Creating Hybrid Identity: the Function of Epigraphs in The Wondrous Woo

Abstract

Multiculturalism in Canada has created many hybrid identities among the children of immigrants. The novels of second-generation writers often reflect this reality. This presentation examines the function of epigraphs and its allusions to traditional customs, classics, and oral legends in The Wondrous Woo by Carrianne Leung. Miramar Woo, the protagonist and daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong, imagines a world of magical realism in the suburbs of Scarborough to encapsulate the space that lies between Canadian and Chinese culture. The novel is divided into chapters with each chapter introduced by an epigraph associated with Chinese-cultural references which is suggestive—although separate from the main narrative. An epigraph ironically references Tomb-sweeping to show the importance of ancestry and juxtaposes it to make sense of death. Classical allusions to the Monkey King act as a tool to express views toward love interests. Oral legends of the Snake Sisters exemplifies sibling interactions. Furthermore, the omission of an epigraph in the novel’s final chapter performs the same function—to not only create tension, but also give perspective to Miramar’s fluid experience. The epigraphs perform as a structural framework that capture the essence of Chinese traditions and channels them towards Miramar’s experience as a “hybrid” Chinese Canadian. The significance of the epigraphs is not to emphasize dissonance in the reference, but rather the epigraphs act as a tool to show how Miramar understands the world as a Chinese Canadian in response to her alienation from dominant society.