Because of these persistent aggressions against his identity, James has an intense fear of not being accepted by others and not being taken seriously. In addition, Marilyn's mother refuses to acknowledge James and Marilyn's marriage due to the fact that James is Chinese.

Despite being an accomplished graduate student in the history department, James is discriminated against and ultimately not hired as a professor. They feel neither white nor Asian, and are unable to find solace in their parents or in one another.įor James, his Asian identity is the source of continuous conflict. These individual experiences isolate the Lee children from all other members of their family. Hannah, on the other hand, feels invisible. Nath is often the victim of his classmate's racial harassment and is unable to blend in. Lydia feels an added sense of pressure, as Marilyn and James favor her for her fair complexion. Though they react differently to their distinct racial experiences, the children commonly internalize their feelings of frustration and isolation. Lydia, Nath, and Hannah all struggle with their bi-racial identities. Thus, the Lee family is an anomaly and the children are made to feel like social outcasts. Although interracial marriages were indeed prevalent in American society, the Supreme Court only reversed the ban on interracial marriage in 1967. The Lees live in a predominantly white community in suburban Ohio during the 1970s. Firstly, it is necessary to acknowledge the historical context of the novel. Race and identity are central themes that allow the reader to understand the complex experiences of the different members of the Lee family. Buy Study Guide The Complexities of Asian-American Identity in the 1970s

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