Locating Sites of Paradoxes: A Study of the (IM)Possibility of Community in Gish Jen’s World and Town

Abstract

Gish Jen is widely recognized as a preeminent fiction and nonfiction writer in contemporary America. A second-generation Chinese American, Jen has distinguished herself in the literary world with her compelling works, most of which have been at once intelligible and thought-provoking. Her fourth novel, World and Town, offers a provocative and purposeful look at issues concerning a cosmopolitan world. The novel, however, has not received the academic attention it deserves. The novel’s supposedly “immense scale,” as hinted in the title along with its suggestive theme, eludes the reader's interpretative grasp, which contributes to its general lack of critical and profound exploration. This essay intends to do justice to Gish Jen’s World and Town through an investigation of “community”—an important approach that has not been systematically and adequately examined in the field of literary studies.