In this story by Gish Jen, a young Chinese-American girl is embarrassed about her mother having to work. It is a rainy afternoon, and at piano class the girl admires a beautiful white umbrella. She knows that if she asks for one her mother’s answer will be something like: What’s the matter with a raincoat? All you want is things, just like an American. When the kind piano teacher gives the girl the umbrella she says: I wish you were my mother. She soon regrets these words and decides that the umbrella is not so great after all.
Original Text / PDF / Audio (2,807 words)
I thought the story was absolutely beautiful, and I love how many allusions there are within the story. If the umbrella is an allusion to wanting more things (that usually don’t serve much long-term purpose) and being unhappy with what your mother can provide for you, then the color of the umbrella alludes to white privilege and how white people typically are able to purchase such material. Many people have considered this story to be boring, but when you read between the lines and take a look at how the main character compares herself and what she has to the more privileged part of the population, or rather, Eugenie Roberts (who is presumably white given her Germanic name + privilege), and considering that there are two Chinese families in the town, (the main character’s and the Lees) it must be a really isolating experience for the main character, especially when towards the end of the story they experience racism in the middle of the road. The main character letting go of the white umbrella represents that she is letting go of that desire to not only have such material; but to be white herself. Again referring back to how there is such a small Chinese population within her area, and then the aforementioned racist encounter while her mother was driving and how the main character compares herself and her life to Eugenie Roberts and other white Americans, it clearly was not the first time the main character and her family have experienced such encounters. As a result of this, it is likely that she developed a desire to be white alongside her desire to have material like umbrellas. Letting go of that umbrella represents the main character beginning to feel more gratuity for what her mother has provided and to let go of her desire to be white.
Thank you for taking the time to add this amazing analysis of the story!
I am a tutor on a hospital setting and I appreciated being able to read this story along with my student. So much was said in so few words.
Glad to hear you both enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to let us know.
I enjoyed the story, but it was sad that the little girl felt she had to hide a gift from her mother and her sister. She believed it was better to throw it away than for her family to see it.
Thanks for the thought, Betty. You raise an interesting point. Why accept the umbrella in the first place if she knew she could never use or show it to anyone?
this is one of the best storys I have ever read and it is actually pretty sad to me. This also teaches a vaulabe lesson. Family is more importaant than material things.????
Thank you for taking the time to comment; happy that you liked the story!