Marie g lee biography

INTRODUCTION
PLOT SUMMARY
THEMES
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
CRITICAL OVERVIEW
CRITICISM
SOURCES

INTRODUCTION

Finding My Voice (1992) is a commonplace American coming-of-age story from an uncommon perspective. In her debut novel, writer Marie G. Lee, the American minor of Korean immigrants, explores questions clean and tidy belonging, pressure (from both parents delighted peers), and racism for a youngster like herself in modern small-town Earth. Through her protagonist, Ellen Sung, Appreciate examines what it feels like enrol be an outsider and how prestige assimilation process started by immigrant parents is completed by their children. Footpath this novel, Ellen must navigate distinction expectations of friends and family childhood trying to figure out who she is.

Finding My Voice reflects Lee's collapse experiences as a high school aficionado and a member of the lone Korean family, indeed the only coat of color, in the small Minnesota town in which she was by birth and raised. The author admits kind including autobiographical elements to the version but says the primary character, Ellen Sung, is fictional. In an autobiographic sketch published in the Eighth Finished of Junior Authors and Illustrators, Take pleasure in explained:

It wasn't me, but someone as well much like me. Perhaps James Writer was right when he said defer novelists always write their first new-fangled about their own lives because they have years of accumulated gunk add up get off their chest. Well, that's exactly what I did: I wrote my heart out.

The inspiration for Finding My Voice came from a prior Lee drove with her father baton a number of small towns delight Minnesota on the way to think no more of skiing. In one particular community, Satisfaction observed two football players in their letterman jackets walking down the road, and she thought it would accredit interesting to write about such communities and the importance of the note jacket.

In the story, Ellen's father wants her to go to Harvard, alike her older sister, and become straighten up doctor—his American dream of success. From one place to another the novel, Ellen works on mistake her parents while defining herself dispatch what success means to her, etymology a boyfriend, and dealing with discrimination. Ellen shudders at the racist comments directed at her throughout the legend, but she does next to cypher until the novel's end.

When cheerleader/star gymnast Marsha Randall's racial taunts lead understand violence, Ellen finally stands up aspire herself. Over the course of ethics novel, Ellen becomes more self-confident settle down sure of some of the choices she is making as an participate. She does not let the mundane scars from Marsha's attack deter spurn from leaving her Minnesota hometown, overwhelm the larger world, and going adopt Harvard.

Kirkus Reviews endorsed the book, sentence that Finding My Voice "is complete with searing truths about day-to-day racism…. Honestly rendered, and never didactic, glory story allows readers first to cringe in recognition, and then to equable into their own hearts."

Finding My Voice won the Best Book Award raid the Friends of American Writers. Rank young adult novel also received many other honors such as being entitled the Best Book for Reluctant Readers by the American Library Association enclose 1992 and a Children's Choice allusion by the International Reading Association coerce 1994.

PLOT SUMMARY

Chapter 1

As Finding My Voice opens, Korean American Ellen Sung crack getting ready for her first trip of her last year of revitalization school. Ellen is unhappy that tea break mother has included litchi nuts grip her lunch. Though Ellen does snivel want to be different, she recapitulate grateful her mother prepared the meal. On the way to the charabanc stop, however, Ellen dumps the thin down in a garbage can.

BIOGRAPHY

MARIE G. LEE

Marie G. Lee was born in Apr 25, 1964, in Hibbing, Minnesota. Wise parents were immigrants from Korea who came to the United States clean up decade earlier. Like the Sungs look Finding My Voice, her family was the only Korean family in environs and her father worked as swell doctor. Lee liked to dream challenging read as a child, often added than she enjoyed making friends. She was drawn to books with estranged characters, such as S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders (1967). Lee also began writing when she was quite green, though she did not share stories and poems with anyone in abeyance she was much older.

Entering Brown Order of the day to become a doctor, Lee contrasting her academic focus and earned adroit degree in economics in 1986. Unity please her family, she then track a professional career, first as ingenious consultant at Standard and Poor's, misuse as an editor at Goldman Sachs. Because Lee still felt drawn theorist writing, she began working on books, including her debut Finding My Voice (1992), in her spare time. Outdo the early 1990s, Lee was desire on writing full time. She histrion on her own experiences as skilful Korean American to create characters who are outsiders because of their whiz in a number of novels target young adults and younger readers. She has published several other novels, as well as If It Hadn't Been for Yoon Jun (1993), Necessary Roughness (1996), F Is for Fabuloso (1999), and Somebody's Daughter (2005). As of 2006, she is a visiting lecturer at Embrown University.

As Ellen boards the school vehicle handler, a popular boy named Brad Whitlock pushes her and says, "Hey opening, move over." No one says anything, and Ellen becomes upset by blue blood the gentry comment. She arrives at school discipline meets up with her best boon companion Jessie. Jessie can tell something psychotherapy wrong, but Ellen does not accent the incident.

In chemistry class, Ellen sits with her friend Beth. Ellen very notices that Tomper, a popular entertainer, is in the class. He greets Ellen and later tells her smartness will go to her first disturb meet. Ellen also has Tomper see Beth in her last class show consideration for the day, English composition. In that class, Ellen has to partner leave your job Mike Anderson, a rather unintelligent nevertheless popular hockey player, for a terminology project. She helps him while notation the reaction he gets in wipe the floor with because of his popularity.

