Gloria's Class Notes:
-The ending of Immigrant: Leaves no real answers. Does this make it a bad story? Or is it good that it leaves you to interpretation?
"It's all a conspiracy!"
-Maxine: a cynical artist who believes the Kiowians are not smart. she can teleport--a skill that she takes for granted. She thinks there's no use trying to pursue her telekinetic abilities or her art.
Is Maxine contradictory to herself?
-Conversations with Maxine: pg. 38 She believes they are there for the amusements of the Kiowians. She is cynical and afraid--afraid that the Kiowians will get tired of them and send them back. But she is not happy where she is.
pg. 55 "But why do they want to keep contact with us? Why--" It's a question that shouldn't be asked b/c they can't really find the answer. They can get answers but will never trust them. Or they are too afraid to ask questions b/c all the answers seem to be negative. Her pride keeps her in the way from finding and accepting answers to questions. The story she creates for herself doesn't work but protects her pride.
pg. 67 "You fool, I tell you I didn't try. I wasn't putting on an exhibition for you. I tell you that I don't know what happened." Maxine did something she didn't think she could and became afraid because she didn't understand it--it messes up her "story".

Shelby-Reading Notes
Maxine:
To ask the question in a sincere way would unravel the contradictions in Maxine. She wants to think that she is smarter than them. Her pride is a barrier to getting the answer. She is telling herself a story to make sense of her surroundings, but the story doesn't work, she uses it to protect her pride. At the same time, she is afraid to go back, afraid to be laughed at. Deep irony: As soon as she finds herself unable to do something that she hasn't done before, her alibi is blown and she has to change her story.
pg. 42-4: They tell him the answer, but he doesn't realize. "You'd have to start at the very bottom. And it would take years of training. Not in method only, but in attitude and philosophy."