• A story (context) vs. B story (text)
    • A stories discuss the historical and practical reality of a person, revealing all aspects of ones life (family, community/culture, all expereinces)
    • B stories are the “outwards faces” of people; who we tell ourselves we are and how we want others to perceive us as
    • Main theme of Fan lectures
  • Charles Yu
    • Wries stories detailing the Asian-American experience, especially concerning Taiwanese-Americans
    • Tries to avoid racial/national origin markers but creates books specifically detailing the Asian-American experience
    • Writes on his experience in office work, Asian-American experience, etc.
  • Asian-American immigration
    • 1965: Hart-Celler Immigration and Nationality Act was passed
      • Removed national, regional, and race-based restricitons on immigration, allowing for immigrants from many nations to come
      • In LBJ’s speech on the act, the racism in immigration is an issue because it denied skilled and talented workers from coming to the US
      • Interesting to note that LBJ focused more on Eastern and Southern Europeans rather than those from Asia, Africa, Latin America, etc.
      • Passed because Southern Democrats were convinced that the ethnic makeup of the country will not change
      • Especially important to win the space race
    • After 1965 (and especially after the loss of the Vietnam War in 1975), Asian-American immigration has exploded; immigrants have been highly positive selected and hyperselected
      • Based especially on job skills, family reunification
      • Fastest growing census group
      • Increased education in Asian countries caused problem for those countries; governments couldn’t control the “mindless masses” and economies weren’t growing enough to accomodate the new professionals, so Asian professionals would immigrate to the United States
  • Asian-American pressures
    • Asians expected to be successful, causes pressure on young Asian-Americans due to the hyperselection of Asian-Americans
    • Second generation convergence causes disadvantaged Asian groups (like Vietnamese) to converge with advantaged Asian groups (like Chinese) within one generation
    • Asian stereotypes are fabricated as well
    • Important to know that the Asian success frame and Asian stereotypes did NOT exist until 1965 due to the hyperselection of immigrants