Typical American

Helen dedicates her life to her children and revels in the domestic life she helps create. Discuss how Helen’s identity depends on her family and her home.

Theresa, Ralph, and Helen all lose their parents to political upheaval in China. What impact does the absence of the characters’ parents have on their behavior?

To what extent is Grover punished for his behavior? Is his punishment (or lack of punishment) a comment on the society in which he operates?

Theresa names her cats Mona and Callie after her nieces. The Changs name their dog Grover after the man who cheated and manipulated Ralph. What is the symbolic importance of giving other characters’ names to pets?

Mona and Callie are among the few unimpeachably innocent characters in the novel. How do they grow and accommodate their parents’ various failures?

The motif of home runs throughout the novel. Consider all the homes the Chang family lived in. How do the characters perceive home at the beginning of the novel? What does home, particularly the suburban house, represent to them? Do their perceptions change by the novel’s end?

The characters use Chinese idioms to strengthen their social bonds and remember their former home. How do these idioms help and support the characters? How does language in general reflect their integration into American culture?

The novel ends with Ralph on the cold streets of New York. Do you believe that this is a satisfying ending? Why or why not? Has Ralph changed in any meaningful way?