The Bane Of The Internet Ha Jin Summary

“If only I could shut her out of my life for a few weeks. If only I could go somewhere for some peace and quiet.” (592) are the ending lines that adequately exemplify Ha Jin’s short story of a Chinese immigrant in America and her progressively poisonous relationship with her younger sister Yuchin in China. In “The Bane of the Internet” it can be seen how the two sister’s relationship increasingly becomes more complex and dependent, as they evolve from analog to digital communication through email. Ha Jin’s narrative deftly demonstrates how the frequency, directionality and accessibility of email communications can negatively affect interpersonal relationships.

In “The bane of the Internet” the new increased frequency in communication that email provides, has generated a dependent relationship between the older and younger sibling. At the beginning of the story, when the siblings communicated via

The ability to write in a lineal matter allows the younger sister to repeatedly state her wants, while simultaneously ignoring the protagonist’s advice. Throughout the narration it can be seen how the younger sister Yuchin blatantly ignores her sister’s claims and proceeds to merely report and excuse the status and needs of her car acquisition. Yuchin consistently address her sister in an inflexible unilateral manner “Elder sister since you refused to help me, I decided to act on my own. At any rate, I must have a car….” (591) Or “Got it. Have a nice dream, sister!” (592). The internet’s interconnectivity has undoubtedly allowed for easier forms of communication; nevertheless, it also has exponentially increased the misuse of communication between its users. As Ha Jin’s “The Bane of the internet” exemplifies, the same factors that facilitate conveyance, can spoil the quality and rapport between its users and develop negative unhealthy