Ethnic Differences Across Generations

Ethnic Differences Across Generations

Gish Jen’s “Who’s Irish?” explores a Chinese grandmother’s thoughts and beliefs about her ethnically integrated family. The grandmother tells the story as though she is looking back on past events and thinking about how they have affected her present life. As her tale begins, she identifies her granddaughter, Sophie, as a wild three-year-old (161). Perhaps the grandmother associates with Sophie’s strong will, because she reveals her own intense nature when she says, “I am hard work my whole life, and fierce besides.” (161). Jen provides an immediate glimpse into the grandmother’s true character that remains constant. As the grandmother recounts her time living with her daughter, Natalie, while babysitting Sophie six hours every day, she gives numerous examples of her fervent beliefs about the roles that members of a family should play. Ultimately, it is the ethnic differences that occur between their generations that divide the Chinese grandmother and Natalie, even though they share the same race.

Throughout “Who’s Irish?” it is clear that the grandmother’s expectations for proper behavior vary greatly from Natalie’s expectations. For instance, the grandmother believes that, although Sophie looks Chinese on the outside, her personality comes from her Irish side (163). Perhaps the real reason that Sophie has become uncontrollable is because her parents have chosen to focus on their own needs instead of their child’s needs. Natalie works hard as a vice president of a bank (161) and John, her husband, “has no job but cannot take care of Sophie either” (162). They both seem incapable of handling their own child, however, they expect that Natalie’s mother will be supportive even though, “In China, daughter take care of mother. Here it is other way around” (162).

Before the grandmother babysat Sophie, Natalie and John hired “Amy the guitar player” to babysit (164). This is another way that Jen identifies how the two generations see things so differently. The grandmother calls Amy “that crazy-person sitter,” while Natalie “thought this Amy was very creative” (164). Jen points out that they have different ideas about how children should be raised with the controversial notion of spanking.

It is in a conversat...

... middle of paper ...

...sp; As the story concludes, Natalie takes her mother apartment hunting because, “She say she have no choice, she doesn’t want to end up divorced.” (168). Ironically, it is Natalie’s’ Irish mother-in-law, Bess, that comes to the rescue by insisting that the Chinese grandmother move in with her (168). As Natalie’s life becomes more stressful with a new babysitter and an unemployed husband, her mother’s life becomes monotonous, but comfortable (168). Although the grandmother sees little of Sophie, when she does Sophie kisses her “smack on the nose” in an obvious sign of love (168). The grandmother sits with Bess watching TV and John’s brothers “hang around” asking when she will leave (168). At this Bess tell them, “She’s a permanent resident,” and also that she is “honorary Irish” (168). “The grandmother replies, “Who’s Irish?” but also relaxes because she has finally found a person who respects her (168). Jen stresses her main point that differences in ethnicity can affect a family, but they do not define a family. Here, two women from different races, but of the same generation, can live together more happily than two women from the same race, but of two different generations.