Asian American Analysis
Asian American Literature is literature written by an author of Asian descent that portrays the experiences and obstacles of Asian Americans. Asian American Literature (APIAL) also breaks down stereotypes regarding Asian Americans and demonstrates the fluidity of Asian American culture. I think that Sau-ling Cynthia Wong and Stephen Sumida’s assertion that APIAL “exposes the structures that make Asian Americans into perpetual aliens or castaways” is a fitting description of APIAL (Wong and Sumida). Some authors of APIAL highlight the differences between Asian Americans and white Americans. In “Who’s Irish?”, Gish Jen shows the discrepancy between the expectations of a Chinese grandmother and the actions of her Irish-Chinese granddaughter,
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The grandmother and her daughter have differing opinions of Natalie’s husband’s actions. Natalie’s white husband, John, neither works nor cares for his daughter, choosing to go to the gym every day. Natalie doesn’t mind John’s actions because she believes “it is important for him to keep his spirits up” (Jen, 615). Despite being the only breadwinner in the family, Natalie is supportive of her husband and works hard so that he can be happy. On the other hand, her mother sees no reason for his complaining because he has a “beautiful wife, beautiful daughter, beautiful house” and “if John lived in China he would be very happy” (Jen, 615). The grandmother has worked hard her entire life in order to live comfortably so she cannot understand how a person like John, who has a family and a house, can be unhappy. While Natalie worries about John’s emotional health, the grandmother is less sympathetic because she finds John very fortunate. Natalie prioritizes her husband’s feelings while her mother places more importance on wealth and possessions. Some may lump Asian Americans into one massive group all sharing a single mindset, but Jen shows that there is no universal APIA mentality. Asian American culture is not static, rather it evolves with every new generation.
Asian American Literature captures the voices of people who are often alienated and shares the experiences of people who are often ignored. APIA authors intend to correct stereotypes and show that they are also part of the giant melting pot that is
The grandmother and her daughter have differing opinions of Natalie’s husband’s actions. Natalie’s white husband, John, neither works nor cares for his daughter, choosing to go to the gym every day. Natalie doesn’t mind John’s actions because she believes “it is important for him to keep his spirits up” (Jen, 615). Despite being the only breadwinner in the family, Natalie is supportive of her husband and works hard so that he can be happy. On the other hand, her mother sees no reason for his complaining because he has a “beautiful wife, beautiful daughter, beautiful house” and “if John lived in China he would be very happy” (Jen, 615). The grandmother has worked hard her entire life in order to live comfortably so she cannot understand how a person like John, who has a family and a house, can be unhappy. While Natalie worries about John’s emotional health, the grandmother is less sympathetic because she finds John very fortunate. Natalie prioritizes her husband’s feelings while her mother places more importance on wealth and possessions. Some may lump Asian Americans into one massive group all sharing a single mindset, but Jen shows that there is no universal APIA mentality. Asian American culture is not static, rather it evolves with every new generation.
Asian American Literature captures the voices of people who are often alienated and shares the experiences of people who are often ignored. APIA authors intend to correct stereotypes and show that they are also part of the giant melting pot that is