How “Representation” can Perpetuate Stereotypes

In the past few years, I’ve become an avid reader of Asian American authors. However, after reading a wide variety of authors, I can’t help but think that some of the most famous Asian American works all followed a similar, stale format. Whether it’s writing about an immigrant background or a lavish lifestyle, Asian American writers struggle to develop their own voice; instead, these writers build off of the foundation established by The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. 

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan is arguably one of the most influential pieces of Asian American literature. Upon my first read, I was captivated by the simple language and distinct storytelling, all of which made the story easy to understand, and even easier to connect with. I was surprised that bits of myself mirrored Jing-Mei's longing to see her family in China and Waverly Jong’s struggle to adapt to her heritage.  

However, it is important to consider why The Joy Luck Club was the first Asian American story that became mainstream. Is its influence largely overstated?

One of the main reasons that The Joy Luck Club was so successful lies in the fact that it portrayed Asian Americans in values that Americans have associated with Asians. The novel was written in the late 80s, and in Western eyes, all Asians came from developing countries in need of a white savior. The main issue with The Joy Luck Club isn’t that the story isn’t authentic; when writing the novel, Tan alluded to her mother and grandmother’s past to craft a realistic narrative. The problem lies in the fact that The Joy Luck Club is one of the few stories that speak for Asian Americans, making it the only source of cultural understanding.

In the same vein, The Joy Luck Club is often criticized for the lack of representation/poor portrayal of Asian men. This isn’t entirely fair. In the context of the stories, the depiction is actually an honest description of the patriarchal culture in Asia. However, due to the influence of The Joy Luck Club, the stereotype that Asian males are futile and lackluster was established. 

On the other end of the spectrum is Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. The novel and movie served as a misrepresentation of the entire Asian American community. Specifically, the movie is packed with negative stereotypes, providing a false perception that all Asians are rich and superficial.

If such novels are merely stories, why should people care about the message?

It’s important to understand that providing a false narrative about Asians can have real-world consequences. According to a study, “continually seeing characters on screen that do not represent one's identity causes people to feel inferior to the identities that are often represented: White, abled, thin, straight, etc. This can lead to internalized bigotry such as internalized racism.” Authors such as Kwan hold a false perception that providing a voice for Asian Americans means having to portray Asian culture in a specific light. Yet that simply isn’t true. Take Shang Chi, for instance, a movie that tells the story of an Asian superhero. The goal of the movie wasn’t to represent Asians, yet this story was an inspiration for so many Asian Americans because it showcased a strong independent Asian protagonist that served as a positive role model. 

As seen in Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong, it’s easy to understand why young Asian American writers feel the need to write about their own culture as a means to stand out. Specifically, she states, “ It was made clear to me that the subject of Asian identity itself was insufficient and inadequate unless it was paired with a meatier subject, like capitalism. I knew other writers of color at Iowa who scrubbed ethnic markers from their poetry and fiction because they didn’t want to be branded as identitarians” (16-17). It’s hard not to write about the Asian American experience when many publishers have come to expect that from Asian writers. Hong describes the difficulty in finding a balance between having a cultural and writing identity: if you write too much about your own culture, you’ll never be known as a writer, and if you don’t write about your culture, you’ll never stand out.

After reading about my analysis of Tan and Kwan some of you may say: nowadays, there are so many contemporary authors (i.e. Pachinko and Everything Everywhere All at Once) that focus more on providing an authentic display of the Asian American condition, why do you only focus on The Joy Luck Club and Crazy Rich Asians?

Due to how mainstream Tan and Kwan’s works are, many contemporary Asian writers feel the need to follow their styles. As an Asian writer, I often have to debate whether or not my writing is too Asain centric and need to make sure that I strike a fair balance between culture and meaning. Although the rise in novels that accurately highlight the Asian American condition is a great step in the right direction, many of these contemporary authors are still shadowed by the mainstream popularity of Tan and Kwan’s work. 

Recommended Reading from within the article: 

1. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1993/10/22/redefining-asian-masculinity-pbib-would-like/

2. https://spartanshield.org/27843/opinion/a-diversity-deficit-the-implications-of-lack-of-representation-in-entertainment-on-youth/#:~:text=Continually%20seeing%20characters%20on%20screen,internalized%20sexism%20or%20internalized%20homophobia.

3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/interactive/2021/shang-chi-asian-tropes/