Who's Irish By Gish Jen Analysis

While reading Who’s Irish? from a Chinese elderly women’s perspective, I was enlightened about the Chinese culture compared to my American culture. Throughout the short story, Gish Jen’s theme focuses on showing how the American culture and Chinese culture differ through the elderly women’s comments, reactions and relationships. This was very interesting to read given Gish Jens background with both cultures. Throughout this story the grandmother and daughter, Natalie often butt heads in what they thought was appropriate to carry over from the Chinese culture. The main conflict the two had was the way to discipline Sophie, Natalie’s daughter. This was the most apparent culture shock the author was trying to get across in the reading. Gish Jen clearly showed how the grandmother

Even though Natalie asked the grandmother to not spank Sophie, she did anyway because that is what she thought was the only way to stop Sophie from her insubordinate behavior. The grandmother says, “you spank her, she’ll stop” (181) day after day trying to convince and persuade her daughter. Her daughter responds, “In America, parents not supposed to spank the daughter” (181). This clearly shows the cultural difference the two characters have.

Another way Gish Jen portrayed contrast between the American lifestyle and the Chinese is the concept of who takes care of who. In the short story the grandmother says, “In China, daughter take care of mother. Here it is the other way around. Mother help daughter, mother ask, anything else I can do?” (178). This was not big for the stories purpose, however, it again showed the disparity between the two cultures and fit the theme well. Another way Gish Jen shows differences