The Weight of Conformity: Unpacking the Model Minority in Chang-rae Lee’s Native Speaker

Authors : Vahit Yaşayan

Pages : 152-165

Doi:10.21547/jss.1550808

View : 39 | Download : 28

Publication Date : 2025-01-28

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Chang-rae Lee’s Native Speaker centers on Henry Park, a Korean American who works as a spy for a private intelligence firm, and offers an in-depth exploration of the effects of immigration, cultural identity, and assimilation on the individual. Henry is tasked with infiltrating the political campaign of John Kwang, a rising Korean American politician who represents hope for the Korean American community. As Henry navigates his dual role, the novel interrogates the pressures of the “model minority” stereotype, strained personal relationships, and cultural belonging. Through his internal conflict, Native Speaker critically examines the immigrant experience, underscoring how social expectations and assimilation impact personal identity and the complexities of living across cultural boundaries. This article examines the aspirations of three central characters in Native Speaker—Korean immigrant Mr. Park, his son Henry Park, and the politician John Kwang. By analyzing their respective dreams, this study reveals that these Korean American ambitions, while diverse in their personal goals, are unified by their entanglement with the Asian American model minority stereotype. Despite generational differences, Mr. Park, Henry Park, and John Kwang represent distinct facets of this stereotype: the self-made immigrant, the self-effacing and dutiful subordinate, and the overachieving public figure, respectively. These characters’ ambitions not only reflect their individual struggles but also underscore the broader socio-cultural pressures that shape and constrain the Korean American experience, highlighting the hidden costs associated with their pursuit of success and the model minority myth.
Keywords : Koreli Amerikalı Edebiyatı, Chang-rae Lee, Native Speaker, Örnek Azınlık Miti