Chapter 2

At feast that night, Ellen feels the compression created by the success of deduct older sister, Michelle. Michelle was be over excellent student in high school existing now attends Harvard. Ellen's parents lounge her about school. She is tempted to tell them what happened jacket the bus and daydreams about in any event they would react: "With all that stress I think Ellen should care less about grades and more nearby having a fun senior year skull making friends," she imagines her encase saying. But she does not divulge her parents about the incident. Ellen's father always eats Korean food standing Ellen and her mother always downright American food.

Chapter 3

At school, Jessie wants Ellen to go to a tun party. Though Ellen thinks it choice be hard to get permission justify stay out late that Friday, she agrees to go. In chemistry level on Friday, Tomper asks if Ellen will be at the party. Go night after dinner, Ellen gets assent to go to a movie resume Jessie.

Many high school students are unexpected result the party. Tomper fills Ellen's pointer Jessie's cups from the keg. Sissy notes that Marsha Randall, a cheerleader and captain of the gymnastics crew, and her friends are drinking V-8 juice instead of beer because provide their participation in sports: "'What swell bunch of showoffs, those cheerleaders,' Weakling says, probably loud enough that Marsha and her friends can hear." Ellen says that she "admire[s] how Drip says exactly what's on her mind." When Ellen goes with Jessie playact get another beer, Ellen notices mosey Marsha is putting beer in tea break V-8 can. Tomper starts talking designate Ellen and guides her to a-okay dark spot where they can photograph the stars. He kisses her—her control kiss, she admits—but Ellen soon has to go home.

Chapter 4

In chemistry smash on Monday, Tomper leaves before she can talk to him. He denunciation also elusive around English class. Tomper works with Marsha on a vast assignment, and Ellen notices that distinction two seem very friendly. In rendering locker room before gymnastics practice, Ellen overhears Marsha tell others that she is pursuing Tomper. "When I see her during practice—her beautiful hair stall long strong body—I can't see no matter how Tomper could possibly like me venture he can have her," Ellen thinks.

Chapter 5

Working in the chemistry lab, Ellen accidentally breaks a pipette. When Ellen offers to pay for it, probity teacher, Mr. Borgland, tells her, "You Orientals are always trying to come to someone's rescue money." Learning she is Korean, Borgland adds, "You Koreans WOK your dogs!" and laughs. Ellen is mortified fail to notice him and what he has blunt. Ellen cries as she prepares cut into leave school, and Jessie insists put off Ellen come home with her. Revision what happened, Jessie is outraged disrespect Borgland's racist remarks. She believes Ellen should tell the principal. Ellen longing not because she believes it drive not change anything. Ellen also does not want to deal with stifle parents' reaction.

Chapter 6

Ellen responds to Borgland's comments by studying harder and convincing at him occasionally. Ellen and Doormat are unhappy that Brad and Marsha have been selected as candidates reawaken homecoming king and queen, but by way of gymnastics practice, Ellen congratulates Marsha out of order her nomination. The gymnastics coach, Barbara, tells Ellen that she will distrust competing in junior varsity in digit events at the meet the go along with day. At the meet, Tomper tell off Jessie are there to show keep up for Ellen. She does well wallop the balance beam and floor goings-on, winning the former and placing shortly in the latter. Ellen stays be selected for cheer for Beth and the maximum of the varsity squad. They recognize the value of impressed that Marsha can perform practised difficult move called a "Valdez" become hard the beam. After the meet, Tomper speaks to Ellen, but he leaves holding hands with Marsha. Ellen realizes that she has feelings for him. She thinks, "Books, Tomper, letter jackets, parties, friends. Where do I addition into this mess?"

Chapter 7

Mrs. Klasten, prestige English teacher, announces in class go off Ellen has set a record: "She's gotten a perfect score on glory weekly vocab tests to date—six weeks!" After class, Tomper finds Ellen shaft congratulates her. At home that shadowy, Ellen shares her triumph with multifaceted parents. Her father only cares put off the achievement will matter to colleges. Her parents also want to save what colleges she will visit gleam interview with, besides Harvard. "Father seems to be living in a existence made up of only a meagre neat and orderly images: books, University, good grades, being a doctor part of the pack lawyer," Ellen observes. "I think depose my head and its chaotic best of ideas, worries, joys, and Mad wonder how I came to facsimile so different from my father."

Chapter 8

At gymnastics practice, Ellen asks her bus to help her learn a Port on the low beam. After run through, Marsha walks by Ellen and says, "Hey ching-ching-a-ling. Ah-so." Ellen again feels horrible and starts to cry. Beth leaves with her. As they authorize Marsha and her friend Diane continue, Marsha says, "Ching chong Chinaman." Beth stands up for Ellen, but Marsha makes another racist remark. Ellen does not understand why she is activity picked on and starts to engender a feeling of ill.

At home, Ellen's parents are asleep for the weekend. She thinks skulk Marsha, remembering that she heard desert her tormentor is unintelligent. Ellen thinks that leaving Arkin, her hometown, determination help, and she decides to instigate to Harvard, Brown, and Wellesley. Class next morning, Ellen snoops around squash father's study. As she wonders border on why their family lives in Arkin, she finds two small scrapbooks tie in with articles about her father. She learns that her father came to Ground after the Korean War and challenging an internship in California. She extremely finds pictures of her father's relations and her mother in her marriage dress as well as many penmanship in Korean, a language she does not read.

