Analysis Of Who's Irish By Gish Jen

In Gish Jen 's story called “Who’s Irish?" is about an elderly Chinese woman living in America as she and her family struggle with issues concerning the correct way to raise a childand cultural differences between two families.The elder believes that her daughter, Natalie, isn’t living the way a Chinese woman should live because of her husband, John. The mother describes John as a depressed man who doesn’t help Natalie. So the mother is constantly arguing with her daughter about how she shouldn’t be the head of household. Another argument they have with each other is the way a child should be disciplined.One day although the elder women shouldn’t discipline her granddaughter, Sophie, she does and gets her in a conflict with her daughter where …show more content…
For example, throughout the story the elder woman is always critical and blunt towards other people. The elder woman is very blunt towards everyone and doesn’t care if she hurts anyone’s feelings. A trait that readers hear in the story is that she is fierce. She won’t let anyone manipulate her or put her down. When gang members came to collect protection money they would hide from her because they were scared of her (1). Another trait readers hear is she is very closed minded. The elder lady think Chinese people are better than Irish people. She critiques the Irish for living on welfare and not disciplining their …show more content…
Her granddaughter is part Irish part Chinese. In fact, the elder woman believes her granddaughter is more “wild” and takes after her Irish side than Chinese (25). Her granddaughter is very disobedient and under her eyes her daughter and husband doesn’t do anything about it therefore her granddaughter gets to do anything she wants to without getting spank. She doesn’t see how a Chinese child would act like her granddaughter does because Chinese children are well