"The Accidental Asian"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses "The Accidental Asian," a collection of autobiographical essays describing the author's experience as an Asian- American and his views regarding cultural identity. The paper shows Liu's belief that although cultural identity does exist, the connection between race or cultural belonging and the individual is not altogether definite. The paper discusses how, although Liu looks Chinese and shares a cultural background with his people, he does not feel that this makes him any less American.

From the Paper:

"Both the hints to political issues and the vivid portraits of his family members, like his father or his grandmother are musings on the theme of identity and its exact nature. Whether Liu speaks about such scandals as the "Asian Money" scandal involving president Bill Clinton, for whom Liu had written many speeches, or the Chinatown in which he and his family accidentally encounter his grandmother among other Chinese people, or about his father's life and character, all the scenes that make up the book revolve around the same idea- Liu's feeling that race and identity are almost impossible to define."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Liu, Eric. The Accidental Asian. New York: Vintage Books, 1999
• Okihiro, Gary Y. Margins and Mainstreams: Asians in American History and Culture. Washington: University of Washington Press, 1994

More papers on "The Accidental Asian":

• Comparison Essay # 73686 : "Into The Wild" and "The Accidental Asian"
• Comparison Essay # 73681 : "Into The Wild" and "The Accidental Asian"
• Analytical Essay # 96619 : "Asian-American Literature"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: