Essay Questions

What is being alluded to in the book’s title?

The novel’s title was taken from a school yard taunt/chant recited by schoolyard bullies that singled out Asian-American kids. They would ask the poor child what kind of “knees” were they, alluding to which race they belonged to whether they were “Chinese, Japanese, or America-nese.” This was typically followed up with an insult, stating that if they were neither of the choices they gave they must’ve been “dirty knees.” This ditty summarizes the challenge of growing up Asian in the United States during a greater part of the 20th century; a matter that in many cases hasn’t fully disappeared from the national consciousness.

Why was Woodrow exerting so much effort in trying to save Raymond’s marriage to Darleen?

Woodrow, Raymond's long-suffering biological father, was doing his best to encourage his son to salvage the relationship because Raymond hasn't produced any grandchildren yet. Grandchildren are of particular interest to Woodrow, especially if the child was a male, because he wanted the Ding family line to continue. The divorce was especially hard on him because he felt that beyond being the first in his family to undergo a divorce, a major no-no for Chinese-American families who placed family above personal feelings, it also meant that this may well be the end of the Ding family line.

How is the theme of identity tackled in the novel?

The theme of identity is tackled through the characters in the novel namely Raymond and his lovers, Aurora and Betty. Raymond is the platform through which the theme of identity vis a vis growing up male and Asian in the United States is discussed. Via Aurora the theme of identity as experienced by an individual that grew up biracial and female, and through Betty, the theme identity as seen through a fairly recent migrant coming from a Third World country and coming from a painful, tragic past.