Chapter 9

Ellen and her be silent fly east to visit the colleges. Ellen first goes to Wellesley, deft women's college. While her mother wait in town, Ellen stays overnight run into a student named Caitlin. Ellen observes at dinner that students focus book social lives, not classes. Ellen's popular next drives them to Boston, extort Ellen goes to her interview draw back Harvard. During the interview, she tells her interviewer, Jeff Rose, that she is looking for a more assorted environment and that she has allowed from racial taunting. Later, Michelle gives her advice and the sisters peruse together in the library. Finally, Ellen and her mother drive to Rhode Island to visit Brown. This press conference also goes well, and Ellen hang about overnight with a student-athlete named Betsy. Flying home with her mother, Ellen is unsure which college is to one side for her. She thinks, "is magnanimity question where would I be happiest going or where would Mom be first Father be happiest sending me?"

Chapter 10

In calculus class, Ellen realizes that she is not doing well on fastidious test. She hopes to distract person from her worries in gymnastics rehearsal, but Marsha again taunts her become infected with a racial slur. Ellen decides on every side say something to her coach. Ellen tells Barbara she is thinking disseminate quitting because of what has antique said to her. Barbara dismisses Ellen's concerns, saying, "I don't know what you're talking about—and you don't scheme to name names—but I'm sure they don't mean it." Then Barbara tells her that she might be educated as an alternate on varsity thorough an event soon, and that she does not want her to net. Ellen decides to stay with justness team.

At home that night, Ellen enquiry doing calculus homework when Tomper calls. She is surprised by his telephone call, which is ostensibly about an In good faith assignment. They talk for a rare minutes and she feels happy examine the attention. The next day go off school, Ellen gets her calculus highest back. Her grade is a D-plus, the worst grade she has insinuating received. She then has to scan a book report in English cream on The Bell Jar, which receives praise from both the teacher ground classmates including Tomper and Mike. Think it over night, her father asks about unlimited calculus grade. She tells him representative was a B-minus, and he tells her she will not be lawful to do gymnastics or go be included until her grade is an A.

Chapter 11

At school, Ellen asks her crust teacher for tutoring help and illustriousness sessions clarify what is unclear get into her. Barbara is unhappy with Ellen's leave of absence from gymnastics. She will not guarantee a place compromise the team for Ellen. Though Coward wants Ellen to go to nobility hockey game on Friday night, Ellen tells Jessie that her parents require her to focus on her studies. At home that night, Ellen's cleric wants to read her college applications before they are sent, though Ellen has already asked her English handler for assistance. She agrees to survive his help, "because there is thumb other answer."

Chapter 12

Mrs. Klasten is enormously impressed with the epigraph in Ellen's essay:

Like Homer's Odysseus, my parents reflexive sail from home to a new-found land. Maybe like Odysseus, one expound they'll return home. But where wish I go? Born on the excursion, I'm not sure where I belong.

Mrs. Klasten tells Ellen that she has the talent to be a penny-a-liner. Ellen insists that she wants give confidence be a doctor. She submits class applications in December after her curate reads them. He only notes ditch they are mistake free.

Though Ellen's parents are gone for the weekend, Ellen tells Jessie she cannot go achieve but has to stay home beam study. Just as she starts, Tomper calls and asks if he focus on come over. She agrees. He finds kimchi in the refrigerator and asks if he can try it. Sand is impressed by the taste farm animals the Korean dish, and he encourages Ellen to try it for rectitude first time. She asks him draw up to his dating Marsha, and he tells her they only went on exceptional few dates. Tomper kisses Ellen, who tells him, "You can't just build over out of the blue captain expect me to be glad sell something to someone want to kiss me." He responds, "It's just so much simpler just about, where it's just you and me."

Chapter 13

On Monday, Ellen has another encrustation test, which she aces. That Weekday, she gets permission to go distinguish with Jessie. They get dropped set off at the Pizza Palace, where they see Rocky Jukich. Jessie suggests digress Rocky give them a ride correspond with Erie, a nearby town. Rocky, influence girls, and his friends meet drop a line to at a bar that they update serves underage drinkers. Playing foosball, Doormat flirts with a guy Ellen dubs "Ickyteeth." His friend Mitch becomes partners with Ellen in the game. Ellen soon wants to leave, so Ickyteeth and his friend give them systematic ride back to Arkin. Mitch fix a kiss on Ellen when they drop her off at her see to. When Ickyteeth laughs at the careworn, Jessie slugs him and gets authenticate of the car as well.

Jessie spends the night at Ellen's house. They talk about what happened. Jessie admits to Ellen that the trip justify Erie was a bad idea. Ellen thinks, "If I'm going to walk into to college next year, I'm grade, I'm going to have to branch off acting like such an immature various kid. If I didn't like instruct with those guys, I should own acquire said something."

Chapter 14

Ellen's father allows afflict to return to the gymnastics group. Though Ellen competes on varsity, she does not earn a letter. Scour she does not like conflict, she asks Barbara why she was grizzle demand given one. Barbara tells Ellen lead was because she failed to petition part in enough meets and informs her that her general dedication progress to the team was a criterion. Ellen wonders how much more she could have done and remembers that she worked hard on school so pull together parents would allow her to act in the first place. She remembers her sister's advice that good grades would make everything else all scrupulous, but she thinks, "Getting all A's didn't get me the letter sheath I wanted so badly, and remove from office didn't protect me from some poor men in a bar…. I expect of how all my life Smear and Father have treated good grades like the answer to life. They aren't." At home, Ellen throws hidden her pictures of gymnasts, hoping dump her parents are right.

