Ralph Chang → the patriarch of the Chang family → runs a pancake business →
believes in patriarchal values → is proud of his Chinese heritage and identity → refers
to his family and employees as “his people”; possessive adjective → wants to exercise
power & authority over others in order to gain respect → hints that he had come from a
wealthy family in China before immigrating to the US (his father used to give out “bags
of rice” to people who needed it) → fancies himself as the head of the family and
business → sticks to his chinese beliefs and values and doesn’t care whether he fits in
or not (wears “ten-year-old shirts”)
Mrs Chang → doesn’t have a first name → used to work as a supermarket manager →
wants family to fit in with American society to help them live their lives easier (“This is
not China”)→ is willing to adapt to new culture → has more friends and a social life → it
was her idea for them to join a country club → wants to be accepted despite being an
outsider → is regarded as exotic while at the party→ a guy who claims to know a few
Chinese words apparently flirts with her and she keeps laughing→ she later leaves with
her family when Ralph reaches breaking point at the pool → apologises due to feeling
like she was the cause of trouble
Mona and Callie → care about family → daughters of the Chang family → Mona is more
sociable, outgoing and talkative; resembles her mother → Callie is more quiet and tends
to observe things as the narrator of the story (comparable to Nick from the Great
Gatsby) → both are proud of their father for standing up for himself at the end of the
story
Booker and Cedric → undocumented Taiwanese immigrants → employees at Mr
Chang’s pancake house → run-down state; reflects desperate situation and hardship of
immigrants → conforms to Ralph’s patriarchal values, total obedience and gratefulness
towards Ralph because of their lack of options → pursuers of the American Dream →
want to blend into American society, innocent intentions but illegal methods → difficult
and stressful lives; do not always have legal means to chase their dreams → end up
running away due to fear
Fernando → is probably Hispanic/ Latinx → despises Cedric (probably due to racism)
→ rallies the other staff against him at the pancake house → calls him ugly names and
punched Cedric when the latter talked back (“Cook, you mean”) → has double
standards; reports Booker and Cedric to the police for being undocumented immigrants
despite hypothetically being a thief himself (he stole some steaks and was caught by
Ralph “by the back door”) after being fired
, Jeremy Brothers → typically American → gets drunk at his going-away party → racist
and ignorant → spontaneous → takes up the role of the villain in the story as he stands
in Ralph’s way and is an obstacle Ralph has to overcome → estranged from ex-wife
and daughter → is condescending towards Ralph → Ralph stands up to him and leaves
Humorous and light-hearted tone → sarcasm (“Those same hotcakes that could barely
support the weight of butter and syrup were supporting our family with ease”) → humour
as in Ralph, Booker and Cedric’s broken English and the note that Booker and Cedric
left when they decided to run away (numerous spelling errors and grammatical
mistakes)
General setting → USA → 1980s → presents Chang family as outsiders → a time of
little tolerance, migrant families would have experienced racism and stereotyping; fewer
opportunities → the Chang family are able to prosper through perseverance in their
pancake business → can afford luxuries; are regarded as “model minorities” to pit
minorities against one another by white Americans → still not completely accepted into
white society → Ralph gives up on trying at the end
Specific settings: the pancake house (Ralph’s own mini society) → constructed Chinese
society within American society → strong hierarchy between Ralph (the boss) and the
employees, also within the Chang family / the party at the Lardner’s house → mini
version of American society → extravagant and welcoming atmosphere, people are
dressed fashionably→ materialistic
Key plot points
- Booker and Cedric, two undocumented immigrants, apply for jobs at the pancake
house → both are diligent workers and Ralph favours them over everyone else
- The local American employees, especially Fernando, clash with them and refuse
to get along with them → various petty exchanges and verbal fights
- Fernando is caught red-handed and agitated by Cedric → takes revenge by
reporting them to immigration authorities
- Ralph was willing to sponsor them into becoming permanent residents, yet both
of them fled before the trial
- Ralph doesn’t seem too bothered and continues with his routine
- Ralph is later harassed by Jeremy Brothers at the party → faces racism and
prejudice → later retaliates by throwing Jeremy’s polo shirt and his own fancy
jacket into the swimming pool and leaves with his family → saves face → gives
up on trying to blend in at the end → have to hide out in pancake house and wait
