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Culture Clash The two short stories, The Tenant by Mukherjee and The Red Sweater by Ng bear many similarities as well as differences. The authors of these two stories go about conveying basically the same message, however, with a slight variety. In these short stories, Mukherjee and Ng go into detail of the lives of two young women struggling with their identities as immigrants in the American culture. This clashing of cultures, predominantly the Asian culture (in these cases), against the American culture, is the central idea that one may conclude after reading these two short stories. Mukherjee and Ng both share or differ in the three literary elements of plot, theme, and characters in portraying the consequences of this culture clash. Plot is a literary element necessary in any short story, and is one given in The Tenant.
The protagonist of the story is the main and central character, Maya. The story is told in third person and much of the focus is centered on her. The antagonist of the story could also be said to be Maya herself. Exposition is told throughout the story. Bits and pieces of Maya s past relationships, i. e.
husband, men, and father, are shown at a glance here and there. However, much is still not known of her past and is still a mystery to the reader. Fran knows about the divorce, but nothing else 104. Throughout the story, she constantly battles within herself the life between an American and an Indian. She cannot choose one culture over the other, nor can she successfully clash the two. This is the constant conflict of the story.
The climax of the story could be said to have come when the landlord Suminski has asked her to leave the apartment. Although it leads to no resolution it continues the constant idea of Maya remaining a tenant in America. Resolution, like said before, is not clear and in ones opinion can be said to not exist in The Tenant. Plot in Ng s, The Red Sweater is similar as the plot in Mukherjee s, The Tenant, however, the two are not identical. The protagonist of The Red Sweater is the youngest sister. Her name is not given so that the reader possibly maybe able to identify with her situations.
The story is told in her point of view, first person, and therefore her thoughts and mind is obviously known the most. The antagonist of the story is also like in The Tenant, her own self. Exposition in this story, however, is told in much more detail and illustration, unlike Maya, the youngest sister s history is known. One can see why she wants to get away from a certain culture and into another, however, with Maya you can only know the going back and forth and not the actual motivation behind it.
Conflict in this story is also the same as the conflict Maya deals with. The younger sister wishes to move away from the Asian culture, however, realizes that she cannot get away from it. The American way versus the Asian way is a constant struggle she cannot overcome, just as Maya in The Tenant. Resolution in The Red Sweater is much less stagnant than the one in The Tenant. The youngest sister in this story comes to the conclusion that suddenly I don t care 240, after being asked by the waiter if she was Chinese, possibly stating that she accepts her mix of cultures and does not fight to be free of one over the other. Character is a major element exhibited in both short stories and is one also necessary to help portray this culture battle.
In The Tenant, Maya could be said to be a round character. We as a reader are puzzled by her actions, the relationships she explores, her motivation behind wanting to be in one culture, but not being able to succeed in it. She is a static character because she does not change. She is constantly going between cultures and even though in the end goes with the Asian man, exclaims that, it will not be the end of Fred s world 112.
Ng s use of this character as a literary element is similar, however, once again is not completely equal. The protagonist, the youngest sister of The Red Sweater, is too said to be a round character. There is much more that the reader does not know, but by the authors use of telling her actions (her wants), she is a much more motivated and consistent character. Unlike Maya, this character is much more dynamic. One can say that she has undergone some kind of change 101. She realizes in the end that her conflict is a puzzle unable to be solved.
Lastly and most importantly, theme is a major element used by both Mukherjee and Ng in writing the two short stories. The two stories both convey the same centralized theme of the clashing of two cultures and the inability to dispose of anyone. In The Tenant, Mukherjee uses Maya s relationships with men to depict this theme. She states that, All Indian men are wife beaters That s why I married an American 104, however, in the end of the story leaves the American man, Fred, for the Indian man, Ashore Mehta. She even goes further by saying that she is not done with Fred s world. This just shows of her inability to commit to one culture, the fact that she cannot be apart from both.
She feels like a tenant in America, She is an American citizen. But 104. However, she is also not completely accepted by her Indian culture, She doesn t want husband and wife to get into whispered conferences about their guests misadventures in America, as they make tea in the kitchen 106. She is at a loss and a stand still. She wants both cultures, but the cultures will not allow her the ability to clash the two. In The Red Sweater, Ng uses the youngest sister s relations with her parents to communicate this message or theme.
She wants to get away from the Chinese culture, i. e. her parents ways, however, is not able too. She is found imitating her father when ordering drinks at the restaurant.
My scotch tastes good. It reminds me of Deh. Johnny Walker or Seagrams 7, that s what they served at Chinese banquets 237. She is not able to forget the memories of her past and constantly throughout the story recollects them with her sister. They had gone to an American restaurant to eat, however, had a longing to go to a Chinese one.
Maybe we should have gone to Sun Hung Hung. At least the vegetables are real. 238. She had bought her sister a red sweater to make her happy, letting her be free of the Chinese culture for a short while, but gives her one made in Hong Kong. Constantly showing the departure of the Chinese culture is not capable.
Mukherjee and Ng takes these three elements of plot, character and theme to depict this conflict of cultures. Maya in The Tenant, is never successfully able to get away from her Indian culture. Mukherjee shows this through the relationships that Maya encounters and goes through. The youngest sister in The Red Sweater, is not able to get away from the Chinese culture because of the deep rooted memories that she has gained through her parents. In both short stories the authors show the struggle of two women in similar circumstances going through this battle and of ones that are not able to overcome it. A possibility that the authors are trying to state that this conflict is unable to be won so therefore should not be fought against.
Instead, one that should be worked with. 322
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