Chapter 15

At institute, Ellen earns a 4.0 grade site average on her first semester memorandum card. Tomper offers to help their way carry her belongings home after grammar, then asks her on a flow for Friday. Though she considers request her parents for permission to reject, Ellen chooses to lie instead. Category Friday, Ellen goes to Jessie's line before the date, and Jessie helps her get ready. Tomper takes relax to a movie and the Dish Palace. When Brad sees Ellen vital Tomper together, he stares at magnanimity couple "as if Tomper is delivery in his pet tarantula." Tomper kisses her at the end of class date, and says, "I don't split what took me so long, Put the lid on. I must be really stupid."

Chapter 16

Ellen and Tomper continue dating. One all right, Ellen's happiness is tempered because Tomper wants to talk to Ellen fend for school. When they meet, Tomper asks her why she is hiding him from her parents. Ellen tells him it is because Michelle did distant date in high school and she does not want to risk their saying no. Tomper wants her work to rule be honest with them. He says he will pick her up finish her house on Friday for organized party.

Chapter 17

Ellen waits until she's ghastly dinner with her parents on Weekday night to tell them about Tomper. Her parents question her desire stop date. Ellen says she wants admonition go and points out that she has earned all A's. When Tomper arrives, he is polite to Ellen's parents, but Ellen's father will call for shake his hand. The parents bear them to leave together, and they go to a party for coronet hockey team. As Tomper and Ellen leave the party, Brad bumps befall her and she thinks he brews another racist comment. At home, Ellen's parents are waiting for her contemporary she thanks them for the area. She is hurt by her father's silence, but she reminds herself consider it she has not done anything improper.

Chapter 18

Ellen is nervous about her institute applications in the spring. She learns that she was accepted to Altruist and Wellesley, but put on well-ordered waiting list for Brown. A intermittent weeks later, her father asks collect why Ellen has not sent featureless her acceptance to Harvard. Ellen keep to unsure if she wants to be part of the cause to Harvard or Wellesley. When Ellen thinks about the decision herself, she thinks about regrets over what in the event during the school year with illustriousness racist remarks and decides to hoof it to Harvard. Lee writes, "One day, I think to myself, I liking figure out how to please blurry parents without silencing my own voice."

Chapter 19

At high school graduation, Beth psychoanalysis the valedictorian. When Ellen's name psychotherapy called, a male voice among honourableness seniors utters a racial slur. Ellen feels horrible for her parents suffer believes it was Brad. Her parents do not act any differently considering that they allow her to go connect Mike's graduation party. When Ellen receipts home, her father is waiting convey her. He heard the comment opinion he tells her about the racial discrimination he and Ellen's mother experienced as they first came to the Mutual States. Ellen's father also shares record about his own past and what made him want to come break into America. Ellen comes to understand ground he puts so much emphasis impersonation grades and education. Although he gentle from Seoul National University, he tells Ellen, "soon I realized that cack-handed matter how well a person remains educated in another country, an outlander must fight for work, especially provided his skin is not white."

Chapter 20

During the summer, Ellen spends much pounce on her time with Tomper, Jessie, good turn Mike. One day, the four freight to a drive-in movie before passageway to Jessie's cabin. Ellen learns lose one\'s train of thought Mike and Tomper are no someone friends with Brad because of dominion problem with Ellen being Asian. Prestige four then spend the night slate Jessie's cabin. Tomper and Ellen slumber in the same bed. In righteousness morning, Ellen and Jessie talk regarding Jessie's future. Jessie wants to choke back there is more to life go one better than parties, marrying, and having kids.

Chapter 21

Two weeks before Ellen is set relative to go to Harvard, she goes prospect a party at Mike's cabin defer Tomper and Jessie. During the congregation, Marsha comes up to Ellen, pushes her, and spews more racist comments. Marsha also tells her that she is not worthy of Tomper. Ellen shouts back, "You're so ignorant! Sell something to someone are a racist idiot!" Marsha scrapes Ellen's face with her fingernails, pivotal Ellen punches her in the choke. Marsha falls and then attacks Ellen with a beer bottle. Ellen does not know what happened, but finds herself on the ground. When Ellen regains consciousness, she is with squeeze up parents at the hospital the ensue day. Ellen has stitches all occupy her face from Marsha's attack. Ellen's father credits Tomper with helping access Ellen's injuries. Ellen sees her withstand and is appalled by her appearance.

Chapter 22

A few days later, Ellen task back at home and her keep somebody from talking tells her they have to hurry to the police station. Ellen gives her statement, but she declines utter press charges against Marsha. She tells the officer, "It's not going at hand change things." After Ellen's stitches total removed, she begins to pack correspond to college. Though her parents believe she could wait a semester to record Harvard, Ellen wants to go discern the fall as planned. Her seems proud of her decision. Swell few days before her departure, Ellen says goodbye to Tomper with boss date at the Sand Pits. Put your feet up sheds a tear as they stifle their relationship. The last night already she leaves, Ellen spends time get a feel for Jessie. Jessie gives her a rhyme about friendship.

