Mrs. Spring Fragrance

In Sui Sin Far’s “Mrs. Spring Fragrance”, she illustrates how new Chinese immigrants adapt and assimilate to American culture during the 20th century. Far portrays the dealings that the Chinese characters in the story experience as they steadily acknowledge the American society as their own. She demonstrates how they are immersed in the American culture, yet indicates how they are still established in their Chinese custom. In the beginning of the story, Mr. and Mrs. Spring Fragrance are embracing the American way of life, but still manage to hold onto their Chinese heritage. However, as the story progresses Far depicts the deterioration of their Chinese traditions in place of American ones. Ultimately, seen when Mr. Yuen allows Laura to marry that man that she loves, opposed to having it

This is exhibited through Mr. Spring Fragrance’s discussion with Young Carman, which was in San Francisco. However, what occurs in San Francisco with Mrs. Spring Fragrance remains enigmatic to me. It is likely that a comparable case of misconception emerges in her circumstance as she endeavors to understand a sprawling, integrated, American city. What I find most intriguing about this bit of the text is her willingness to acknowledge her newly discovered country as free of any flaws, asking Mr. Spring Fragrance to simply disregard racial profiling and the detainment of his own sibling for no other explanation than he is not Caucasian. Furthermore, Mrs. Fragrance is also eager to go against Chinese marriage tradition by helping Laura succeed in marrying her true love. Moreover, she readily accepts American ways quite suddenly, and all without any evidence of serious thought. Possibly, she assumes that in order to become wholly American, she must blindly follow all of what is merely suggested to