In “Ching Chong Chinaman,” Grace’s character undergoes a significant transformation from a more obedient and conforming individual to someone who becomes more independent under Ed’s patriarchal family structure, as she learns to embracing her own identity and desires discovering more of herself.
Ed, in stark contrast to traditional Chinese values, wholeheartedly embraces American ideals such as the American Dream and consumerism. Shown as he talks about his ideology and manifest destiny, again exemplified by his fondness for golf, meticulous lawn care, and his inability to use chopsticks or order Chinese food. Ed’s dialogue, “Now, now, there’s plenty of money for everyone to buy lots of things they don’t need,” reflects his embodiment of American consumerism and a stark contrast from Chinese values of saving money (China Gross Savings Rate was measured at 45.9% in Dec 2021). His status in the family is evident when he calls himself “the boss” as he leads this family and values are echoed into the rest of the family.
Grace, early in the play, conforms to the standards set by her husband Ed. She appears obedient and subservient, lacking an individual identity and copies those American ideals. She grapples with her feelings of inadequacy, particularly due to her inability to have children, and tries to please Ed by ordering takeout instead of preparing authentic Chinese food revealing another aspect of inadequacy her cultural inadequacy. Her inability to cook, traditionally seen as a woman’s role, makes her feel out of place along with her other roles that are at risk as her children grow up. She realizes this in a scene where she asks Ed for guidance on the matter and is met with more traditional women roles. This initial portrayal of Grace paints a picture of a woman who is willingly entrapped by patriarchal norms and struggling to find her own voice. Ed’s actions, such as placing notes in the laundry for Grace to see and read, and instructing Grace to wake the kids up, a role designed to keep her occupied and provide a sense of purpose within the household as she fails to do independently.
Another scene that is important to her character arc is when she damages Ed’s golf club and is likely more passionate about golf than her in many ways and symbolizes part of his American identity. He talks about the importance of golf to doing business and rants about it in depth in intricacies of a swing to J, more attention than he ever gave to grace. It was surprising to see her do something so bold and out of character but does show immense growth and signals for change.
And so as the play unfolds, Grace’s transformation becomes more evident. She begins gradually asserting her own desires and individuality. A pivotal moment is her dance and kiss with J, signifying her newfound independence and a personal discovery of something uniquely hers that she decided to do. This act represents a significant departure from her earlier compliance, highlighting the internal conflict she has been experiencing and her evolving identity that she discovers.
Great writing Steven! I found your analysis of Grace to be nuanced yet accurate. I feel like the way in which you highlighted her transformation and the exploration of her newfound independence was spot on, and I found myself agreeing with all of your analysis especially the ones in which you were able to use societal norms to highlight a more prevalent theme.
I was also surprised about Grace’s character development throughout the play. She was a very typical American housewife, but she was able to break out of the stereotype and pursue something she actually enjoyed, instead of dwelling on her inability to have a child. On the other hand, it felt like Ed didn’t want to change anything about his life and didn’t have as much personal growth.