Read this passage from Dragonwings by Laurence Yep. During those trips alone among the demons, Father and I learned things about one another; and more, we learned about being a father and a son. Every trip was an adventure into a strange, fearful city; and yet I felt safe by my father's side. Anyone who could laugh and tell stories and jokes and sing while he was alone among the demons must know what he was doing. In my own mind, Father was the embodiment of Uncle's superior man. Only once during all those trips did we have any trouble. Some demon boys were out in the street. They stooped as if to pick up things to throw, and Father whispered to me to sit up straight and not show I was afraid. The demon boys called out some things, but we ignored them until we had passed them by. A rock whizzed by my ear and hit Red Rabbit in the side. He snorted, but plodded on as steadily as before. How does this passage show the types of problems Chinese immigrants faced in the early 1900s? The boys are throwing rocks at the narrator and his father because they are Chinese. The narrator calls the boys demons instead of calling them Americans. The horse has a traditional Chinese name, Red Rabbit, instead of an American name. The narrator and his father ignore the boys instead of confronting them for their actions.
The boys are throwing rocks at the narrator and his father because they are Chinese.
This passage shows that Chinese immigrants faced discrimination and prejudice in the early 1900s. The boys are throwing rocks at the narrator and his father because they are Chinese, highlighting the racial harassment they faced. Additionally, the author refers to the boys as "demons" instead of calling them Americans, suggesting a sense of otherness and alienation experienced by Chinese immigrants. The fact that the horse is named Red Rabbit, a traditional Chinese name, rather than an American name, reflects the Chinese immigrant community's effort to maintain their cultural identity in the face of discrimination. Lastly, the narrator and his father choose to ignore the boys' actions instead of confronting them, possibly indicating a strategy employed by Chinese immigrants to avoid further conflict and protect themselves.
This passage from Dragonwings by Laurence Yep provides a glimpse into the types of problems that Chinese immigrants faced in the early 1900s. The specific problem shown here is that the boys are throwing rocks at the narrator and his father because they are Chinese. This represents an act of discrimination and prejudice towards the Chinese immigrants.
It is evident that the boys are targeting the narrator and his father due to their Chinese ethnicity, as the passage refers to them as "demon boys." The use of this term suggests a dehumanizing portrayal of Americans towards the Chinese immigrants during that time period.
Additionally, the fact that the horse is given a traditional Chinese name, Red Rabbit, rather than an American name, implies a cultural divide between the Chinese immigrants and the American society they are trying to integrate into. This cultural distinction further highlights the challenges and difficulties faced by Chinese immigrants during that era.
Furthermore, the narrator and his father's response to the boys throwing rocks is a reflection of the difficult situations Chinese immigrants encountered. They choose to ignore the boys' actions and not confront them directly, likely out of a sense of vulnerability and a desire to avoid further conflict or drawing attention to themselves. This suggests a power imbalance and the need for self-preservation in the face of hostility and discrimination.
Overall, this passage effectively illustrates some of the problems Chinese immigrants faced in the early 1900s, including discrimination, cultural alienation, and the need to navigate a hostile environment while maintaining a sense of safety and dignity.