In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson Identity Quotes

Talk about a lot of weight on a little girl's shoulders. On her first day of school in America, Shirley's mom tells her that she has to represent every single Chinese person to her new classmates. How is a kid supposed to be good enough to represent millions of people and befriend strangers (let alone assimilate into American society if she remains "just" Chinese)? Poor Shirley.

Shirley sees a girl at school she thinks is Chinese. Finally, a friend just like her, who knows all of the things she knows, the same experiences and hobbies. They would be the two Chinese girls with their own customs against the foreign American school and their habits.

Shirley's still an outsider. Sigh. She wants nothing more than to fit in, to become an American (not just a Chinese) kid, so she teaches herself to skate. That's what all the other children do. She figures that once she can do what they do, she'll be an American just like them… but is it that simple?

After coming out of Mrs. Rappaport's classroom, Shirley wants to make everyone take note of her. She's tried shrinking back or standing on the sidelines, but that hasn't worked, so maybe standing out by emphasizing her differences from others will help her get friends. Inadvertently, by crashing into Mabel, she does make friends.

Shirley stumbles across home plate and becomes her team's hero in stickball. For the first time, she's identified with Jackie Robinson, as her new friends compare her to the Brooklyn Dodgers great in a chant. As a result, Jackie becomes her hero.

Shirley engages in the ritual of American schools by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Her voice gets drowned out as she does so, and by being "lost in the chorus," Shirley (and her voice) become one with the other American kids. She's just part of the pack here, indistinguishable from her classmates.

As much as she has become Americanized, Shirley still notices when she's picked out. For one, the narrator identifies her as "the Chinese" here, reminding the reader that she's not your average school student. Moreover, she's a teacher's pet to her classmates. Shirley doesn't want anyone to be reminded of that—she just wants to fly under the radar and fit in.

Shirley doesn't know who Jackie Robinson is, but Mrs. Rappaport explains that to be identified with the champ is a great thing. As her teacher goes on, Shirley begins to feel like Jackie, like she can do anything and there are unlimited opportunities before her in her new home of America.

Despite her daughter's assimilation into American culture, Shirley's mother wants to make sure Shirley doesn't lose her Chinese identity. She encourages her girl to remember to speak Chinese. What will happen, we wonder, if Shirley forgets her past? Is there such a danger? Probably not, but moms are always going to worry. They're moms, after all.

Shirley realizes that she's adjusting to life in America, and she wonders if these internal changes are reflected externally. Would her family back in China recognize her? Is she still the same girl she was at the beginning of the year? These are big questions, and they clue us into just how complicated bridging cultures is.