Being A Chink Analysis

261 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: The impact of racial stereotypes

Being Chinese, I understand first hand how discriminatory words can impact the way that you view yourself. I was really able to relate to Christine Leong’s, “Being a Chink”, and was able to empathize with her feelings of anguish over having a loved one called a derogatory name. Many times I have been made fun of due to my small eyes, flat face, and short stature, all of which are common traits that most Chinese people share. I have been treated differently, asked absurd questions, and been stereotyped all because of my ethnicity. The multiple times I’d been made fun of because I was Chinese are vividly burned into my memory, I can even remember the outfit I was wearing. That just goes to show how powerfully words can affect someone. My

Show More
Related

  • Gloria Naylor's The Meaning Of A Word

    425 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the text “The Meaning of a Word” by Gloria Naylor, the author discloses on how her personal experiences altered her life and presented another perspective on how words can have different effects depending on its context or the situation. She emphasizes and outlines how a racial term can adopt a positive connotation by those whom it is being used against. The second text “Being a Chink” is about a woman who _____. The anecdote also provides experiences where the narrator focused on the existence of a racial term that remained effective throughout her childhood. The meaning of the word varies from ____. Naylor’s story shares similarities with “Being a Chink” by Christine Leong in regards to discussing the essence of a racial term. Both individuals demonstrate how racial acts can ________. Yes, racist language can be

    Read More

  • Comparison of the Two Essays "The Meaning of a Word" and "Being a Chink"

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    In "The Meaning of a Word" and "Being a Chink", Gloria Naylor and Christine Leong examine words of hatred that are meant to scorn, hurt and disgrace people. But these same words could also be used without harmful intentions and in a fashion of endearment amongst the people those words were created for. They each had a different word to discriminate their different culture and ethnicity. These writers discuss the words "nigger" and "chink", which are words in our language mostly ignorant people use. Naylor and Leong are also both minorities who were raised in America. They talk about how discrimination and hatred towards minorities is almost always inevitable in America, which is mostly populated by Caucasians. Naylor and Leong observe how these racial acts of discrimination can unify a group of people even closer together. Naylor didn't know the true meaning of the hate word nigger until it was used against her in a degrading manner. On the other hand Leong already knew what chink meant but wasn't traumatized until she found out her father discovered it.

    Read More

  • Kohli And Solórzano's Theory Of Racial Microaggression?

    940 Words  | 2 Pages

    Kohli and Solórzano’s theory of racial microaggression is described as subtle daily verbal and non-verbal racial insults that are often carried out automatically or unconsciously. People of color are usually targeted through layers based on their language, culture, and phenotype, and Eurocentric cultural values through the act of microaggressions often replace these layers. The authors argued that these microaggressions, although said unconsciously or subtly, the consequences of an individual’s experiences can have a detrimental impact on their well-being and self-perceptions (Kholi & Solórzano, 2012).

    Read More

  • China Boy Essay

    949 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gus Lee, who was born in San Francisco in 1946, a pace about his childhood. He wrote a novel named China Boy in 1991 and did a great job in describing a boy who was grow up in San Francisco and the hardships that the little Chinese boy experienced. Based on the history, the push factors that brought the Chinese to America are unemployment, poverty, famine, overpopulation, and political persecution. In another way, the pull factors are the United States has plenty of work opportunities, the idea of the gold mountain, steamboat ads and the illusion of equality. Gus Lee describes Kai Ting as a representative Chinese boy and growing up in the United Sates, and how he overcomes the difficulties that he faced in the United States. The novel shows

    Read More

  • Sterotypes and Misconceptions of Asian Americans

    709 Words  | 2 Pages

    In addition to discriminating against Asians, what most people don’t realize is that they are discriminating against the other ethnic groups too, thus creating interracial tension. When one superficially praises the success of one group, they are indirectly bringing out the failures of the other group. For example, when comparing Blacks, Hispanics or Native Americans to Asian American success, they are disregarding the fact that Blacks, Hispanics or Native Americans can be successful too. The model minority myth also creates an exaggerated portrayal of Asian students as hard working, studious, and persevering, which can lead to Asian American students being bullied by their fellow peers.

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: Growing Up As An Asian American

    689 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the early years of my life, adapting to the foreign customs of America was my top priority. Although born in America, I constantly moved back and forth from Korea to the US, experiencing nerve-racking, yet thrilling emotions caused by the unfamiliarity of new traditions. Along with these strange traditions, came struggles with accepting my ethnicity. Because of the obvious physical differences due to my race, the first question asked by the students in elementary school was, “Are you from China?” These inquiries were constantly asked by several of American students until middle school which transformed to “You must be good at math” referencing the stereotypical intellect that Asian are perceived to have. Through continuous insult on my Asian heritage, I began to believe and later hate the person I was due to criticism made by teenagers which I started to see true despite all the lies that was actively told. This racial discrimination was a reoccurring pattern that

