Joan Is Okay

Much of Joan is Okay’s thematic structure is built on Wang’s examination of a set of issues related to immigration and the experiences of Chinese American immigrants in particular. Chinese American immigrants are not a monolith; individuals forge new identities and join new communities after immigrating in myriad, varied ways. However, common themes do run through many narratives of Chinese immigration to the United States, and Wang’s work sits within the larger framework of Chinese American literature. Joan is Okay shares an interest in the intersection of race and gender in Chinese American communities with second-wave feminist author Maxine Hong Kingston, who is best known for her memoir Woman Warrior (1976). It also shares an interest in the difficulties of mother-daughter bonds in Chinese American families with best-selling author Amy Tan, whose novel The Joy Luck Club (1989) was a finalist for the National Book Award and turned into a popular, award-winning film in 1993. Wang’s work is best read, though, alongside more contemporary authors. In addition to examining the impact that immigration has on familial bonds, these authors tend to depict Chinese American immigration through the lenses of race, class, and gender in a contemporary