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... Despite the difference in economic status portrayed in Julia Alvarez’s How The García Lost Their Accents and Wayson Choy’s The Jade Peony, the families are both positively and negatively influenced by the North American society. ... Such is the situation in Choy’s The Jade Peony, in which Jook-Liang, Jung and Sekky learn from Poh-Poh, the grandmother, to ‘act Chinese’. While in How The García Lost Their Accents the parents indulge in the preservation of the Spanish culture for it is believed that background shapes one’s personality, in The Jade Peony, the grandmother wishes to maintain the family roots in the youngsters since she believes that ‘Old way, best way’ (Choy 162). ... Parallel to this are the conditions the young people go through in Choy’s The Jade Peony; the younger generation looks for approval into the Canadian society, but because of their Chinese background, they do not gain the people’s acceptance. ... Despite the promise of a better lifestyle and living conditions, the majority of immigrants are not satisfied by what they experience in their new home. Under common circumstances, most immigrants experience racism, economic crisis, depression, and identity conflict. The government might not have a realistic perspective of the current immigrant situation, but it is certain that because of this unawareness, a great percentage of newcomers dislike their circumstances and return to their native land. In The Jade Peony, it is clearly offered the essence of what is defined as immigration experience; a Chinese family, who left in tears all what is sacred and loving to them, settle in Canada with the purpose of leading a new life. ... Overall, the Garcías lead less traumatic lives than Jook-Liang & Jung and Sekky, setting both in a very different situation, while at the same time, sharing some common immigrant issues.
Approximate Word count = 1393
Approximate Pages = 5.6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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