“The Woman from New York” by Ha Jin tells of a married woman named Chen Jinli who left her family in China 4 years ago to study English in America. She returns wearing makeup, nice clothes, and jewelry. The people around her assume that the only way she could obtain this money in America is by being a concubine. Chen Jinli had actually come back for her daughter, but she wanted nothing to do with her mother. She attempted to woo Dandan over, but was unsuccessful. Chen was supposed to be placed on leave, but due to the concubine rumor she was fired from her job teaching. She attempted to get a job in the tourism branch, but they wouldn’t hire her because she’d gone to America. She tried to convince her whole family to come back with her to America, but then shortly after her husband, Chigan, filed for divorce. She got her own apartment and after realizing she was rich, people began to suck up to her. Chigan remarried and Dandan and his step son are very happy together.
This story tells us a lot of things about China’s economics and social standards. For instance, when Chen Jinli is explaining her wealth, she talks about how Americans pay taxes and that she made lots of money, but lots of it was taken away for these taxes. She also told the Chinese people about how most of the citizens of New York are not wealthy and there are homeless people. This shocked the villagers because they imagined Wall Street as “paved with gold bricks.” Since everything is shared in China it would make sense that they would not understand that some can be poor and homeless. She also threatens to sue the school for firing her which is not a concept in China either.
In America it is not normal for your partner to be away for so long (except if they are in the military), so I thought it was interesting that it wasn’t a big deal for Chen to move away to pursue her education. I especially thought it was strange since in some of Ha Jin’s other stories it is rare for people to get an education past middle school. However, since she was away for so long and made her own money she was rumored to be a concubine. Would the same be said about a man? Do they think the only way for a woman to make that much money in a foreign country is through her body? Why did they frown upon her coming home when she was well educated and could provide for her family? The Chinese in this story are clearly biased against Americans, possibly due to the censorship of news and propaganda the government feeds them.