Mona In The Promised Land Analysis
Gish Jens, “Mona in the Promised Land,” has characters that show all different kinds of attributes along with what they identity as. A common identity among a lot of them is being American. The novel encompasses a wide variety of identity that each character holds and is clearly shown through the text. Mona Chang, the youngest daughter of the only Chinese family in town, starts to try on the identity of being more than just Chinese through being American and Jewish as well. Mona tries on the identity of being an American and it ends up fitting her the best. Mona’s attempt at being Jewish does not end up being the best fit for her. At the very end of the novel, when she hooking up with Seth and Helen and Ralph walk in and see what is going
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A clinic she wanted to establish. Birth control, prenatal care, treatment for venereal disease--- the works, she said, and all for free or just about. A sliding scale depending. And of course you people would be welcome.” (Pg. 118)
This section puts in the class of the Chinese, which to this person is a class below themselves. Mona should not be identified as a class below, making Chinese not the best fit. Lastly, Mona trying on the identity of being an American becomes a positive aspect of her life. The first quotation is a bit negative, but represents what Mona is all about as Helen speaks to her.
“’You know what you are?’ Helen says. ‘You are an American girl. Only an American girl can do something like that and hide it from her mother. Every day you lied to me.’ She appears shocked all over again by this recap of the facts. ‘Every day!’ She cannot go on.” (Pg. 221)
Mona upsets her mother but this represents Mona rebel nature. She may be lying to her mother, or maybe she’s not, but it does not matter because Mona’s plan all along was not to follow what her parents believed in. A second quotation creates controversy with the beliefs of Americans versus the Chinese, when the family is working at the
A clinic she wanted to establish. Birth control, prenatal care, treatment for venereal disease--- the works, she said, and all for free or just about. A sliding scale depending. And of course you people would be welcome.” (Pg. 118)
This section puts in the class of the Chinese, which to this person is a class below themselves. Mona should not be identified as a class below, making Chinese not the best fit. Lastly, Mona trying on the identity of being an American becomes a positive aspect of her life. The first quotation is a bit negative, but represents what Mona is all about as Helen speaks to her.
“’You know what you are?’ Helen says. ‘You are an American girl. Only an American girl can do something like that and hide it from her mother. Every day you lied to me.’ She appears shocked all over again by this recap of the facts. ‘Every day!’ She cannot go on.” (Pg. 221)
Mona upsets her mother but this represents Mona rebel nature. She may be lying to her mother, or maybe she’s not, but it does not matter because Mona’s plan all along was not to follow what her parents believed in. A second quotation creates controversy with the beliefs of Americans versus the Chinese, when the family is working at the