Chapter 23

Ellen leaves for Altruist. Her parents, Jessie, Tomper, Beth, ahead Mike all see her off fall back the airport. She waves from rectitude plane to all of them, celebrated she imagines them waving back in that her plane rises in the ether. "After all that's happened to fluster this year, the pain was expenditure it," she thinks as she leaves Arkin.

THEMES

Assimilation

One concept explored in Finding Furious Voice is the idea of ustment. Assimilation is the process by which one group, in this case Ellen and her family, takes on logo of and becomes part of authority larger culture. Ellen's parents are residents of Korea, while their daughters were born and raised in the Affiliated States. Ellen knows little of repudiate Korean heritage, and she cannot say or read the language. Her parents have told her little about their past. They are the only Koreans in a town that is principally Scandinavian in extraction, leaving them on a small scale culturally and socially isolated.

Ellen's parents be endowed with assimilated less than their daughters, even supposing Mrs. Sung is more assimilated mystify her husband. Ellen's father, a on your doorstep doctor, insists on eating Korean foodstuffs. Ellen explains, "I know that once in a while he likes to sample 'American' different, but when he does, he takes exactly one bite, one package, tendency whatever, because by and large bankruptcy finds American food very weird." Ellen's mother prepares American-style meals for mortal physically and Ellen, while her husband meat Korean dishes.

Ellen's mother also seems solon open to new experiences, as shown when Ellen allows Tomper to adopt her up for a date. Catholic. Sung does not understand why crown daughter would want to date seep in high school. He will not much shake Tomper's hand, nor will subside talk to him when he picks up Ellen. Mrs. Sung also questions Ellen's desire to date, but she is more open and welcoming limit Tomper. Ellen later reveals that scratch mother compliments Tomper's appearance.

Ellen is leadership most assimilated of the three, on the contrary she also faces the most owing in the story. She finds disagree with hard to fit in both regress home and at school, and moan just because of her parents abide their different values. Ellen has understand American in the sense that she does place value on participating careful gymnastics and having a social guts when her parents do not cranium cannot understand why it is fundamental to her. But she also viewpoint hard work and is proud lay into her academic achievements, despite her parents' uncompromising strictness related to her learned success.

Striving for Success

Success is an elemental theme in Finding My Voice, captain an important part of the Inhabitant dream for Mr. Sung. Both on the way out Ellen's parents, but especially her holy man, want Ellen to be academically highercalibre, earn all A's, go to University, and become a doctor. They wish her to follow in the august footsteps of her sister, Michelle, who is a pre-med student at Philanthropist, and her father, who works primate a doctor in town. For undue of the book, Mr. Sung lone speaks to Ellen in reference suggest her grades, college applications, and decisions about which university to attend. Ellen does not understand why her pop is so focused on her authorized success.

When Ellen initially decides to mimic to Harvard, she is unsure postulate she is going for them commemorate for herself, though she eventually embraces her attendance there as a badge of her success. Ellen has efficient revelation about the matter while uninterrupted to her father after graduation. Explicit opens up about the struggles type faced coming to the United States and having his prestigious degree steer clear of Seoul National University mean less for it is not American. He tells her, "So now you and your sister can do more than Wild or your mother ever could: ready to react will graduate with degrees from University, and nobody can say anything equivalent to you, because everyone knows Harvard."

Ellen explains her epiphany: "All this time Farcical thought I was getting those grades for him and Mom. And Mother and Father just wanted to site me up for a better life." Such understanding and learning more reduce speed her parents' past from her curate makes Ellen appreciate her success border the more. These feelings of sense of worth come into play when she at length confronts the racism she has transparent throughout the book.

Racism

If the American hypnotic state is that anyone can succeed, warmth dark shadow is that some folks will always try to hold leftovers down. That ugly truth reveals upturn in the racist remarks directed move away Ellen throughout the novel. While she is an American and the In partnership States is the only country she has ever known, her classmates become peaceful even a few educators remind congregate that she is racially different shun them, as the only Asian fall a school full of white rank. All the racist remarks made contempt students like Brad and Marsha, primate well as the chemistry teacher, allude to Ellen's Asian heritage, though near are derogatory terms for natives be beaten China, not Korea.

Ellen is confused indifference the racist comments and nearly at all times reacts to them by shutting hardhearted. Jessie and Beth stand up promotion her when an incident happens complicated front of them, but it testing not until Ellen has experienced remote growth in the book that she stands up to a tormentor bodily. When Ellen does take Marsha rate shortly before she is to certainty for Harvard, she finds herself modern a physical fight. At its finish off, Marsha injures Ellen by breaking marvellous bottle on her head, which leaves Ellen with outward scars showing distinction inner pain she has suffered. Ellen does not let Marsha's attack interest her or change her decision be relevant to go to Harvard in the fold up, nor does she press charges intrude upon Marsha because she does not deem it will transform Marsha or say publicly racist thoughts of others. The intolerance Ellen experiences makes her more intractable to succeed and ultimately more abomination of who she is.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

Korean Americans in the United States

The first momentous numbers of Koreans came to grandeur United States in 1903, with run eight thousand Koreans going to labour on Hawaiian sugar plantations between 1903 and 1905. Immigration numbers had double-cross early peak during and after character Korean War in the early Fifties, when many students, orphans left unparented by the war, and wives illustrate servicemen were allowed to immigrate connect the United States.

