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Hong, Maria. Growing Up Asian American: Stories of Childhood, Adolescence and Coming of Age in America, from 1800s to the 1990s – by 32 Asian American Writers. New York: Avon Books, 1993. 416 pp.
Grade range: 6-12
Genre: short stories
Summary and Critique
In this anthology, thirty-two Asian American writers (e.g., Amy Tan, Toshio Mori, and Kartar Dhillon) unite to express the joys and hardships of growing up as Asian Americans. Divided into three sections (“First Memories,” “The Beginnings of Identity,” and “Growing Up”), these captivating tales explore the following issues and more: the difficulties of assimilating into a new culture, the clashing views between parents and children, and the benefits and disadvantages of fleeing a home country for America. In Sui Sin Far’s “Pat and Pan,” assimilation creates tension between a young Chinese girl and her adopted Anglo brother. An excerpt from Amy Tan’s novel The Joy Luck Club captures the constant struggle between a traditional Chinese mother and her Americanized, rebellious daughter. In Kartar Dhillon’s “The Parrot’s Beak,” a young Indian reaffirms her belief that women can be independent and powerful.
A wonderful collection of diverse voices, Growing Up Asian American encapsulates the delights and the challenges of living in a culturally diverse environment. Adolescents and adults, regardless of their race, will be able to relate to these realistic portrayals of rebellion, peer pressure, confusion, and first love.
Themes/Topics
Families
Friends and Enemies
Generations
Race, Ethnicity, and Culture
Challenges and Triumphs
War and Peace
The Individual vs. Society
Love, Sex, and Romance
Author/Illustrator/Editor Information
A brief biography on the author introduces each story in Growing Up Asian American.
The editor of this book, Maria Hong, is also a poet, curator, and writer. Her poems can be seen in Fence, Hotel Amerika, Crab Orchard Review, and Gargoyle, and she is currently a writer-in-residence at Richard Hugo House, a community that supports practicing writers.
For more information on Maria Hong:
http://www.hugohouse.org/writers/ Official Web site of Richard Hugo House offering information about Maria Hong (e.g., photo, awards won, current projects)
Media Connections
Movies/Documentaries
Real Women Have Curves (2002) This coming-of-age film captures the life of a Mexican-American girl who must choose between going off to college and staying behind to help her family make money.
Spanglish (2004) Cultures clash when an Anglo-American suburban family hires a Mexican maid who takes great pride in her heritage.
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) During the Vietnam War, a hilarious disk jockey for Armed Forces Radio learns important life lessons when he encounters aspects of Asian culture.
Monsoon Wedding (2001) This film portraying Indian culture explores the issues of arranged marriages and the effects of Western civilization on Eastern cultures.
The Joy Luck Club (1993) This movie explores the complex relationships among four immigrant Chinese women and their Americanized daughters.
Rush Hour (1998) In this action-packed, hilarious film, an African-American man and a Chinese man team up to solve a crime.
Television
George Lopez – Any episode comically shows the antics of a Mexican-American family.
The Bernie Mac Show – Any episode reveals Bernie Mac’s funny parenting strategies as he grapples with his kids’ crazy problems.
Music/Audio Recordings
“Home.” Lyrics by Dishwalla. Opaline. 2002. (Adolescence can be such a difficult time, and sometimes one just wants to run away from it all. “Home” captures this desperate need for escape.)
Online Resources
Related Texts
Nam, Vickie. YELL-Oh Girls! Emerging Voices Explore Culture, Identity, and Growing Up Asian American. New York: HyperCollins, 2001. In this collection of short stories, essays, and poems, older youth (ages 15-22) share their thoughts on what it’s like to be Asian American. Since the book is more modern and the writers are younger, adolescents might find YELL-Oh Girls! easier to relate to.
Santiago, Esmeralda. Almost a Woman. New York: Vintage Books, 1999. In this touching story, a young girl struggles to assimilate into American culture in the 1960s after moving from Puerto Rico with her mother and ten siblings. An interesting activity would be to compare/contrast this young girl’s experience with an Asian American’s.
