Jessica Yang
Ms. Oberfield
5QHAp8
October 9, 2015
Boxed In, Box Out The boundaries containing what constitutes Asian American literature are a source of ongoing discussion among writers and readers alike. According to an Asian/Pacific Islander American (APIA) librarian’s association, Asian American literature should be “related to Asian/Pacific American experiences (either historical or contemporary) or Asian/Pacific American cultures,” though preferably but “not limited to” works done by Asian Americans (Chen 1). This definition is both restrictive and lax at the same time: restrictive in that the content is constrained by certain themes, while lax in the qualifications of the person who produces the piece. Writers who are neither Asian nor …show more content…
Unlike many APIAs, who strive for realistic fiction, Liu engages the reader with hints of fantasy and science fiction. Jack's mom breathes life into the origami that she folds, creating various animal companions for her son, such as the paper tiger, Laohu. Jack and his mom face discrimination in Connecticut, something that most Asian American stories include; however, Liu also incorporates the storyline of an unfilial and rebellious teenager whose parent passes away, only to regret not having spent more time with him or her, typical of any writing appealing to young adults. A strong indicator of Asian American literature present in "Paper Menagerie" is the transliteration of Mandarin sprinkled here and there, some accompanied by an English translation and others left hanging with only context clues to help one understand what it could mean. This element of Liu's story reminds me of Chen's mention of the foreign Asians versus the familiar but enigmatic Asian Americans. The transliterations seem half-baked, readable phonetically with no meaning in English and hard to guess in Mandarin without accent marks. When Jack acts indignant after his conflict with Mark, his mom is concerned because she notices something off about him, asking "Bu haochi?" (Does the food
Ms. Oberfield
5QHAp8
October 9, 2015
Boxed In, Box Out The boundaries containing what constitutes Asian American literature are a source of ongoing discussion among writers and readers alike. According to an Asian/Pacific Islander American (APIA) librarian’s association, Asian American literature should be “related to Asian/Pacific American experiences (either historical or contemporary) or Asian/Pacific American cultures,” though preferably but “not limited to” works done by Asian Americans (Chen 1). This definition is both restrictive and lax at the same time: restrictive in that the content is constrained by certain themes, while lax in the qualifications of the person who produces the piece. Writers who are neither Asian nor …show more content…
Unlike many APIAs, who strive for realistic fiction, Liu engages the reader with hints of fantasy and science fiction. Jack's mom breathes life into the origami that she folds, creating various animal companions for her son, such as the paper tiger, Laohu. Jack and his mom face discrimination in Connecticut, something that most Asian American stories include; however, Liu also incorporates the storyline of an unfilial and rebellious teenager whose parent passes away, only to regret not having spent more time with him or her, typical of any writing appealing to young adults. A strong indicator of Asian American literature present in "Paper Menagerie" is the transliteration of Mandarin sprinkled here and there, some accompanied by an English translation and others left hanging with only context clues to help one understand what it could mean. This element of Liu's story reminds me of Chen's mention of the foreign Asians versus the familiar but enigmatic Asian Americans. The transliterations seem half-baked, readable phonetically with no meaning in English and hard to guess in Mandarin without accent marks. When Jack acts indignant after his conflict with Mark, his mom is concerned because she notices something off about him, asking "Bu haochi?" (Does the food