Trying to Find Chinatown (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: David Henry Hwang
- First Published: 1996
- Type of Work: Play (one-act)
- Genres: Drama, One-act play
- Subjects: Music or musicians, New York City, Adoption or adopted children, Identity, Asian Americans, Chinese Americans, Violins or violinists
- Locales: Chinatown, New York
Two perspectives on modern Chinese American identity clash on a New York City corner when Benjamin, a Caucasian Asian American, and Ronnie, a fully assimilated street musician of Asian ancestry, debate ethnic identity. The charm of this two-person play is that each character is equally likable (and at times equally annoying); their arguments, though oppositional, equally viable; and, in the end, no single viewpoint is privileged. Their debate about how best to represent oneself as an Asian American ends not in a victory but in a draw.
Benjamin Wong is blue eyed and blond haired....
[The entire page is 1002 words long]
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