Ethnic Trump By John Updike Analysis

Luke vs Sammy

Both the Ethnic Trump by Gish Jen and A&P by John Updike, stories compare and contrast with each other. These stories can be viewed in a variety of different ways because of how the people were brought up. Both of these stories had a form of racism, and racism is one group having power over another. It depicts what gender, race, or ethnicity you are. Racism is wrong and should not happen.

The first story, Ethnic Trump included a young boy named Luke. His father is Irish and his mother is Chinese, Luke ended up looking more Chinese than Irish. In the beginning of the story, Luke didn’t have a problem going to school and hanging out with other kids. One day he decided to change the color of his hair color to a yellow. In the story a mother reported that her son had invited all blond- haired children like himself to his birthday party. It was at this point, that Luke felt like he fit in because he was invited to something since he changed his hair color.

The second story, A&P included a boy named Sammy, who worked at A&P.

Sammy is a cashier at his job, which his mom got him a job since it was hard back then to get a job. Sammy doesn’t like being cashier because he mentions in the story, “I ring it up again and the customer starts giving me hell. She’s one of these cash-register-watchers, a witch...” Sammy is being forced to stay at his job because it isn’t easy to find another one and his mom tried hard to get him this job. Back at home, it sounds like he is suppose to go to school, do his homework, show up for work, and have dinner with the family. The setting of this story was around the 60’s.
In the Ethnic Trump, Luke ran into some trouble on the playground at the Cambridge Common. These two older brothers starting shouting at Luke, “You’re Chinese.” He didn’t yell very loud when the kids picked on him, but he did say a soft, “No, I’m not.” It was at this moment when Luke’s attitude towards being Chinese changed. His mom just hoped he would forget about the incident, so her husband and her can get their bao after his classes since it isn’t sold in restaurants. Towards the end of the story, Luke ended up announcing that he will not attend Chinese school anymore because he was interested in other things. The parents mentioned very stern, “For now, though he was going to Chinese school. I exchanged glances with Dave.”
Towards the middle of the second story, Sammy started hating his job even more. Three girls walked in with bathing suits to pick up something really quick and the manager went up to them saying, “Girls, this isn’t the beach.” Sammy felt bad for them because he thought that the manager embarrassed them and could have been a lot nicer to them. This incident cause Sammy to quit his job because he didn’t like how they were getting treated, but also didn’t like how he was treated by some customers. When he walked out, he noticed that the girls were gone and that he was all alone. Towards the end of the story he mentioned that his stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter. Back then, it was hard to get a job and his mom got him this job. He knew that his parents were not going to be happy when he went home to tell them that he has no job. The only thing he did gain from all of this was freedom, since he was able to take a stand for himself.
Both of these stories compare in a few ways because of what happened in each story.

Luke and Sammy were both not fans of what they were doing and how they were both being forced. Luke didn’t want to go to Chinese school anymore and his parents were forcing him to keep going. Sammy didn’t like working at A&P, but he felt that he was forced to stay at his job because his mom got him the job. These boys both had a family to go home to at the end of the day and a family that did care for them. Both the parents wanted the best for their children and tried at the end of the day. In both of these stories, they dealt with racism. Luke had boys go up to him and make fun of him for being Chinese, which is a form of racism. Sammy was working and three girls came in barely dressed and was told they were violating the dress code which is a form of racism. Unfortunately, the racism never leads to anything horrible in except on Sammy’s

part.
The contrast of these stories are both different in a few ways because how each kid acted. Luke didn’t get his way in the end of the story because his parents took back their power from him. Luke ran the household with dying of the hair and telling them that he isn’t going to Chinese school anymore. Sammy ended up getting his way in the end because he quit his job, but then afterwards he realized that maybe he made a mistake. He ended up gaining freedom from leaving because he spoke up for himself. I also have my own view on each story because each
I think the first story had some racism in it because Luke was called out on and made fun of. No matter what gender or how you look, you shouldn’t be made fun of because it is wrong. In the second story, the girls walked in the store wearing bathing suits which was not ok during that time. I think the girls were not ok to walk in the store like that, but the manager should have been a little nicer. He could have just said simply, “Just so you know we have a dress code, but we will let it slide this one time.” I can also see how the girls went to the store just to pick up something quick and they couldn’t change. All in all, racism is not a joke and people should not make certain remarks. Racism is what can cause trouble for anybody and make things worse.
These stories can be viewed in many different ways because how each story is told. Both of these stories had a form of racism and racism can lead to different types of actions, but in Sammy’s case he quit his job. Everybody has their view on racism and I believe that it is wrong no matter who you do it to. Unfortunately, in today’s society it happens all around us and it is getting worse. Hopefully we can all stop racism because racism kills.