(英语短篇小说鉴赏)In the American society

Mastery Phase
In the mastery stage assignees are able to participate fully and comfortably in the host culture.
Gish Jen in "In the American Society" describes the various personalities in the Chang family. Her story describes how a benevolent Chinese American father resists swimming in the American society, but encourages his daughters--directly and indirectly--to swim in American Society.
In the American society
By: Li Xi From: Economy and Administration College
In the American society
Hale Waihona Puke About the author About culture shock About the article
Honeymoon Phase Negotiation Phase Adjustment Phase Mastery Phase
Honeymoon Phase
During this period the differences between the old and new culture are seen in a romantic light, wonderful and new. For example, in moving to a new country, an individual might love the new foods, the pace of the life, the people's habits, the buildings and so on. During the first few weeks most people are fascinated by the new culture.
Negotiation Phase
Differences between the old and new culture become apparent and may create anxiety. That sense of excitement will eventually give way to new and unpleasant feelings of frustration and anger as you continue to have unfavorable encounters that strike you as strange, offensive, and unacceptable. It's a very hard period for the people who need to adjust to a new culture. The most important challenge is communication.
Honors and awards
2009 American Academy of Arts and Sciences, member 2006 PBS American Masters Program on the American Novel, featured writer 2003 Mildred and Harold Strauss Living Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters 2003 Fulbright Fellowship to the People's Republic of China 2001 Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Fellowship 1999 Best American Short Stories of the Century
In Jen's work, she combines the adolescent's search for self with the larger search for cultural identity. Not only does she focus on her own Chinese American ethnic background, the author also includes work on Jewish Americans, African Americans, and Irish Americans, as well as other groups
Culture shock
Culture shock is the difficulty people have adjusting to a new culture that differs markedly from their own.
Four phases of culture shock:
About the author
Gish Jen:
Real name:Lillian Jen Chinese name:任碧莲 任碧莲 Born: in 1955 in Long Island, New York Occupation: novelist Nationality: American Period: Current Genres(体裁 novel 体裁): 体裁 Notable works: Typical American Mona in the Promised Land The Love Wife Who's Irish? World and Town
What actions show us that “my father "was educated under Chinese culture?
1)… as time went on and the business continued to thrive, my father started to talk about his grandfather and the village he had reigned over in China—things my father had never talked about when he worked for other people. (P101,para2) 2)…For in my father’s mind, a family owed its head a degree of loyalty that left no room for dissent. To embrace what he embraced was to love; and to embrace something else was to betray him.(P103,para6) 3) He demanded a similar sort of loyalty of his workers, whom he treated more like servants than employees. (P103,para7) 4) “Did you eat today?” he asked in Mandarin. (P106,para4) 5) “I like to talking to the judge,” said my father.(P110,para4)
In addition, many of her writings reflect her childhood experiences growing up in Scarsdale, NY. The common themes the writer employs include stories of immigration, assimilation, and occasional tensions with other ethnic communities. The American dream is also an important aspect to her work. "I can say that the American dream is much more complicated than you would think. I think I'm just trying to capture some of that complexity."
Her experiences
Gish Jen is a second generation Chinese American. Her parents emigrated from China in the 1940s, her mother from Shanghai and her father from Yixing. She grew up in Queens, NY, then Yonkers, then Scarsdale. She graduated from Harvard University in 1977 with a BA in English, and later attended Stanford Business School, but dropped out in favor of the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she earned her MFA in fiction in 1983.
"In the American Society" is about the Chang family, with the father Ralph as focal point. The story is divided into two sections: 'His Own Society' and 'In the American Society' and, taken together, both sections illustrate Ralph Chang's transformation from old country Chinese-American to new country Chinese-American on his own terms.