for party to end because their keys were in the jacket pocket
believes in patriarchal values → is proud of his Chinese heritage and identity → refers
to his family and employees as “his people”; possessive adjective → wants to exercise
power & authority over others in order to gain respect → hints that he had come from a
wealthy family in China before immigrating to the US (his father used to give out “bags
of rice” to people who needed it) → fancies himself as the head of the family and
business → sticks to his chinese beliefs and values and doesn’t care whether he fits in
or not (wears “ten-year-old shirts”)
Mrs Chang → doesn’t have a first name → used to work as a supermarket manager →
wants family to fit in with American society to help them live their lives easier (“This is
not China”)→ is willing to adapt to new culture → has more friends and a social life → it
was her idea for them to join a country club → wants to be accepted despite being an
outsider → is regarded as exotic while at the party→ a guy who claims to know a few
Chinese words apparently flirts with her and she keeps laughing→ she later leaves with
her family when Ralph reaches breaking point at the pool → apologises due to feeling
like she was the cause of trouble
Mona and Callie → care about family → daughters of the Chang family → Mona is more
sociable, outgoing and talkative; resembles her mother → Callie is more quiet and tends
to observe things as the narrator of the story (comparable to Nick from the Great
Gatsby) → both are proud of their father for standing up for himself at the end of the
story
Booker and Cedric → undocumented Taiwanese immigrants → employees at Mr
Chang’s pancake house → run-down state; reflects desperate situation and hardship of
immigrants → conforms to Ralph’s patriarchal values, total obedience and gratefulness
towards Ralph because of their lack of options → pursuers of the American Dream →
want to blend into American society, innocent intentions but illegal methods → difficult
and stressful lives; do not always have legal means to chase their dreams → end up
running away due to fear
Fernando → is probably Hispanic/ Latinx → despises Cedric (probably due to racism)
→ rallies the other staff against him at the pancake house → calls him ugly names and
punched Cedric when the latter talked back (“Cook, you mean”) → has double
standards; reports Booker and Cedric to the police for being undocumented immigrants
despite hypothetically being a thief himself (he stole some steaks and was caught by
Ralph “by the back door”) after being fired
, Jeremy Brothers → typically American → gets drunk at his going-away party → racist
and ignorant → spontaneous → takes up the role of the villain in the story as he stands
in Ralph’s way and is an obstacle Ralph has to overcome → estranged from ex-wife
and daughter → is condescending towards Ralph → Ralph stands up to him and leaves
Humorous and light-hearted tone → sarcasm (“Those same hotcakes that could barely
support the weight of butter and syrup were supporting our family with ease”) → humour
as in Ralph, Booker and Cedric’s broken English and the note that Booker and Cedric
left when they decided to run away (numerous spelling errors and grammatical
mistakes)
General setting → USA → 1980s → presents Chang family as outsiders → a time of
little tolerance, migrant families would have experienced racism and stereotyping; fewer
opportunities → the Chang family are able to prosper through perseverance in their
pancake business → can afford luxuries; are regarded as “model minorities” to pit
minorities against one another by white Americans → still not completely accepted into
white society → Ralph gives up on trying at the end
Specific settings: the pancake house (Ralph’s own mini society) → constructed Chinese
society within American society → strong hierarchy between Ralph (the boss) and the
employees, also within the Chang family / the party at the Lardner’s house → mini
version of American society → extravagant and welcoming atmosphere, people are
dressed fashionably→ materialistic
Key plot points
- Booker and Cedric, two undocumented immigrants, apply for jobs at the pancake
house → both are diligent workers and Ralph favours them over everyone else
- The local American employees, especially Fernando, clash with them and refuse
to get along with them → various petty exchanges and verbal fights
- Fernando is caught red-handed and agitated by Cedric → takes revenge by
reporting them to immigration authorities
- Ralph was willing to sponsor them into becoming permanent residents, yet both
of them fled before the trial
- Ralph doesn’t seem too bothered and continues with his routine
- Ralph is later harassed by Jeremy Brothers at the party → faces racism and
prejudice → later retaliates by throwing Jeremy’s polo shirt and his own fancy
jacket into the swimming pool and leaves with his family → saves face → gives
up on trying to blend in at the end → have to hide out in pancake house and wait
for party to end because their keys were in the jacket pocket
