"In The American Society", by Gish Jen, is a lurid portrayal of an Asian-American family who immigrated to the United States--addressing both the struggles and fortunes that America's opportunities have offered the family as they leave their old life in China. Now, the father must make something of himself and his family, in a time when America meant vast possibilities, but also being labeled as a foreigner. The mother in the story smugly declares, " 'But this is the U-S-of-A!' "(542), proclaiming her pride in the opportunities accessible in her new home. Though, as the family begins to assimilate into the "American society", they find that while success brings them respect and affluence, it may not automatically make them fit into the new culture. …
