China Dolls, by Lisa See

Characters
Grace Lee – born in America, Chinese but raised “American” Abused by father Helen Fong – born in America, raised Chinese Ba - father Monroe – brother, married an Occidental Lai Kai and Dajun– first husband and son, killed by Japanese Tommy – son with Tim McNulty Ruby Tom – Kimiko Fukutomi, born in America, Japanese, hid ethnicity Hideo – brother, killed by Americans Yori – brother, internment camp, enlisted Joe Mitchell – pilot in war Tim McNulty – manager C. C. Brown’s, affair with Helen Ray Boiler – killed Ida	Forbidden City Night Club
	Charlie Low Eddie Wu – dancer, gay, married Helen, dance act together Li Tei Ming – Charlie’s wife, singer Ida – “pony”, became Grace’s roommate, hid Japanese ethnicity Lin Sisters – “warbling trio”

 For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition of novel.

1. Discuss how the three families approached their ethnicity and living in America:
1. Grace – denied Chinese culture and raised totally as an American.
2. Helen – raised Chinese, no American influence
3. Ruby – raised in Japanese culture but decided to pass as Chinese for career
2. In the same vein, discuss how each girl was raised and how it impacted their lives:
1. Grace – act totally American
2. Helen – follow Chinese culture: no touching, cannot show teeth when smile, subservient to father
3. Ruby – raised in Japanese culture: rules such as “smile behind pressed fingers so I’d look more alluring” and “begin each sentence as though everything were my fault” (page 80).  

3. Did you see Grace’s father in a different light when you read about her mother’s story on pages 288-289 and the story of her birth on 116-117?  Grace remembered that her dad was a dreamer, and that “Dreamers are born to be disappointed.  My dad was, certainly, and in this single regard I now understood him in a way I never had before” (page 116).
4. Grace’s parents became totally Americanized, but Grace was still bullied in school by three girls of Finnish heritage: Velma, Ilsa and Maude.   When she slowly realized that the three girls were themselves outsiders and that they picking on her to boost themselves, she thought, “It takes training to learn how to be a bigot” (page 116).  Did this give you any insight into why people bully or put others down?
5. Ruby was more Americanized than her family, denied her Japanese heritage, and did not necessarily support Japan’s war efforts.  For example, she called Japan’s “rape of Nanking a war crime” (page 81) and was slapped by her mother who called her ungrateful.  Her parents also disapproved of the fact that she had her own opinions and liked boys.  How did all of this influence her life?
6. In the days after Pearl Harbor, both Grace and Helen were suspicious of Ruby. When Ruby expressed fear about being taken to internment camp Helen said, “What about us?  What’s going to happen to Tommy and me?  They [the Japanese] could come and kill you, Grace” (page 180).   Were these feelings expected? 
7. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor when Ruby was crying in her room, Grace did not go comfort her because she “didn’t want her to lose even more face by seeing me” (page 187).  Ruby brought this up again at the end of the novel, page 350.  Was this a cultural reaction or an excuse not to get involved?   Do you think she should have gone to her?
8. What did you think about Helen as her story was revealed throughout the novel?  Were you able to understand her actions, particularly trying to turn Ruby against Grace and spreading the rumor that Grace turned in Ruby?
9. How well do you think the author portrayed the reactions and feelings of the various people in America after the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
10. The entertainers felt they were doing their part in the war effort by entertaining, and in many cases going to bed with, soldiers. Were they justified in this behavior?  Were these actions viewed in a different light during that time period?  How would that be viewed now?
11. Were you surprised to read that Helen turned Ruby in and that Grace was blamed?  Even though she had kept Ruby’s secret before, Grace was now afraid to help Ruby or answer her letters (page 235).  How much did Helen influence Grace’s decision not to answer?  Did you understand this fear?
12. In 1943 Chinese were granted permission to become American citizens.  Even though Helen’s family was heavily involved in the war effort (Lincoln a dentist in military, Madison and Jefferson made ammunition, mother organized women to cook for soldiers) they did not apply because they did not want to lose “rights to return to the home village” (page 235).  Could you understand this decision?
13. In a review of Lisa See’s new book, The Island of Sea Women, the reviewer wrote that friendship is one of her main themes in her novels.  How was friendship portrayed in this novel?
14. Did you gain any new insights after reading this book?

*****

First Semester Success: 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hardcopy from amazon.com and hardcopy from wordassociation.com.  Click on the upper right link.