The allusions also are used to show the difference between the modern, North American ways and the traditional, Chinese ways. The grandmother, Poh-Poh, is always telling the children Chinese traditional stories about turtles, dragons, ghosts, or the famous Monkey King. In contrast, the children idolize North American heroes like Shirley Temple, Joe Louis, and John Wayne. A perfect example of this is Liang's relationship with Wong-Suk. She compares him to two different, yet similar, characters: The Monkey King, and Cheetah from Tarzan. These comparisons are telling because one is Ca famous Chinese story and the other is a famous Western story. This shows the way that the children havce been influenced by both cultures.
Another important feature of the allusions in The Jade Peony is the way they establish the setting. The family is living in Vancouver during the 1920s and 30s. The real events, places, and people give the reader a better understanding of this time and place. Examples from the novel include the Great Depression, Chinese Head Tax, Japanese Internment, and World War II.
As well, the author uses real places from Vancouver to even better establish the setting. People with knowledge of the Vancouver area will recognize names like East Hastings, Pender Street, Strachona, and of course Vancouver's Chinatown.
People or Characters
- Joe Louis - Part 2
- Shirley Temple - Part 1
- Tarzan, Cheetah - Part 1
- John Wayne - Part 3
- Raggedy Ann - Chapter 1
- Robin Hood - Part 1
Events
- The Great Depression
- Japanese Internment - Part 3
- Chinese Head Tax - Part 1
- World War II - Part 3
Places
- Chinatown
- Pender Street
- Strachona
Chinese Stories
- Fox Lady - Part 2
- Monkey King - Part 1
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