Looking at Gish Jen`s `The Water Faucet Vision` (1987) analyze how plot,character, setting, point of view, tone, and language were used either effectively or ineffectively to convey the s idea to the reader.

Looking at Gish Jen`s `The Water Faucet Vision`

One of the most celebrated novelists in American contemporary literature today is Gish Jen . Born in New York and a second generation Chinese-American , many of her works involved mostly of how immigrants - especially Chinese - deal with life abroad (Minnesota ) Her stories tell of how these people navigate through their dreams , aspirations and struggles to become better people in a foreign land . In a collection of short stories entitled Who 's Irish , Jen intertwined many stories of Chinese immigrants to incorporate it to the

Chang family - usually the characters that which her stories evolve

In Who 's Irish , there is a story entitled The Water Faucet Vision The main character is a fifth grade Catholic school girl who practices extreme Catholic spiritual ascetism to deal with her problems (Bauer She has a friend with whom she shares her problems with but her girl friend also has problems of her own . Her main problem is that , her parents (Ralph and Helen ) fight regularly and viciously and that her friend 's father had just run off . Because of these , the two girls usually practice ostentaious piety and chants for her parents to reconcile (THOMPSON

Jen 's delivery of the lines both for the two girls is highly comic but it does not take a psychiatrist to know that behind all their humorous and platonic conversations , there is an underlying emotional pain that haunts the two characters . As reminiscent of all Jen 's characters Callie , the main character , is the daughter of the Chang patriach . With her parents never ending quarrels and struggles to fit in ' in the American society , Callie tries to displace her need for attention through her own weird ways . And , as a Chinese-American teenager trying to fit in in a society where a lot of cultures are clashing , we can say that Callie is the Eastern version of most American teenage girls . She have the same problems as American teenage girls have - about dealing with parents , society , friendships ,etc . The difference lies in the fact that Callie 's parent 's culture plays a very big consideration on how she deals with her life . No matter how she tries to belong in her school crowd , she still considers her family 's traditions and hesitations about fully embracing the American society

The story takes place in a suburbs and in a Catholic school . I think that the fact that Callie goes to a Catholic school has a big relevance to the story . Since the Changs live a suburbian community , the family is middle class and does not have too much financial worries . About Callie going to a Catholic school is another spice in the story . Given that the Changs are immigrants , religion and race is still a major factor in their way of life . The fact that their daughter goes to a Catholic school and that Callie 's parents are still hesitant about the American culture only means to me that it only makes Callie more confused . Callie might have embraced a couple of her school 's beliefs and at the same time , her parents Chinese beliefs . To me , Jen 's choice of a school for the protagonist is rather an allusion of the American society which Callie should face to develop her own ideas and decisions so that she can strive to be a better American and Chinese if ever she stumbles upon a situation wherein her own life , culture and religion should come to a test

Mainly , the plot of the story is just a branch ' of the whole Chang saga . It was just another angle of the how the Changs live their life The family 's story is told through another eyes but still a part of the family . The writer tried to tell the story in a more humorous and superficial point of view . But , the good thing about it is that , the writer tried to be emphatetic enough with Callie and as it turned out it gave a little funny side in the usual serious story of the adult Changs . If it were not for her style and how she delivered her character 's lines , the plot of the story would just be the same as the usual plots as many other stories . In the usual world of the Changs they deal with how they struggle to live every day in America and how hard it is for them to find their own niche in a foreing land . They are still adamant about letting go of the culture they have learned to know and grow up with . Whereas Callie , a new bred of Chinese-American immigrant , gives a refreshing take on how she views the American society and how (like her parents ) she struggles to live every single day in America hoping that one day , her peers would accept her (and her culture . She is also very hopeful for her family . Although she practices some weird Catholic acts and many people sees her as a orbid girl , she still prays for miracles hoping that one day , her parents would reconcile at their differences and move on with their lives . As I see it , Callie is not a weird girl . To me , she is just trying to be like every one else . At the end of the story , the writer tried to inject a twist in the plot by having Helen (Callie 's Mother ) leap out another story that just shocked everyone with the atrociousness of events . Since this is just a part of the Chang story , the writer tells Helen 's story in another story . The writer clearly wants make her readers read another story in her collection

In the entire short story , the writer employed a light and very humorous conversations both for Callie and her friend . The protagonist is highly witty throughout the story but when it comes to dealing with her parents , the character morphs into the untypical Callie in school I liked the way the writer used words wherein fifth graders really use It only means to say that the writer wants to convene to her readers that she can relate to younger audiences and at the same time , make her readers feel the emotional circus that her characters are undergoing The writer was very good in giving the protagonist a spunk and at the same time , making her (Callie ) a very relevant persona for Jen 's more adult readers . Personally speaking , I liked how the writer managed to deliver her lines in situations wherein it was supposed to be serious but it still turned out funny . Behind the character 's wit and charm Jen was still very succeeful in making her readers feel as if they know a part of Callie

Many critics say that Gish Jen is one of the most compelling today . She , of very eccentric decent , has carved a name for herself in American literature . The Water Faucet Vision , actually , is not one of her highly acclaimed works but if we analyze it enough , it tells of a very relevant situation that most people faces today - that is , trying to cope with an alien society . The writer was effective in narrating to her readers how a daughter of a Chinese immigrant lives her life in a society full of clashing ideas . The writer wants to impart to her readers that Chinese are very proud of their beliefs and traditions and that it is hard for them to easily let go of such . And , assuming that the Changs are a very conservative family , the trouble now extends to Callie . Having lived in a house wherein Chinese traditions are strongly practiced and living in a world of ultimate freedom , the protagonist is now confused whether she should embrace the society that she is now living with or retain the traditions that her family practices

The story mainly wants to narrate to the readers what are the aspirations and dreams of a Chinese family (or a foreigner for that matter ) and how they try to cope with it and how hard it is for them to attain a certain level of belongingness in an unfamiliar territory Callie tries to be one of the group but still , she is foressen as morbid because she is practicing some weird Catholic stuff but the truth is she is also hurting (as read in her conversations with her friend . And how she deals with it may seem like a breeze but actually , it still is a chip on her shoulders . It is not easy for her to adapt to the society Like any other teenager , she has her own problems but it is doubled by the fact that she has to deal with her peers , school and most especially , her family and their age-old traditions . In reality although she portrays as an angst-driven kid , she also has a tender side . She also hopes for a reconciliation and happiness for her family She is a typical portrait of girl who is trying to belong but is slowed down by some beliefs that haunts her family

Bibliography

Bauer , Stephen M . Wonderful Evocation of Chinese-American Life . 7 July 2002 . 19 July 2007 br

Minnesota , Regents of the University of . Gish Jen . Minnesota , 2006

THOMPSON , JEAN . Typical Americans . New York , 27 June 1999

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Looking at Gish Jen`s `The Water Faucet Vision` ...