    Read More

  • Being A Chink Summary

    487 Words  | 1 Pages

    In this emotional essay, “Being a Chink” Christine Leong discusses the meaning and definition of the word chink. She begins by noting the extreme power of language, that it provides us with communication and can be used to define individuals. Leong then recounts the first time she saw the word chink. While completing her weekly chores at her father’s business, she discovered an envelope with the word chink written on it. It did not take long before she concluded that it had been her father who wrote it in the likely scenario that a customer had called him a chink and that he wrote it down to later look up because he was unfamiliar with the definition. Leong felt a wave of anger that someone had tried to degrade her father. Next, she examines how in Naylor’s essay “The Meaning of a Word,” that the meaning of derogatory remarks can vary with context. She explains how within her circle that chink can be used as a term of endearment and that among her Asian friends it loses all power as a disgraceful remark. The essay is concluded with her belief that despite the intention of the term, chink, to degrade, that it had perhaps done the opposite and had brought the Asian community together.

    Read More

  • Being A Minority Essay

    478 Words  | 1 Pages

    Being classified as an Asian and Korean, I struggled with some hurtful comments. However, rather than holding a grudge, I forgave and forgot those comments. Moreover, I used it as a motivation to try harder to reach my

    Read More

  • Racial Slurs Essay

    886 Words  | 2 Pages

    It has long been understood by educated individuals and laypeople alike that some words are considered acceptable in polite society and others, are simply not. It is not the habit of most academics to use language that demeans of otherwise subjects others – particularly not minorities. It is, nonetheless, common to hear phrases and slurs with either a direct connection to, or perhaps a historic origin in, racial oppression or bigotry. Not all of these phrases and slurs are uttered with the intent to verbally assault the minorities they consequentially disparage – at least not in every instance of use. However, their very existence is not only harmful to those to whom they are directed, but they propagate a culture which is, by necessity,

    Read More

  • Prejudice and Stereotyping in the Movie, Crash

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    In our global economy requiring functional and respectful relationships between nations, prejudice and stereotypes can be a destructive force both in the world and in individual societies, especially in diverse ones.

    Read More

  • Stereotypes In Recitatif

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    Growing up listening to these vast stereotypes had brought me down at one point, but in this world, it is all about not letting such words and prejudices keep me from acting out of character.

    Read More

  • Discrimination in Of Mice and Men

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    Overall discrimination is an awful thing. It is like a STD, it can be passed from parent to child, or someone can become infected if you don’t watch out. Discrimination is also like the plague. It sweeps over a large amount of people, infecting most, and most don’t survive. Though today much of the discrimination is gone, just like the plague, but it is still there. Unfortunately for some people, they have to deal with people discrimination from others. Whether it be discrimination of one’s race, age, disability, or gender. Discrimination has numerous damaging effects to someone’s life. In Of Mice and Men the unlucky victims of discrimination also suffer from the same effects. They allow for people to have control of them and walk all over them. Discrimination is like a fire... It hurts.

    Read More

  • Stereotypes in "American Born Chinese"

    1497 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...able they really are with overtly racist stereotypes; and even with all the “human right”’ movements that spring about there is still the need for long-lasting solution against combating prejudices. By displaying stereotypes jokingly, especially ones that pertained for the Asian population, Yang proves not only do people hold prejudice against other groups with his examples of Asian stereotypes, but that stereotypes are still prevalent in today’s society.

    Read More

  • Asian American Literature

    499 Words  | 1 Pages

    For those Asian Americans who make known their discontent with the injustice and discrimination that they feel, in the white culture, this translates to attacking American superiority and initiating insecurities. For Mura, a writer who dared to question why an Asian American was not allowed to audition for an Asian American role, his punishment was “the ostracism and demonization that ensued. In essence, he was shunned” (Hongo 4) by the white people who could not believe that he would attack their superior American ways. According to writers such as Frank Chin and the rest of the “Aiiieeeee!” group, the Americans have dictated Asian culture and created a perception as “nice and quiet” (Chin 1972, 18), “mama’s boys and crybabies” without “a man in all [the] males.” (Chin 1972, 24). This has become the belief of the proceeding generations of Asian Americans and therefore manifested these stereotypes.

    Read More

  • The Humorous Take on Racism in Telephone Conversation

    813 Words  | 2 Pages

    Discrimination has existed since the dawn of men. We have all experienced it in one form or another and sometimes we’ve discriminated without even realizing it. There have been plenty of people who have fought against discrimination by teaching others. Using anger, fear, and guilt many have spread the word to be more tolerant of others but one less common way this has been accomplished is through humor. Wole Soyinka does this well in his poem “Telephone Conversation” in which he takes a more humorous and ironic approach on discrimination. The humorous take on racism in “Telephone Conversation” should be used more in teachings to further spread the foolishness of discrimination.

    Read More

More about Being A Chink Analysis

Open Document