what is the theme?

[jokerfan92]

I think the theme of the story is about your heritage. because if you forget your heritage you'll forget who you really are.

[caseixrose]

i do agree with the hertiage idea, but i also think that you should judge people becasue that makes then want to forget about their hertiage. but, how far will someone go to forget their own hertiage?

[jokerfan92]

well, apparently jin completely changed his physical look to forget about his heritage. but chin- kee would make yearly visits to keep reminding him of who he really was.

[caseixrose]

yes, buttttt, chin-kee was also not who he came out to be. he's was hiding behind a digusie to protect his child.

[Beverly Muldoon]

I agree the characters deal with heritage issue, but is heritage the only conflict people might have in trying to be "themselves"?

Should Jin Wang embrace his Chinese culture fully and ignore everything else? Is it completely wrong to ignore his Chinese culture by trying to assimilate into American culture?

[jokerfan92]

no, what I am saying is that he should embrace the american culture but shouldn't forget his roots.

[Beverly Muldoon]

Chris, your last comment is very interesting and, I believe, the heart of the conflict. Deciding to be proud of his Chinese heritage is a good thing for Jin, but does he have to only embrace that part of his character? Can he move away from his Chinese heritage in order to be more American? How should he do that? Or should he do that? The end of the novel does raise some interesting questions about assimilation. When Jin becomes Danny, he abandons everything about being Chinese, but should he forget everything he might like about "Danny" that is different from what he has been brought up to believe as a Chinese person?