Open AccessExploring Bicultural Experiences: Responding to a Chinese American Young Adult Novel
Author(s) -
Shwuyi Leu
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
language and literacy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1496-0974
DOI - 10.20360/g2mw2s
Subject(s) - reading (process) , ethnic group , identity (music) , literacy , chinese americans , inclusion (mineral) , psychology , gender studies , asian americans , curriculum , set (abstract data type) , adult literacy , cultural identity , value (mathematics) , developmental psychology , pedagogy , social psychology , sociology , linguistics , anthropology , aesthetics , philosophy , feeling , computer science , programming language , machine learning
Reading and responding to ethnic literature that is reflective of one’s own experiences often has significant value for the younger members of the parallel cultures. This paper reports the results of the responses of young adult and adult Asian and Asian American readers to a Chinese American young adult novel set in the 1920’s. The findings suggest that (1) cultural background played a major role in reader response, (2) cross-cultural reading responses revealed readers’ ethnic identity development, especially when dealing with between-world situations, and (3) Chinese Americans continue to experience racial discrimination today. Implications for educators include the importance of critical literacy and the inclusion of multiethnic literature in the K-12 curriculum.