Book report- The Jade Peony
First off-
So the latest book I've read for my friends book recommend project is,
The Jade Peony
Wayson Choy
Douglas and McIntyre
1995
Andrew Testa
Our Family
The Jade Peony is a novel by Wayson Choy. The novel features stories told by three siblings, Jook-Liang, Jung-Sum and Sek-Lung or Sekky. Each child tells their own unique story, revealing their personal flaws and differences.
Set in Vancouver's Chinatown, the novel takes place during the 1930s and 1940s and among other events, explores the ways in which the Chinese and majority of Canadians once viewed the Japanese, especially during Japan's occupation of China during the Second World War and in the events following Pearl Harbor.
Other issues dealt with in this novel include the sense of belonging to a nation, and how young children of immigrants felt at this time, trying to find their identity when they were alien residents in Canada, but were not born in the same country as their parents were. They are working to find their identity as Chinese Canadians, and find either embrace being Canadian, or keep the Old China ways alive. This issue becomes especially important in the wake of their grandmother (called Poh-Poh or the Old One)'s death.
Other issues dealt with in this novel include the sense of belonging to a nation, and how young children of immigrants felt at this time, trying to find their identity when they were alien residents in Canada, but were not born in the same country as their parents were. They are working to find their identity as Chinese Canadians, and find either embrace being Canadian, or keep the Old China ways alive. This issue becomes especially important in the wake of their grandmother (called Poh-Poh or the Old One)'s death.
The Jade Peony was the story of three children, growing up with a choice between a North American identity, or choosing their family and historical identity. It was all about the process of being consumed by your family, which makes these photos by Zhang Huan very applicable.
Maleonn- one of my favorite photographers, has some images that visually remind me of the idenities of the kids in the book.
If you want to read more books along this line, I would recommend
The Hungry Ghosts by Anne Berry, and
The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan.