What makes the quotes from the reading resourceful for teaching is that they are placed in chronological order by year in each subsection. I initially thought that a reading of the quotes in chronological order would show a progressive change in American views of Asia: this is not, however mostly the case. A reading of "American Images of East Asia, shows how little things have changed with regards to American views of East Asia. Right from the very start, from John Adams's 1785 quote and UST Representative Mickey Kantor's 1994 quote, both Americans urge the United States in 1785 and 1994 respetively to trade with Asia...that trade with Asia is of utmost importance to the U.S. In addition, I felt the the majority of Americzan quotes on Japan had a negative connotation: Matthew Perry's quotes about Japan "becoming powerful competitors...in the future", the 1930's & 1940's quotes in response to Japan's militarism, and the post-WWII quotes about Japan's economic power, all show the Japan in a negative light despite over 100 years that have passed after Perry's 1850's quotes. The quotes on China, though, did shed some positive light on the reforms and changes brought about to China after the Death of Mao, but those positive views, especially in Overholt & Clinton's quotes, were accompanied with negative light casting a shadow upon China's human rights violations. Students would clearly see the realties of the American views of East Asia, and a discussioin of the "Looking East" readings would reveal how much, and how little, things have progressed with regards to American views towards East Asia.
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