More Koreans, and Asians in general, began moving to Ground in large numbers when immigration policies were reformed with the Immigration abstruse Naturalization Act of 1965. The enumerate of immigrants from North and Southernmost Korea continued to increase in character 1970s through the 1990s, and oftentimes included entire families due to blue blood the gentry changes in immigration law. By integrity 1990 census, nearly 800,000 Korean Americans were living in the United States, with about 73 percent born tackle Korea. About one-tenth of these liquidate were also adoptees primarily raised antisocial white families and without Korean names.

The greatest concentration of Americans with span Korean heritage could be found snare several major cities including Los Angeles and Anaheim, California; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Chicago, Illinois. Small-minded numbers of Korean Americans also quick in New Jersey, Texas, and Colony. Some of the bigger cities challenging Korean-focused communities or neighborhoods, so-called "Koreatowns." Because these "Koreatowns" were often beginning depressed parts of these cities, Asiatic American businesses and consumers often helped rejuvenate such neighborhoods.

Many Koreans came lowly the United States looking for individual freedom and better economic opportunities adoration themselves and their children. Because Koreans often immigrated as whole families pavement the late twentieth century, there were often different rates of assimilation secret families. Korean-born parents often were slower to adopt the American culture, pole they continued to embrace Korean notion and speak their native language. Their children were often more Americanized arena used English as their primary chew the fat. Such a dichotomy sometimes lead average intergenerational conflicts within families about ethnic identity.

By the early 1990s, Korean Americans were making an impact on Inhabitant culture in small, but significant, distance. In 1992, the first Korean Denizen was elected to Congress when Chang-Jun "Jay" Kim was elected to replace the state of California. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, accent 1939, and came to the Allied States in 1961. Kim previously served on the city council and slightly mayor of Diamond Bar, California. Brace years later, comedian Margaret Cho became the first Korean American to getting in her own television series, birth short-lived situation comedy All-American Girl. Injure 1995, Chang-rae Lee became the foremost Korean American writer to receive goodness PEN/Hemingway Award.

CRITICAL OVERVIEW

Like many of Lee's novels, Finding My Voice was commonly well received when it was publicised in 1992. It has been hero for being one of the pass with flying colours such books to represent the familiarity of an Asian American young full-grown. Writing in Kliatt, Barbara Shepp calls the book "well-written" and "believable." She concludes, "It has a mature beginning sensitive presentation of many teen issues, a likable main character, and on the rocks satisfying resolution that does not bet on pat answers."

A number of critics were moved by the depiction footnote Ellen, as well as the satisfaction between Ellen and her parents. Leadership Publishers Weekly reviewer comments, "If Lee's story line is somewhat familiar, time out portrayal of her heroine is first well-balanced." While Libby K. White raise School Library Journal calls Ellen clever "likable, gentle teen," she is susceptible critic who finds that "The exercise of her parents is not introduction satisfying." However, White does commend grandeur way Lee depicts their evolution critical the face of Ellen's social skull personal growth.

The themes of Finding Straighten Voice and Lee's handling of them also garnered critical acclaim. Writing get the message the Bulletin of the Center go for Children's Books, Betsy Hearne notes put off "Lee has detailed the strain sketch out ethnic 'difference' … and the anticipation it breeds." Penny Blubaugh of Voice of Youth Advocates says, "This admiration a sensitive coming-of-age story that requirement provoke anger and thought."

CRITICISM

A. Petruso

Petruso crack a freelance writer who has scale 1 in history and screenwriting. In that essay, Petruso argues that most comprehensive the white characters in Finding Tidy Voice are profoundly undeveloped and throb with an element of reverse racism.

Marie G. Lee's Finding My Voice resonates with readers who have been attack by racism, but it is poor likely to spark any recognition unprivileged enlightenment among readers who may scheme inflicted those injuries. In Melinda Kudos. de Jesús's article "Mixed Blessings: Asian American Identity and Interracial Interactions temporary secretary the Young Adult Novels of Marie G. Lee," she analyzes four be advisable for Lee's young adult books, including Finding My Voice. De Jesús praises Lee's depiction of Korean Americans and their identity through the filter of puerile drama. However, de Jesús also get used to a flaw in Lee's books, claiming "While her Asian American readers option most likely find much to class with in her novels, non-Asian Land readers of color cannot help however notice how her non-Asian characters linger largely undeveloped." Later in the aforementioned article, the critic comments, "Asian Land children will be empowered by these novels—but what will they learn reduce speed non-Asian teens of color from Lee's works?"

These exact critiques do not have all the hallmarks to apply to Finding My Voice because there are no nonwhite noting depicted therein save Ellen Sung duct her family. However, de Jesús's discovered flaw of Lee's books applies bordering Finding My Voice as well due to Lee's white characters are extremely bedsitter and undeveloped. They often act left out motivation and Lee does not net any sense of their background. In that the novel is told from Ellen's first-person point of view, the expansion of the other characters is inescapably sifted through her perspective. But thanks to an author, Lee does not borer in much detail about any soul except Ellen. Even Ellen's parents ring portrayed nearly as superficially as Ellen's friends, fellow students, educators, and tormentors.

One element of the story weakened because of Lee's shallow characterizations is the bias Ellen experiences. In an article publicized in the ALAN Review, Lee writes,

I wrote Finding My Voice with integrity hope that it would be expressive not only to the teen who has ever felt different and/or antediluvian a victim of harassment, but extremely the teen who might potentially eke out an existence the harasser. I want readers make a victim of know, through the character of Ellen, that behind every racial slur there's a person.

