Topic > A Theme of Identity in Trying to Find Chinatown by David H. Hwang

The play “Trying to Find Chinatown” published in 1996 by David H. Hwang describes two strangers arguing in the middle of the street in New York. Ronnie, an Asian-American male who identifies as a musician, and Benjamin, a Caucasian who inherits Asian culture from his adoptive parents. How we identify ourselves varies from how others identify us. In the play, both Ronnie and Benjamin fail to understand how each created their own identity. Hwang is trying to bring out that identity is not a physical or biological aspect of people, it is the culture of life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the show, we can see that Ronnie and Benjamin identify with the same technicality, but in a different way. Both have created their own identity regardless of race, but at the same time both cannot look each other in the eye and understand each other. Benjamin subconsciously stereotypes Ronnie by calling him "Brother" as if they are related, somehow. . There's a passage in the lyrics where Benjamin says, "Brother, I can absolutely relate to your anger." Benjamin thinks he and Ronnie are similar. Benjamin also unconsciously stereotypes Ronnie by stopping him on the street and asking where Chinatown is. It might just be a coincidence, but with all those people choosing what looks like Asia and asking where they can find a Chinatown, it's a stereotype. Benjamin assumes that Ronnie knows where Chinatown is since he looks Asian. Benjamin does not want to be identified by his skin color or biological appearance, but identifies Ronnie by his. Ronnie was clearly offended, Benjamin probably isn't the first person to ask him this. Ronnie is tired of being stereotyped because of his Chinese appearance which would make him deny and even hate his Chinese side. Identity is created by cultivation not the nature of life I agree with Ronnie when he says "If genes don't determine race, what does." I identify the people they come from. There is nothing we can do to get rid of our genes or our race. Ronnie knowingly assumes Benjamin's identity simply by looking at his skin color. He says: “Look at your skin! You're white." Ronnie identifies Benjamin by his physical appearance, but doesn't want to be identified by the same technicality. Ronnie gets angry when Benjamin assumes his identity, but he did the same thing by assuming Benjamin's identity. Ronnie is clearly embarrassed on the side Chinese life; mocks and stereotypes Chinese culture by pointing out various negative points about the Chinese symbol Like eating with chopsticks, dim sum Ronnie is not proud of his heritage, while Benjamin is fascinated by the cultivation culture and always wants to know about it more. Ronnie identifies as a musician, which is unusual, he praises jazz and references slavery and how musicians liberated them and healed their pain in the field. While Ronnie tries to get rid of his Chinese culture identifying as outside his race, Benjamin insists on identifying as Asian even though he is not ethnically Chinese If I had to take a stand on this topic, I would choose Benjamin, because he has every reason to identify as Asian. People are able to identify themselves based on the culture and bond they have received, and Benjamin obviously received this from his adoptive parents. While Ronnie had no ingenious reason to deny his heritage. Anyway, they are both right, identity is state of mind. By the end of the game, neither of them agree with each other, but they definitely have.