Racial integration has been a task that America has not yet solved completely. Chang-rae Lee’s Native Speaker gives an insightful depiction of this prevailing racial dispute. The novel uses first generation, as he was born on an airplane, Korean immigrant Henry Park’s life story to illustrate the existing issue. Henry is ordered to spy on a Korean immigrant politician, John Kwang. The incidents that happen in Kwang’s election camp mirror the racial conflict and possible harmony of different races in America. Although the novel begins with high hopes that interracial disharmony between African Americans and Korean Americans can be overcome through political strategy, by the end of the novel, Chang-rae Lee suggests that political strategy alone
…show more content…
As 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act removed the quota of specific ethnicity, the immigration of Asians, including Koreans, became easier resulting the influx of Korean immigrants during the time. Recently naturalized Korean immigrants begin their stores in poor areas, especially in black communities. There were unceasing instances of robbery, and Koreans’ racist attitude was also getting worse. The prevailing racial dispute was frequently discussed in the Black entertainment industry and media. The phenomenon is well represented in a song called Black Korea, by the African American rapper, Ice Cube. The rapper in the song is a customer in a Korean American store. However, as the rapper, African American, enters the store, “[The korean store owner hopes the rapper doesn’t] pull out a gat and try to rob.” This suspicion can be inferred because the Korean store owner “[follows the rapper] up and down [the] market.” This type of discrimination was recurring during the time, and consequently agitated Black Americans were threatening to attack Korean store owners. The song also says that “we’ll burn down your store, right down to a crisp.” The mutual animosity between African and Korean Americans was building up in severity. The Los Angeles Sentinel, a Black newspaper publisher, pointed out that “[The] failure to acknowledge [this racial conflict] has …show more content…
16th March 1991, Harlins entered Du’s Liquor store. The accident started as Harlins puts the $1.75 orange juice into her bag. Du, by that point, has been robbed more than 30 times. Du, assuming that Harlins was stealing the juice, grabbed Harlins’ bag. Harlins, consequently, punched Du, knocking her down. Harlins threw the juice to the counter and turned to leave. Just then, Du grabbed a handgun and shot Harlins on her back. In the court, Du claimed that her action was a self-defense. Certainly since Du shot Harlins on her back, while Harlins was leaving the store, Du’s action was not a self defense. However, the inspection of Du’s gun done by Los Angeles Police Department showed that Du’s gun was shaped in a way that much less pressure was needed to fire. Judge sentenced Du five years of probation and 400 hours community service, judging that second offense was less likely to happen. African American community was incensed with the ridiculously light punishment of Du. The novel, Native Speaker, portrays this historical event in its own way by changing the setting of the conflict to Queens, New York. Just like LA back in 1990s, in the novel “the real violence and tension” (Lee 149) exist between black and Korean residents of Queens. Typical scene of black-Korean tension is illustrated through Henry’s depiction of his father’s
As 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act removed the quota of specific ethnicity, the immigration of Asians, including Koreans, became easier resulting the influx of Korean immigrants during the time. Recently naturalized Korean immigrants begin their stores in poor areas, especially in black communities. There were unceasing instances of robbery, and Koreans’ racist attitude was also getting worse. The prevailing racial dispute was frequently discussed in the Black entertainment industry and media. The phenomenon is well represented in a song called Black Korea, by the African American rapper, Ice Cube. The rapper in the song is a customer in a Korean American store. However, as the rapper, African American, enters the store, “[The korean store owner hopes the rapper doesn’t] pull out a gat and try to rob.” This suspicion can be inferred because the Korean store owner “[follows the rapper] up and down [the] market.” This type of discrimination was recurring during the time, and consequently agitated Black Americans were threatening to attack Korean store owners. The song also says that “we’ll burn down your store, right down to a crisp.” The mutual animosity between African and Korean Americans was building up in severity. The Los Angeles Sentinel, a Black newspaper publisher, pointed out that “[The] failure to acknowledge [this racial conflict] has …show more content…
16th March 1991, Harlins entered Du’s Liquor store. The accident started as Harlins puts the $1.75 orange juice into her bag. Du, by that point, has been robbed more than 30 times. Du, assuming that Harlins was stealing the juice, grabbed Harlins’ bag. Harlins, consequently, punched Du, knocking her down. Harlins threw the juice to the counter and turned to leave. Just then, Du grabbed a handgun and shot Harlins on her back. In the court, Du claimed that her action was a self-defense. Certainly since Du shot Harlins on her back, while Harlins was leaving the store, Du’s action was not a self defense. However, the inspection of Du’s gun done by Los Angeles Police Department showed that Du’s gun was shaped in a way that much less pressure was needed to fire. Judge sentenced Du five years of probation and 400 hours community service, judging that second offense was less likely to happen. African American community was incensed with the ridiculously light punishment of Du. The novel, Native Speaker, portrays this historical event in its own way by changing the setting of the conflict to Queens, New York. Just like LA back in 1990s, in the novel “the real violence and tension” (Lee 149) exist between black and Korean residents of Queens. Typical scene of black-Korean tension is illustrated through Henry’s depiction of his father’s