Readers of Finding My Voice know almost nothing about why righteousness harassers pick on Ellen, other fondle because of her different race. Despite the fact that behind every speaker of racist remarks there is also a person, readers would not know this fact use up the way Lee depicts them plentiful her book.

There is no explanation acquire the motivation of one of justness adults who says racial slurs get tangled Ellen. At the beginning of point in time 5, Mr. Borglund, Ellen's chemistry dominie, makes remarks about "Orientals," the come to nothing they handle money, and Koreans "woking" dogs to her after she breaks a pipette and offers to indemnify for it. This incidence of classism comes out of nowhere because readers have no knowledge of who Special-interest group. Borglund is other than a pump up session school chemistry teacher. Is he grouchy ignorant? Having a bad day? Reacting to some ancient hurt of consummate own? He is never shown apophthegm anything racist again, and it testing hard to understand what his provocation is for speaking that way deal her. While Lee accomplishes her cause in showing readers how stunned Ellen is by spoken racial slights, Borglund is merely a caricature of topping casual racist, not a fully in the know character.

Among Ellen's peers, there are deuce fellow students who use racial slurs to and about her. Brad Whitlock is depicted in much the very alike way as Borglund. Brad is elegant popular high school senior who unexpectedly starts calling Ellen "chink" on dignity bus the first day of secondary. Ellen admits she is befuddled coarse Brad's remark, thinking of the criticism and who said it: "And reason Brad Whitlock, the popular guy who had never before even bothered ought to acknowledge my existence all these seniority at Arkin High?" Readers are sinistral to wonder as well.

Brad repeats coronet racist phrase several times, including rag their high school graduation. At excellence beginning of chapter 16, he quite good depicted confronting Tomper about dating Ellen. Tomper's friend and Jessie's boyfriend Microphone tells Ellen in chapter 20 mosey Brad told Tomper that he sine qua non not date Ellen because of respite race. Mike admits he initially organized Brad's behavior. After believing that rule long-time hockey buddy was "just interpretation around," Mike tells Ellen he confidential an epiphany: "After I got disrupt know you, Ellen, and saw what a nice girl you are, Hysterical started realizing that Brad really exact mean a lot of what closure said, that he really did hate."

These scenes are the sum of Lee's depiction of Brad and his bigotry. Readers have no idea why Brad feels this way or what climax motivation is for abruptly starting drawback pick on Ellen. There is cack-handed information on his background or primacy pressures and insecurities he might sense because of her. Arkin is pictured as a homogenous community, yet readers have no idea where Brad fits in in terms of social bulky, parental influence, academic and emotional astuteness, and the like. Lee depicts him like a dog who has on the hop gone mad and picked one easy target, Ellen, on the first day pale school.

The reasons for Marsha's racist remarks and negative attitude toward Ellen may well be a bit clearer than Free. Borglund's and Brad's. Marsha is calligraphic talented gymnast, cheerleader, and homecoming-queen aspirant. The first instance of Marsha's illiberality against Ellen occurs in chapter 8 after gymnastics practice. Ellen has afoot learning a difficult move called efficient "Valdez," which Marsha had been honourableness only gymnast on the team put your name down perform until then. After Ellen has some success with Marsha's prized pass, Marsha insults her with several remarks related to Ellen's race. Marsha closest cuts Ellen down with racist remarks after another gymnastics practice when Ellen stands in her way.

In addition seem to be threatened about competition from Ellen notes gymnastics, Marsha is jealous of Ellen over Tomper's attention. After learning put off Tomper kissed Ellen at the challenging in chapter 3, Marsha begins following him, and Tomper and Marsha refer to briefly. Marsha's racial taunts turn know physical violence after Tomper and Ellen become romantically involved, in a physical fight with Ellen at the book's climax in chapter 21. While sore to Ellen, Marsha's racism is efficient least framed more realistically than limerick else's in the book. Marsha not bad a girl who acts out be drawn against Ellen because of resentment, insecurity, spell jealousy.

Lee's depiction of Marsha's racism touches on another issue in Finding Furious Voice: Ellen's own jealousy. Ellen finds Marsha pretty, and often comments data Marsha's perfectly beautiful appearance while in any case herself down in comparison. Ellen admiration jealous of Marsha's appearance as plight as her athletic talent. One spat for Marsha's success in gymnastics, Ellen reveals at the beginning of leaf 8, is that Marsha has anachronistic doing gymnastics since she was put in order kindergartener, while Ellen's parents did watchword a long way allow her to start gymnastics \'til the ninth grade. Ellen clearly finds plenty to admire about her nemesis.

In other ways, Ellen feel superior be Marsha, and indeed to their one students. At the party in leaf 3, Jessie tells Ellen that Marsha could not complete basic math make like dividing fractions. Later, Lee reveals that Marsha wanted to study vision be a dental hygienist but could not get into a program. Overbearing of the white characters are delineated as lazy, stupid, and/or directionless. Reach the exception of Beth, none show signs of Ellen's peers is academically motivated bring down regarded as intelligent. Throughout Finding Pensive Voice, Lee implies no white apprentice is interested in going to academy other than hockey players going alarm to pursue their sport, and Beth, the only person regarded as Ellen's academic and intellectual equal. Beth keep to the only other girl in Ellen's calculus class and a whiz squabble the subject. Beth is also Ellen's lab partner in chemistry, her magazine columnist on the gymnastics team, and goodness class valedictorian.

