Finally Seen

Content Warning: This section includes discussion of anti-Chinese xenophobia, anti-immigrant biases, abuse, child loss, and racism.

“My new sister’s mind is like a space cruiser from Star Wars—traveling at light speed. Her rapid tongue shifts between Chinese and English words whenever she gets stuck. At my old school, I studied English too. But hearing her speak English…my tongue shrinks in intimidation.”

Lina’s first impression of her younger sister, Millie, whom she has not seen for five years, sets up one of Lina’s many internal conflicts. Millie is clever and bold, using her two languages as tools for the quickest communication; even when she is “stuck,” Millie has no hesitation or shyness, sailing onward with the word choice that comes to her most easily. Lina’s figurative language regarding her tongue conveys that she feels inferior to Millie in English language skills yet demonstrates a sense of imagination and effective imagery and word choice. The allusion to light speed and simile with the Star Wars film franchise suggests that Lina is familiar with pop culture and capable of metaphorical thought.

“There’s a long trail of squealing children behind me. We make a giddy, squealing dragon as we run around the field, dodging Lao Lao.”

Lina struggles with guilt over leaving Lao Lao behind when she comes to the US, another of her many internal conflicts. Her struggle is apparent in this moment from Lina’s dream in which Lao Lao plays the “eagle” trying to catch the Bei Gao Li Village children, her “chicks.” Lao Lao’s inability to catch Lina in the dream shows that Lina believes she ran away from her grandmother though Lao Lao wanted her to stay.