Riley, Patricia (Ed.). Growing Up Native American: Stories of Oppression and Survival, or Heritage Denied and Reclaimed – 22 American Writers Recall Childhood in Their Native Land. New York: Avon Books, 1995. Published by the same company as Growing Up Asian American this anthology of short stories written by Native American authors portrays various views on what it’s like growing up Native American. Reading these diverse experiences allows readers to understand and appreciate another culture.
Barron, Jonathan N. and Eric Murphy Selinger (Eds). Jewish American Poetry: Poems, Commentary, and Reflections (Brandies Series in American Jewish History, Culture, and Life). Brandeis University Press, 2000. The poems focus on Jewish-American culture and experiences. Commentary after each poem provides broader insight into the poem’s meanings.
Mochizuki, Ken. Beacon Hill Boys. New York: Scholastic Press, 2004. Tired of being stereotyped, a group of high-school Japanese American boys turn to rebellion in this story set in 1972. Young adults can easily relate to this novel, which aims to capture the perplexing period of adolescence while exploring racial issues.
Asakawa, Gil. Being Japanese American: A JA Sourcebook for Nikkei, Happa…and Their Friends. Stone Bridge Press, 2004. Sharing recipes, facts, tips, interviews, songs, and thoughts on being a Japanese American, Gil Asakawa provides a great guide on Japanese-American culture for any interested person. Critics claim this contemporary book to be funny, realistic, and entertaining.
Jimenez, Francisco. The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. University of New Mexico Press, 1997. Told from a young boy’s perspective, twelve interrelated short stories give a fictionalized autobiographical account of the lives of migrant farm workers. Although the stories take place in the 1940s, students can still relate to the issues of migrant families.
Teaching Ideas
(1) “Exploring Cultures through Writing” In this lesson, students will write a magazine article representing some aspect of a particular culture. Introduce this lesson by defining culture and how various cultures have different customs and rules. Use magazines such as National Geographic, Ebony, and Estylo to demonstrate different cultures. Have students visit a place they are comfortable with to observe what is happening there. What types of people go there? What defines this type of person? Do a brainstorming activity with students to generate ideas for their articles. Pose the following questions: For whom are they writing? What kind of language would they use to keep people like them interested? Who is their audience? [Summarized from “Exploring Cultures through Writing” by Garth Sundem in Classroom Notes Plus. Bozeman, MT: Chief Joseph Middle School. April 2003, p. 2-3.]
(2) “The Stories That Make Us Who We Are” Expose your students to literature that presents a variety of cultures and time periods, then have them think of stories told to them by members of their family, relatives, or friends and were memorable enough to be retold over and over again. These stories can be funny, sad, or educational. Have the Teens write these stories down and encourage the sharing of tales. They can introduce their stories by answering the following questions:
Why is this story remembered and repeated?
Who told you this story?
How many times do you think you’ve heard it?
When was this story usually shared (during dinner, bedtime…)
What does this story say about the person in the story?
What does it reveal about your family?
How is your culture reflected in the story?
What do you like best about the story?
Why did you choose this story to share?
[Adapted from “The Stories That Make Us Who We Are” by Therese M. Willis and Kathleen Pierce in Classroom Notes Plus. Haddonfield, NJ: Haddonfield Memorial High School. August 2001, p. 2-3.]
(3) “Writing to Share Cultures” Have all your students bring an object, whether it be a piece of costume jewelry, figurine, ornament, etc., that reflects in some way their various cultures. Make sure that students don’t bring any fragile or valuable items, that they get parent permission, and that they not tell their fellow classmates what they’re bringing. Bring in several objects yourself for students who might forget. Put all of their objects in a large bag and redistribute the objects to the students, making sure none of them receive the object they brought. Have students write for 10-15 minutes about the objects they have, what they think they are, what they think they’re used for, and their cultural implications. Then, let students share their findings and questions in a class discussion. For each object, have the student who brought it stand up to contribute to the discussion and answer questions. [Summarized from “Writing to Share Cultures” by Rose Reissman in Classroom Notes Plus. Brooklyn, NY: Community School District #1. December 1997, p. 1-3.]
(review written by Diane Tran)
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