Native Speaker (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Chang-rae Lee
- First Published: 1995
- Type of Work: Novel
- Time of Work: The late twentieth century
- Setting: El Paso, Texas, and New York City and suburbs
- Principal Characters: Henry Park, Lelia, Dennis Hoagland, Jack Kalantzakos, Emile Luzan, John Kwang
- Genres: Long fiction
- Subjects: Language or languages
- Locales: New York, NY
In this first novel, Chang-rae Lee, who teaches writing, discovers provocative strategies to describe what seems to be an inarticulate sense of unease permeating the psyche of the narrator and protagonist, Henry Park, the son of Korean immigrants. One theme, captured simply and eloquently by the title, has to do with differences in the way language is used. Another much more disturbing and original metaphor is that of spying.
The nonlinear narrative of the novel begins on an intimate, personal note, as Lelia, married to Henry for several years, is leaving him. In a muted parody...
[The entire page is 2227 words long]
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