Hernandez Pina 1

Maria Hernandez-Pina

English 123

27 November 2017

Reader Response #5

Going Through Obstacles to Have a Better Life

In literature, using realism to analysis a novel means to focus on how relatable and true it

is in real life. In the novel Steer Toward Rock by Fae Myenne Ng, she portrays the aspect of

realism, Social Critique, which is, critiquing the social and political conditions of the world's

(Shmoop). Ng shows this through Jack Moon Szetos experience of being a paper son and the

social and political condition the Chinese immigrants had to go through when the Chinese

Exclusion Act was in place. Ng uses the element of fiction, setting. The setting in this novel is

important because we are shown that the story takes place in San Franciscos Chinatown, during

the 1950s. This affects on how the characters act or are treated in the novel. Ng wants to

demonstrate that because the immigrants homeland is not a good place to be in, they tend to do

whatever they can to leave their country to have a better life, even if it meant being restricted of

what they could do.

Paper son is a term referred to Chinese immigrants who came to the United States

illegally by faking a life and saying they are or have blood relatives who have citizenships. In

Part 1, which is titled, Report, Jack Szeto explains his paper son experience. He says, The

Father bought the Sezto name and entered California as the legal son of a gold miner (3). This

shows how the Chinese immigrants had to lie to get into America due to the laws that were in

place at the time. The Chinese Exclusion Act was a law that placed restrictions on Chinese

people who were migrating into the United States. This law forced the Chinese to learn how to
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life a fake life and have a paper family so they could come to the United States to have a better

life. Gold Szeto was the only Father I had, so the law of family was my rule of blood (4). As it

is explained throughout the novel, Szeto was sold to Golds true wife and had to obey Gold

orders. This helps demonstrate that Szeto lacked control of his own life. This compares to the

life that the Chinese immigrants had as well. The Chinese immigrants could not get a good job or

get naturalized because that required legal information that the immigrants had to give away, but

did not want to risk it in fear of being sent back to China.

Race discrimination was one of the big issues that the Chinese immigrants had to go

through. Race discrimination is treating someone unfavorably because they are of a certain race.

(Race/Color Discrimination). Chinese immigrants could not work outside of Chinatown because

of the discrimination of race that was in America. All the jobs that Szeto had were in Chinatown.

For example, he worked in Chongs Laundry, Ho Wan 56, Mayflower Noodles, and Ocean

Palace. Szeto explains the Ocean Palace was his longest employment but, new owners came and

decided to quit. Look at the employment lines outside of On Sang, theyre filled with men who

work for even cheaper wages than our generation. It used to be that one job lasted a lifetime.

Now, the job served the life (120). This quote showed how hard it was for men to get jobs

because of the limitations they had. Chinese men had to constantly keep changing jobs because

the work they were doing was for women. But it was not only the men who that struggled with

finding jobs. The women in America also had to struggle in the work world. Ilin, Jacks Paper

wife, worked at the Universal, but it was sold, so she quit. She would apply for different jobs, but

the jobs she applied for did not want a female butcher. The Chinese woman had it harder because

at the time people would believe women could not do a mans job. The men believed that women

had a bad temper and could not handle what men did. Even though the Chinese Immigrants did
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not like the work they were doing, they would work to put food on the table. The limitations that

were placed upon them did not stop them from working hard.

In Part 5, which is titled, Release, introduces Zhen who takes Veda to meet her fathers

family in China. In China, Veda discovers that parents still sell their children to have a better life.

These were the things that happened. People sell people. Sons and wives, daughters and dogs. It

happened then, it happened still. Only now, there are new names for it (120). Ng is showing

social critique here because she make Veda see the cultural differences between China and

America. Since she was born and raised in America, Veda understands that in her Chinese

culture selling children was something that was very common. My Fathers story was never

complete in America, thats why I could never let it go. But, in China, his story was so common

it wasnt even worth telling (214). In America, a story like Jacks was very common among the

immigrants, but outside it was a story no one has ever heard of before. However, when Veda was

in China she could not talk about her fathers life, how it was wrong what they did because, in

China, everyone was doing it. However if she did mention her Father story, her relatives in

China would see her as a person who does belong, She doesnt know our custom, shes like an

orphan (207). For Chinese people, their traditions is something very important to them.

Although, after her finding out that her father was sold as well, she still believed that selling

children was not right.

Ng uses the realistic characteristic, social critique, to show the struggles the

Chinese immigrants had during the Chinese Exclusion Act. The Chinese would sell their children

so, they could have a better life in America. Although Jack did not dislike America, he still

struggled to have a better life for himself. However, I have learned about this issue in my college

history class, I feel like it is not a subject that is really talked about. I believe this issue should be
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talked about in history courses more because a lot of immigrants were coming to America and

were struggling. Learning about paper sons helped me understand that not everybody comes

from a peaceful place. There are places out in the world that are very dangerous so, people come

to America to protect themselves. However, America does whatever they can to keep them out

but, also claim they want to help others. Through the book, Ng wanted to show people the

hardships that the Chinese immigrants had to go through.

Work Cited

Ng, Fae Myenne. Steer Toward Rock. Hyperion, 2008.

Race/Color Discrimination. U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,

www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/race_color.cfm.
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Shmoop Editorial Team. Realism Characteristics. Shmoop. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov.

2008.