Biotext \u2013 a form of writing in which the writer discovers him\/herself. Fred Wah created a biotext of the Diamond Grill<\/i> by inserting recipes, historical documents, poetry, and memories from his past. Through overlapping stories, he retold his own version of his family\u2019s history. Indeed, not only is biofiction innovative and mobile, but also opposes the generic norms of novels and autobiographies. Wah states that he used this writing form to prevent Diamond Grill <\/i>from being \u201chijacked by ready-made generic expectations\u2026[of] life writing\u201d (Afterword, 184). Besides challenging genre norms, Wah also challenged the rules of language through his ungrammatical, run-off sentences. His biotext\u2019s context and structure definitely resisted predictable forms of narration.<\/p>\n
Wah\u2019s unique writing style also emphasizes the Diamond Grill\u2019s<\/i> main theme of hybridity and what it\u2019s like to \u201clive on the hyphen\u201d:<\/p>\n
\u201cThat hyphen is a real problem for multiculturalism; it\u2019s usually a sign of impurity\u2026and it\u2019s frequently erased as a reminder that the parts\u2026are not equal to the whole\u201d (Afterword, 178).<\/p>\n
To describe his experiences living on the hyphen, Wah incorporates metaphors and anecdotes (short stories about real incidents or people) throughout the book. It begins and ends with descriptions of the restaurant\u2019s doors, which are metaphors for the hyphen separating nationalities. On page one Wah describes how he would kick the kitchen\u2019s large swinging doors with a loud \u201cwhap!\u201d. This door separates the kitchen from the restaurant\u2019s dining area, and also resembles a racial divide between the Chinese cooks and the Canadian customers. Indeed, it seems to separate Wah\u2019s Chinese identity (the kitchen) from his Canadian one (the dining room). However, the door can also be a connection. Wah\u2019s love for noisily passing through it portrays how his physical appearance enables him to cross confidently across the divide to the other side. On the other hand, his father\u2019s discretion when passing through the doors depicts how he has to be cautious when crossing to the Western world, due to his purely Chinese identity.<\/p>\n
Wah further describes his struggles with living on the hyphen through the anecdote of King\u2019s restaurant. Lawrence King, Shu\u2019s son, was a pure Chinese boy who worked at the Grill with Wah. Wah\u2019s experience visiting King\u2019s restaurant highlights his difference with pure Chinese people, such as his physical Western appearance and inability to speak Chinese. Indeed, Wah describes how his \u201ccapability of camouflage\u201d in Canada\u2019s white world allowed him to be \u201cnot the target but the gun\u201d (138). This anecdote not only highlights the differences between mixed and pure races, but also how those of mixed races have to deal with negotiating the hyphen.<\/p>\n
By incorporating various genres into it (recipes, poetry, etc), the Diamond Grill<\/i> has become a genre unto itself. Through this biotext, Wah has rebelled against typical narrative techniques to tell his life story in his own way. Nevertheless, he highlights the struggles of living in the hyphen, a hybrid nationality where the parts are just as important as the whole.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Biotext \u2013 a form of writing in which the writer discovers him\/herself. Fred Wah created a biotext of the Diamond Grill by inserting recipes, historical documents, poetry, and memories from his past. Through overlapping stories, he retold his own version of his family\u2019s history. Indeed, not only is biofiction innovative and mobile, but also opposes … Continue reading