Genre
Memoir
Setting and Context
Early twentieth century, Canada and various locations in America
Narrator and Point of View
Far is the narrator and everything in the memoir comes from her point of view.
Tone and Mood
Conflicted, confusing, frustrated
Protagonist and Antagonist
Far is the protagonist; arguably, her Chinese American heritage is the antagonist in her life because it causes her to be rejected or viewed with suspicion by Chinese and American communities.
Major Conflict
There is a great deal of conflict in Far in her early years; she resents the Chinese part of her because it marks her as different but she does not want to be different and other than her family has never even met anyone Chinese. When she eventually meets other Chinese people she is intrigued by them but finally decides to resolve the conflict inside her and learn to love both sides of her heritage.
Climax
Far's employer learns that she is Chinese American and actually vows to educate himself and learn to view racial differences in an alternative manner.
Foreshadowing
Far's telling her employer and co-workers that she is a Chinese American foreshadows the way in which news of her cultural identity spreads like wildfire around town and complicates her relationship with many people she had previously been friends with.
Understatement
Far admits that she did not appear to be Chinese which is an understatement.
Allusions
Far alludes to many of the Chinese cultural traditions that she attempted to amalgamate into her life.
Imagery
The imagery that is painted for the reader is predominantly visual, as it deals with Far's impressions of the costumes and appearances of the Chinese people that she meets.
Paradox
Far is part Chinese, part American, yet both parts of her culture reject her to a certain degree and she experiences racism from both sides; the Chinese community is suspicious and negative because they think she is too white, and the white community is suspicious and negative because she is Chinese.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the way in which Far is treated by both cultures that make up her heritage.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
"The Chinese American community" is used to represent each individual within the community who has the same racial heritage; however, it also tends to attribute one universal thought to everyone in this community which can be worrying and confusing.
Personification
No specific examples
