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Front Desk Quotes

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In a world where inequitable opportunities and outcomes are based on race, not everyone has freedom to do as they wish. The novel “Front Desk” by Kelly Yang follows the experiences of 10 year old Mia, an immigrant from China, and her family who live and work at a motel in the United States. Throughout the story Mia, her family, and her friends face racism in various forms that shows social inequalities. Kelly Yang states these racist actions and injustice in her book through the character of Hank, who faces discrimination due to his skin color. Additionally, the novel explores the theme of discrimination faced by Mia and her family based on their immigrant status. The setting of the story takes place at a motel and it shows the mistreatment experienced by the characters, especially under the unsympathetic management of landlord Mr. Yao. “Front desk” offers a strong narrative that confronts social inequalities and highlights the …show more content…

Hank is a compassionate and supportive character who encourages and supports Mia throughout the story with the challenges she faces. Tragically, when Mr. Lorenz's car got stolen, both cops and Mr. Yao targeted Hank, judging by his skin color. This led the police to visit his workplace and ultimately cost him his job. When Mia asks him why he is not standing for this injustice, Hank answers with resignation, saying, "I've been fighting my whole life. I'm done. It’s no use fighting—people are gonna be the way they’re gonna be" (Yang 105). This incident shows the nature of racism: as Hank is wrongly accused of stealing the car despite being innocent, his race becomes the basis of false accusations, even resulting in him being evicted from the motel he was living in. The act of racism is shown in the past and present, and the novel "Front Desk" highlights the needs and efforts for combating such discrimination. It promotes equality and justice for all individuals, regardless of their

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