lois-Anna Yamanaka and "the Non-Award" -a Postcript. Despite the vulgarity and freedom of Yamanaka's writing, it offers substance, a valuable lesson to students and teachers on how honesty can be inspiring. Though concern on the level of honesty often presents itself, especially with protective parents, it can nevertheless be said that Blu's Hanging and the influence of Yamanaka did an enormous job in inspiring her own students in writing fearlessly.
I agree with your support of the claim that Yamanaka did a great job in regards to inspiring her students to write fearlessly. Personally, this is the first book I read that has no boundaries in regards to censorship and it showed me a different style of literature that I was not previously exposed to. I feel that it is necessary to have literature of this sort taught to the individuals of today's society because it will enrich their minds with the realities of the world and further extend their knowledge altogether.
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