Chang-Rae Lee's Coming Home Again

Lee's chinese immigration and background greatly affected the upbringing of the twins. Lee was a mother like figure to the boys after Cathy left. He took this role by feeding, bathing, and clothing them. When Samuel

“Alright, Mother,” James said as he turned to his beloved sister. James tried to teach Ann what he had learned that day when Father entered the house. He addressed the family and sat down at the table as Mother brought a bowl of terrapin stew for supper. The family began eating the wonderful stew, when Ann interrupted the silence.

Mother has a hard time leaving her home because it was a symbol of her family and better times that she didn’t want to let go of. In the poem “Missing in Action,” Ha explains how her family has ceremony to pray and wish for his return and Ha says, “...Mother locks it [a portrait of her father] away as soon as her chant ends. // She cannot bear to look into Father’s forever-young eyes (Lai 13).” No one misses Father and mourns the loss of him more than Mother and therefore Father’s portrait reminds Mother of better times before the war corrupted their lives. The poem “Birthday” says “Mother and Father came south, convinced it would be easier to breathe away from the Communism (Lai 28).” Mother thought leaving North Vietnam and coming to South

Lee cannot remember his Chinese language which further solidifies the death of his original culture, Not only was the theme of death revealed through culture but physically when Lee’s mother died. However, death led to the strong family connection between Lee and his father.

At the opening of the play, the audience empathizes with the emotions associated with those of Walter Lee’s. As the audience can see, Walter Lee feels trapped. He’s trapped from being able to accomplish his life goal of providing for his family, and he feels trapped by his family because he claims that, in a way, they’re holding him back. Walter Lee feels as if he cannot provide, and he is growing tired of it; “Me, the boy, the way we live in this beat-up hole. Everything.” (32) In addition to being sick of the living conditions that he is responsible for, Walter Lee is frustrated that his own wife doesn’t support his dreams for the future. “Man say to his woman, ‘I got a dream.’ She says, ‘Eat your eggs…’” (33) This shows that Walter Lee has no support, and when he tries to gain the support of his wife again, the same thing happens, “Man say, ‘Help me to take a

“Where’s dad?” “Speak of the devil.” He walked in and popped a sweet and sour chicken in his mouth. “Sit and eat.” Mom firmly instructed. I took a seat as mom passed out food, loading up our plates as we discussed our day, just like we always have done ever since I can remember.

Andy got up and headed down to the dining room. Andy’s parents, Frank and Scarlett, insisted that every evening they eat dinner together. A tradition that seems to be lost on his generation. Since eating with family doesn't apply to any other

Walter Lee Younger is the son of Lena Younger. Walter Lee desires the better things in life and wishes to provide a better life for his son. Because Walter Lee is the leading character, he is the protagonist. Throughout the play, Walter Lee struggles with the urges of trying to feel complete and successful as a man. He begs his mother to trust him and his investment ideas. When she disagreed, Walter became very obnoxious towards the family. He was often rude to his wife Ruth, and any of his sister Beneatha’s guests. When his mother gave him the money for his investment, his attitude changed. He gained a sense of pride and manliness. When his friend ran off with the money, it seemed that Walter had lost his newfound pride. When Walter declined

I remember my mother having set the table, my spot right next to hers, and my father’s across from mine. It was how we ate every night, and how I would have eaten if it wasn’t for the fact that my final grade in history relied on a test about the Roman Empire. The food was laid out in the center of the table, a succulent platter of pork with steaming corn sitting next

Gender roles in Korea were based on a hierarchy in which men and the elderly were at the top. Women were there to serve the men as they provided for the family, “girls had to be closer to the kitchen to serve the men.” According to Jid Lee’s grandmother “this hierarchy was a perfect system for a Korean family, who success was dependent on the men’s strength and intelligence.” However, as the Americans had more of a presence in Korea, they brought over contemporary ideas that went into direct conflict with those ideologies. Jid Lee went against those traditional values. She talked back to her father and brothers. She questioned why women were treated the way they were. Her actions were influenced by reading Western novels. In the chapter “Love in a Dust Storm” she did not do the dishes and was reading Jane Eyre, her mother came back and was furious. Her mother yelled “Once you die you’ll be able to sit on your ass in heaven and red! But until then, you’ve got to do your job! You’ve got to know your place in this house, which is the kitchen.” Thus, caused a tension in the family. Additionally, with the change in gender roles, education began to change. “Koreans built an educational system designed around absorbing information, a system of methods that tested one’s ability to memorize, regurgitate, and apply

In Act I, Walter Lee knows that his practical mother will not want to give him the insurance money for his business plans, so he suggests to his wife that she

Mama’s views on the money that she is receiving differ from her son because she sees the money as a way that her and her family can grow from and live a better life. Walter Lee however believe that he receives the money that he can open up a liquor store, and fix all the financial issues that they may have. Mama didn’t loan the money to Walter Lee because she wanted to put a partial payment down on a house in a white neighborhood, so that the can live better a life. Mama’s faith influenced her plans with the money because she never let the money consume her way or thinking. She stuck to her faith so that she could rise out of poverty. Her faith helped her from breaking down and keeping her family together despite the larger amount of money

"Lindy!" Mother jumped, and sucked her burnt finger, then turned back to the frying pan, stirring the cabbage and onions with one hand and reaching for the seasonings above the stove with the other, tossing celery seed in to sizzle and pop. She shook her head and sighed, "Oh, child," as she pulled the worn wooden board from its shelf, cut brown bread in thick slices, let the pieces fall into a basket, and brushed the crumbs into the sink. She placed pumpkin seeds and thin slices of Gouda together on a tray. For the occasional male visitor the women would fry fish, but they themselves did not eat meat.

So the Tuesday Table story starts simply with a bunch of hungry teenagers and my mama’s stew.

Yiayia's meatballs smell delicious as usual. I wonder how many I'll taste this week as I squeeze onto the lemon colored bench. The side door continuously opens as more family pile into the cozy kitchen. No one dares to miss eating my grandmother's spaghetti and meatballs; why would they? Burning buns are in the toaster over, steam off the pasta clouds the kitchen, and we're all packed in like sardines. Papou brings in the folding chairs to ensure everyone has a place at the table. By six o'clock, roll call had begun. “Is Cousin Tori at work? Is Auntie Karen still napping?” Yiayia interrogates as she always knows when someone is missing. At five years old, I didn’t realize how much these weekly Sunday dinners would influence who I'd become.