Exploring Bicultural Experiences: Responding to a Chinese American Young Adult Novel

Shwuyi Leu

doi:10.20360/g2mw2s

Abstract

Reading and responding to ethnic literature that is reflective of one’s own experiences often has significant value for the younger members of the parallel cultures. This paper reports the results of the responses of young adult and adult Asian and Asian American readers to a Chinese American young adult novel set in the 1920’s. The findings suggest that (1) cultural background played a major role in reader response, (2) cross-cultural reading responses revealed readers’ ethnic identity development, especially when dealing with between-world situations, and (3) Chinese Americans continue to experience racial discrimination today. Implications for educators include the importance of critical literacy and the inclusion of multiethnic literature in the K-12 curriculum.

Highlights

Culture is the terrain through which the individual speaks as a member of the contemporary national collectivity, but culture is a mediation of history, the site through which the past returns and is remembered, fragmented, imperfect, or disavowed
The results indicated that Asian Americans continue to experience racism and are frequently viewed as non-Americans today as reflected in the responses of the Asian American participants
The results demonstrated that most participants experienced the feeling of belonging to neither world and/or the cultural conflicts between the home and the mainstream society, especially those who were born in the United States or were recent immigrants

Summary

Introduction

Culture is the terrain through which the individual speaks as a member of the contemporary national collectivity, but culture is a mediation of history, the site through which the past returns and is remembered, fragmented, imperfect, or disavowed. That re-composition, new forms of subjectivity and community are thought and signified. The act of writing and reading Asian American children‟s literature is a part of what Lowe (as quoted above) indicated, i.e., forming and reforming their subjectivity. The reading of multicultural literature provides opportunities for the rejection of stereotyped thinking (Farrell, 1990). Most importantly, it creates opportunities for members from parallel cultures to become aware of alternative thoughts, to value their own culture, and to enhance the development of a positive identity (Enciso, 1994; Sims, 1983; Spears-Bunton, 1990). It creates opportunities for members from parallel cultures to become aware of alternative thoughts, to value their own culture, and to enhance the development of a positive identity (Enciso, 1994; Sims, 1983; Spears-Bunton, 1990). Leung (2003) contends that cross-cultural readings serve as positive supports for minority students‟ ethnic identity development as well as a pool of diverse culture learning opportunities for mainstream students

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Conclusion