“Hunger” by Lan Samantha Chang, Essay Example

The book “Hunger” by Lan Samantha Chang symbolizes the representation of the Chinese living in America, using short stories to describe different characters and how they managed their lives in America without forgetting their deep Chinese roots, customs, and traditions. As Asian Americans, these characters experience their own set of challenges that improved their lives and experiences in different ways. Some of Chang’s images are scary and haunting at the same time and support the contributions of the Asian American population. The emotion within each short story supports the belief that Asian Americans struggle throughout their lives and face tragedy. These events drive the book and its overall direction and focus towards a better understanding of Asian Americans.

The deeply challenging experience of growing up in America as the sons and daughters of immigrant parents is difficult. Chang’s own life experiences drove her storytelling to new heights. The author has written a series of stories that show how different Asian American individuals experience such emotions as despair and and how family dynamics are not easy. On the contrary, they can be difficult and complex for a variety of reasons.  Asian Americans undergo many different experiences that shape their lives for better and for worse. With these five separate stories, the author shares some of her own knowledge through her characters to support her vision of how Asian Americans thrive and also cope in a country that does not always embrace their customs and beliefs.

The author’s short story entitled “Hunger” is dark and depressing in many ways because it shows how the main character, Tian Sung, is in the midst of a disappointing and miserable stage of his life (Chang, 1998). His wife Min does not understand what he is going through and she does not help matters. Her lack of understanding of her husband’s anguish makes it very difficult for Tian and Min to connect on any level (Chang, 1998). This couple experiences many struggles in their efforts to communicate, and as a result, their relationship is very strained (Chang, 1998). The parent-child bond is in the same state (Chang, 1998). This portrayal of these characters is successful because it supports the reality of ongoing struggles within the Asian American community and how these influences play a significant role in shaping family dynamics and relationships (Chang, 1998).

One of the underlying themes taking place throughout Chang’s book is need. Each character has his or her own set of struggles in trying to identify how they fit into an existing culture and set of values (Chang, 1998). The problems that Asian Americans face in a different environment and dominant culture are complex and endearing (Chang, 1998). This introduces an empathetic response from the reader and supports the book’s overall message. The concept of loss is very difficult for these characters to accept with good reason (Chang, 1998). They are unable to determine how to overcome the obstacles they face in their daily lives (Chang, 1998). Each character does not understand how to overcome the losses they are experiencing within their own lives and they cannot move forward in a society that does not fully support them and their emotional needs (Chang, 1998).

Another important aspect of the book and each individual story is the author’s portrayal of the strong family ties within the Asian American community and the sacrifices that are made to overcome adversity within this culture. These characters struggle with their identities within their own culture and they have to adapt to a set of American traditions that they do not understand. There is confusion regarding what is required of them from their own culture and what is expected of them from the American point of view. This clash of identities is difficult for these characters to accept and creates a level of sadness in their lives. The Chinese American way was clearly disconnected from the American dream in these stories. It was very difficult for the primary characters to reconcile their status.

Each of Chang’s shorter novellas represents a set of family values and beliefs that are challenging and critical of the family unit. The experiences of immigrants in America are not surprising. Many individuals and families have found it very difficult to develop a blended identity within a cultural environment that understands the American way. Many immigrants who do not speak English fluently may be unable to experience the American dream in full because they do not conform to the expectations of different stereotypes and assumptions. This occurs even if they possess the skill set to achieve their dreams. This is one of the primary underlying themes of Chang’s stories and it supports some of the experiences of her own life in the process.

In the novella “Hunger,” the primary character struggles with the English language and the ability to adapt to the language and the underlying culture: “I buried myself in Chinese novels and read the Chinese newspaper; my Chinese had formed a brick wall in my mind and only short sentences and stray phrases of English could slip through the cracks. I vowed to study my old books. I would sit for hours staring at the simple sentences on the page. The butter is on the table. The cat is under the bed. But none of the new words I learned seemed able to express my thoughts – I felt as if, in order to speak English, I would have to change the climate of my soul, the flavor of my tongue” (Chang, 1998, p. 46). There is always an inner conflict to conform to societal needs and expectations. Nonetheless, the Chinese culture always takes precedence. The efforts made by the characters to overcome their Chinese roots to make a life for themselves in America are wrought with struggle and adversity. The author provides support for these challenges through her character portrayals and the tone of the language that is chosen.

For many children of immigrants, there is a significant disconnect between the beliefs and customs of their parents. Many children simply do not believe in the same ideals and values as their parents because they were born and raised in the United States. Due to their citizenship and in spite of their cultural norms, they find themselves struggling to survive in an environment that does not embrace their historical identities. It is important to establish the different methods associated with discovery and strength in allowing children of immigrant parents to define themselves independently of their histories. Furthermore, they must recognize that they should embrace the American culture as a means of survival. However, this should not lead them to abandon their cultural identities and beliefs altogether. They should establish a blended identity that is influenced by American customs and traditions. Although this may be difficult for some immigrant parents to accept, it is often the only choice to make when their children want to make new lives for themselves in America. These elements are critical to the success of these children and in fulfilling their potential.

The author’s own struggles with immigration and cultural identity are evident in each novella, and this represents her own belief system. In creating some of the stories, Chang wrote with both the immigrant and the child in mind. She wanted to determine the different types of struggles that each experienced in their daily lives. These efforts also supported the development of new ideas and concepts that were reflective of her past and present. Chang wanted her readers to better understand why and how immigrants and their children act or behave in specific ways.

The development of each story is the author’s way of telling the reader that Chinese Americans have many different struggles throughout their lives and must overcome these problems through communication and perseverance. However, this is easier said than done for many immigrants and their children, as the scars of their culture and the struggle with their identities is deeply rooted and challenging at best. These elements are important contributors in shaping the lives of Chinese American immigrants and how they respond to their surroundings. Chang’s characters clearly battle a war within themselves on a daily basis and need support from their families in order to survive. However, it is sometimes very difficult for these characters to recognize hope in the wake of struggle. They are unable to overcome some of the most important problems that they face in their daily lives. With these inner conflicts, the Chinese American blended culture is sometimes difficult and may lead some immigrants and their children to a dark place. This occurs even when there are opportunities to overcome these issues.

For some immigrants, there is no escape from the struggle and they lead their lives with much regret and little optimism. The characters portrayed in this nature also struggle with family dynamics and how to interact with their family members on a regular basis. In particular, parents and their children appear to struggle much of the time and are unable to manage these relationships in a successful manner. Chang’s exploration of the darker side of the Chinese American culture is unique and satisfying to the reader because of the deeply rooted frustrations and loss of hope and ambition that has plagued them throughout their lives. These characters find it difficult to manage some of the simplest situations and are unable to develop methods to overcome them. This is one of the author’s most important underlying themes and her motivation behind the characters in an effort to explain why many Chinese Americans cannot reconcile their own beliefs with the American way. This is a challenging set of circumstances that is not easy to understand for Chinese immigrants.

References

Chang, L.S. (1998). Hunger: a novella and stories. W.W. Norton & Company, 1998.