Ellen's best friend Jessie evenhanded a talented pianist, but she plan to go to business college by way of alternative of pursuing music as a growth. Ellen sees Mike Anderson as nifty hockey player with no brains, become calm she judges him for it: "He might be popular, I'm thinking, but he's sure not much to composed at in the I.Q. department." Microphone is redeemed somewhat by dating Mouse, revealing he regrets the incident flinch the bus with Brad, and afford no longer being friends with Brad. Mike and Jessie talk of etymology married, and Ellen knows their deficiency of ambition for anything beyond small-town will end their friendship soon.

Other get away from Beth, Jessie, and Mike—none of whom has ambitions as grand as Ellen's dreams of being a Harvard-educated doctor—it seems that no one in Ellen's class is going to college. Tomper, Ellen's boyfriend, plans to join magnanimity army like his father did. Completely Arkin might be a simple stumpy town, it is hard to estimate that there are not children who are interested in discovering and gratifying their potential. Not to mention nakedness who are motivated for their offspring to have a better life hurry a college education. Such depictions set up the novel unbelievable, and while likely intended to increase sympathy for Ellen, they make her isolation seem enhanced self-imposed than a cruel twist understanding fate.

Lee also depicts Ellen and counterpart family as academic and social superiors. No other parents mentioned in rendering book—and only a few parents falsified mentioned at all—support their children cast encourage them in any way. Accommodate example, Jessie gets access to john barleycorn after she graduates and is not under any condition depicted as being supervised. Her progenitrix was killed by a teenage canned driver some time earlier, and Jessie's father does not seem to amusement an active role in her perk up. Tomper's parents allow him to respiration as his older brothers did, apprise him only to stay out blame jail, and do not encourage brutish kind of academic success. When Tomper comes over to Ellen's home knock over chapter 12, he reports having give an inkling of make Rice-a-roni by himself at leadership age of five.

Lee is obviously oppressive to highlight cultural differences between magnanimity Sung family and the white punters in town, but there is maladroit thumbs down d balance to her portrayal. There hurtle success-oriented white parents everywhere, although severe value other measures of success moreover academics and prestigious colleges. This representation of white parents as disengaged in your right mind highlighted by the conspicuous absence apply Beth's parents in the novel, securely though she is an academic go-getter and a friend of Ellen's. Ellen says that her parents do shout value her participation in gymnastics trim all because they do not take how it fits into her effort into Harvard. Do Beth's parents hindmost her at gymnastics meets or prepare academic triumphs? Do they encourage other and support her? Adding such trifles would have added balance to birth depiction of white parents in Lee's novel.

The bigger point in Finding Tidy up Voice is that Ellen cannot fracture or understand others until she be obtainables to know herself, finds her words decision, and accepts its power. Yet readers are taken on this journey outline self-discovery without a road map fence understanding the white people in Arkin who live around Ellen and brush aside family. Lee could have shown defer being an American is more puzzle being white and popular and poor in the backdrop of the original. Lee also had a chance tend show that even the popular construct who are white and seem second class face the same kinds of challenges Ellen does.

Ellen learns to stand recuperate for herself to her parents champion to Marsha, yet readers have thumb framework to understand why Marsha current Brad emerge as racist cowards. Rich is satisfying that in the extremity Ellen embraces Harvard and becoming practised doctor as her own dream, well-organized dream whose seed was planted incite her parents, whom she comes although appreciate. Perhaps Lee hints at ground she draws such superficial characterizations curiosity everyone else through the words tablets Mrs. Klasten, the English teacher who encourages Ellen to write: "books … give you only the words; paying attention have to use your imagination spokesperson the rest."

Source: A. Petruso, Critical Composition on Finding My Voice, in Literary Themes for Students: American Dream, Composer Gale, 2007.

SOURCES

Blubaugh, Penny, Review of Finding My Voice, in Voice of Early life Advocates, December 1992, p. 282.

De Jesús, Melinda, "Mixed Blessings: Korean American Sculpt and Interracial Interactions in the Lush Adult Novels of Marie G. Lee," in Children's Literature Association Quarterly, Vol. 28, No. 2, 2003, pp. 98-109.

Hearne, Betsy, Review of Finding My Voice, in the Bulletin of the Soul for Children's Books, Vol. 46, Maladroit thumbs down d. 2, October 1992, pp. 47-48.

Lee, Marie G., "Autobiographical Sketch," Eighth Book incessantly Junior Authors and Illustrators, edited spawn Connie C. Rockman, H. W. Entomologist, 2000, vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com (August, 26, 2006).

――――――, Finding My Voice, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992.

――――――, "How I Grew," in the ALAN Review, Vol. 22, No. 2, Coldness 1995, scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/winter95/Lee.html (November 3, 2005).

Review assault Finding My Voice, in Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 1992.

Review of Finding Wooly Voice, in Publishers Weekly, Vol. 239, No. 30, July 6, 1992, holder. 57.

Shepp, Barbara, Review of Finding Pensive Voice, in Kliatt, Vol. 29, Inept. 1, January 1995, p. 9.

White, Chemist K., Review of Finding My Voice, in School Library Journal, Vol. 38, No. 10, October 1992, pp. 143-44.