The main characters include Ben Loy, Mei Oi (a young married couple), Lee Gong (Mei’s Father) and Wah Gay (Ben’s father) together with others (Ah Song and Dr. Suey) who contribute to the development of a very interesting story with the couple as the backbone. Yes I can follow them and identify the role of each in New York “Chinatown”. The book is an interesting revelation of how the whites relate with immigrants in a Chinese America setting. The different stories of the characters illustrate the existing conflicts between the modern American society and the Chinese traditions and ideals. I like the story and I am encouraged to read further because I want to learn why the Chinese immigrants tend to live together by themselves and form a little “Chinatown” as opposed to spreading and interacting openly with the whites. I come to learn that during this time, it is difficult for the Americans to accept immigrants and I would like to know how this distance turns out in the end. I would also be happy to be informed of the impact of the Chinese contribution to the building of the transcontinental railroad. I would like to be acquainted with how the conflict and distance between Mei and Ben following their secrets and extramarital affairs turn out in the end. The author has a point to make citing the incident where Mei arrives in America and it is a happy time for her. However, as events turn out, she feels lonely and ends up sobbing most of the time for she does not know the cause of Ben’s impotence (Chu, 121). I can construe that the writer is trying to demonstrate the gap between American citizens and immigrants of Asian origin and the difficulties that immigrants face as they try to fit in their new environment.
Works cited
Chu, Louis. Eat a Bowl of Tea. New York [u.a.: A Lyle Stuart Book, published by Carol Pub. Group, 1993. Print.
