Merial Boschung's Blog

In his biotext Diamond Grill, Fred Wah argues that the concept of the hyphenated identity (identity that rests between two worlds) poses a “problem for multiculturalism” because it is a “sign of impurity” (178) rather than an acknowledgement and celebration of cultural intersectionality. This impure hybridity can thus often reinforce dominant hegemonies within multicultural societies where those of ‘pure’ racial heritage are superior to those of a mixed ethnic background. A hyphenated individual’s cultural identity is not fully situated in any racial heritage, which can cause cross-cultural friction within the individual. They are placed therefore in a “marginalized position” (179), for they have little cultural stability or security upon which to fall back. I want to suggest that this “inbetweeness” (Wah 179) has the power to encourage the hyphenated individual to seek inclusion and acceptance in whichever part of their identity is of a more dominant status in regards to society – and thereby reinforce and regenerate societal hegemonies of race and status.

In Diamond Grill, Fred Wah discusses his experience of life during the 1950s and onward in Nelson, British Columbia as a ‘hyphenated’ individual – hyphenated, in his case, because he is part Swedish and part Chinese. Throughout the text, Wah describes the confusion he feels as a man who appears to be White, but who has a Chinese name, heritage, and family. Longing for invisibility and transparency (136) arises within him as a result of his hybridity, for these shields are what allow him to be, as is his professed preference, “racially transpicuous” (136). Although Wah does not appear to be entirely ashamed of his heritage, he prefers to remain as inconspicuously White as possible when in public (137) – assumedly because of the racial discrimination experienced by the visibly Chinese during this historical period. This preference for his Caucasian identity is arguably most apparent in the way that Wah separates his White friends from his Chinese community as a boy. For example, Wah recalls a high school experience where his “buddies at school call [the Chinese boys] Chinks and geeks and I feel a little embarrassed and don’t talk much with the Chinese kids” (136). This embarrassment results in Wah’s self-alienation from his cultural heritage, for he says “I’m white enough to get away with [not talking to the Chinese boys] and that’s what I do” (136). Rather than acknowledging the uniqueness of his mixed cultural heritage and witnessing to his friends about cross-cultural equality, Wah chooses to identify (however incompletely, as he does this more so as an act of embarrassment than of true inclination) with the dominant ethnicity in this societal context. True intersectionality is thereby unfortunately lost in this exchange.

Similarly, in Maggie De Vries’ biography of her sister Sarah’s life, Missing Sarah, De Vries explains the confusion seen in her sister’s actions as a result of her adoption into a Caucasian family and community as a person of mixed race. Sarah would grow up to eventually run away from home and move to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside – a place of dire poverty, but also of vibrant and unique culture. In the transition period between Sarah’s residence with her family and her move to the East Side, De Vries describes an incident where Sarah, a young teenager, arrives home with white makeup on her face (52). When confronted about it, Sarah reacts extremely defensively. De Vries comments on this exchange: she says that the “white world of West Point Grey… was not a comfortable home for [Sarah],” and that the physical differences from her family and community caused her to feel completely isolated (53). Thus, just as Wah chose to identify with the dominant ethnicity, Sarah also attempted to choose to appear more like the dominant ethnicity at the time due to her racial hyphenation.

These two experiences of cross-cultural friction within racially hyphenated individuals are prime examples of how hegemonic societal structures can push one to believe that identification with the dominant group is the only, or the right, thing to do. However, both of these instances occur while the individuals are still young. It is important to note that both Sarah and Wah find their belonging – even as hyphenated persons – as they grow and mature. De Vries says that Sarah felt she belonged on the Downtown Eastside with other “people with a whole range of backgrounds” (De Vries 53), just as Wah has become a “bard” of hyphenated identities. I argue therefore that, although societal hegemonies can be a heavy influencer of identity early on in one’s life, this does not mean that an individual cannot rest in the ‘inbetweeness’ of a mixed ethnic background.

Works Cited

De Vries, Maggie. Missing Sarah: A Memoir of Loss. Toronto: Penguin Canada, 2008. Print.

Wah, Fred. Diamond Grill. Edmonton: NeWest, 2008. Print.