Asian Literature

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the idea of a racial shadow as is described in the book, "Reading Asian-American Literature" by Sau-ling Cynthia Wong. The paper examines Wong's opinion that many Asian-Americans are pulled in two directions at once and thus have a psychological, bipolar split. This desire to blend into the American culture is common in many Asian-American literary works, and the paper presents examples from a few of them.

From the Paper:

"Wong uses the term Doppleganger, which is a derivation of the German 'double walker,' a spiritual double or matching part of a living person. It is believed by many people that somewhere on this planet everyone has an identical unrelated double. Sometimes the Dopplegangers have the same interests and behaviors; other times, the two are in direct opposition to one another. If they should meet, says the myth, they will both die. The authors and characters in the above-mentioned Asian-American novels, who have both beings or Dopplegangers living within the same body, are especially affected. They cannot hope to forever stay clear of their double and get on with life. The double or racial shadows will live internally and either be a source of strength and support or of weakness and destruction depending on how the other handles the duality."

More papers on Asian Literature:

• Analytical Essay # 103000 : "Women's Experience in Modern East Asian Literature"
• Analytical Essay # 132890 : "Women's Subjective Experience in East Asian Literature"
• Analytical Essay # 89160 : "Male Dominance in Asian Literature"

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