Chang-Rae Lee's Native Language describes the difficult and often discouraging assimilation of a young Korean American, Henry Park. Throughout the novel, Henry struggles to find his true self in both Korean and American culture. His effort to fashion an identity in a foreign country makes him an “emotional alien…stranger [and] follower,” often feeling invisible to those around him (5). Likewise, Chang-Rae Lee manipulates common Asian stereotypes to further the purpose of her novel. It's no coincidence that the sneaky, secretive, secretive traits required of a spy also fit American expectations of immigrants. Indeed, Lee's choice to entrust Henry with a career as a spy is itself a cultural convention. Ultimately, Henry's role as a spy serves as a symbol of the American immigrant experience. Chang-Rae Lee goes beyond the one-dimensionality of a traditional spy novel and, instead, uses Henry's career as a vehicle to express the fractured and conflicting identities brought about by assimilation into American culture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Originally from Korea, Henry is the perfect candidate for his occupation. While the exact details of his job are never fully spelled out, we learn that he is employed by Glimmer and Co., a shady intelligence firm that specializes in gathering secret, useful data on individuals in immigrant communities. Undoubtedly, Lee is playing on stereotypes that define Asians as sneaky, silent and deceitful. Henry's appeal to espionage stems from the “cultural heritage of silence” learned from his parents who were authentically Korean (Chen 639). Almost inevitably, Henry finds that his “truest place in the culture” is his job, especially since his boss “complained that Americans generally make the worst spies” (118, 160). For his work to be effective, Henry must devise fictitious narratives for himself so as to remain unnoticed in front of his clients. As a result, the line between Henry's true self and his portrayal to outsiders is often indistinguishable. Likewise, Lee refers to the parallels between Henry's physical position as an outsider and spy and his position as an emotional or cultural outsider resulting from his immigrant status. Furthermore, the nature of impersonation required of a spy echoes the inclination of immigrants to present a front to those who are considered “more” American than the immigrants themselves. The invisibility that Henry practices as a spy “coincides with the in/visibilities of race” (Chen 645). After all, Henry also knows about “that secret life” practiced by foreigners in America (163). For example, his childhood is haunted by memories of grocery store customers of his father who “did not seem to see him” and “did not look at him” because “he was a comely shadow who did not look at him.” threaten them” (49). In this way, Henry and his career become a metaphor for immigrants more generally. Furthermore, for someone who has an ambiguous self-perception and identity, it is ironic that his job at Glimmer and Co. requires him to investigate, dissect, and summarize the identities and intentions of others. Although Henry's career requires him to explicitly describe the identities of others and to invent multiple identities to achieve this, Henry is completely dependent on those around him to shape his personal identity. His “inability to separate personal problems from professional obligations” leads him to search for self-definition andvalidation through the eyes of others. As a result, his professional secrecy spilling over into personal relationships contributes to his already fractured identity. At the end of the novel, Henry realizes that his deceitful acts and false identity as a spy have compromised him personally. His performance as a spy profoundly affected his sense of self and his personal relationships. Overall, his “mixture of reality and illusion” comes to represent a broader immigrant struggle between American assimilation and ethnic loyalty (Chen 653). Indeed, these struggles become evident in his personal and professional relationships with his wife, Lelia, and his subjects, Dr. Luzan and John Kwang. For example, the story begins with a list of descriptors that Lelia left for Henry before leaving him for the islands, adjectives such as, but not limited to, "illegal alien, illegal, emotional alien, foreigner, follower, spy" (5) . This list is what starts Henry's internal conflict about his true identity and makes him realize that he doesn't know who he really is or what culture he belongs to. Lelia's list reveals Henry's lack of self-agency and, more generally: "[she] symbolizes his general willingness to let someone else determine who he is" (Chen 165). Rather than protest Lelia's unflattering descriptions of him, Henry accepts her assessment and spends their separation living up to or being defined by her perception of who he is. By designing this element of the narrative, Chang-Rae Lee highlights the struggle that immigrants experience in resisting outside ideas about who they are and what defines them as “American.” personal problems from his professional obligations” (Chen 644). During his separation from Lelia, Henry is assigned the cover of a psychoanalyst, Dr. Luzan. To successfully gather information, Henry must create a pseudo-self, or a “legend,” as he calls it (22). However, when Dr. Luzan asks Henry, "Who, my young friend, have you been all your life?" during the therapy session, Henry realizes that he is “taking the legend back upon himself” (205, 22). Thus, Henry's “true” personal narrative becomes intertwined with Henry Park's fictional one, causing him to “become[e] dangerously frank, incoherently schizophrenic” (22). He explains, “When I was in the chair in front of Luzan's desk I completely lost myself” (22). In this moment, Chang-Rae Lee attempts to highlight the result of belonging to two different cultures without belonging to either of them. Since Henry cannot engage with either his authentic self or his fictional narratives, he feels completely isolated and “other.” Furthermore, Henry's relationship with another appointee, John Kwang, reveals the same kind of ambiguity. If it is Lelia who represents for Henry everything American he aspires to be, then it is John Kwang who represents the most cherished aspects of the Korean lifestyle and culture. Although Kwang seemingly represents the same type of Americanness as his political opponent, he is still able to retain his inner Korean heritage. For Henry, Kwang embodies the kind of perfect assimilation that he is unable to achieve. As with Doctor Luzan, the “legend” that Henry writes for himself is revealed as his admiration for Kwang grows. Henry ultimately "succumbs to the illusions of his own performances," and his relationships with both Doctor Luzan and John Kwang indicate his inability to separate his imaginary self from his "real" self (Chen 644). Henry's role as a spy ultimately serves as a symbol of the American immigrant experience. Despite the ability of those around him to easily define his role in America as a non-native speaker,., 1995.