Culture 5: Asian Pacific American Literature - Allen Say

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:

Say, Allen. 1999. TEA WITH MILK. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395904951

PLOT SUMMARY:

In this beautiful and touching story, Allen Say cleverly unfolds the story of his own mother. As the young child of Japanese immigrants, Masako (or May) felt comfortable living in America. When Masako graduated from high school, her parents grew homesick and decided to return to Japan. Devastated at leaving the only home she has ever known, Masako struggles greatly to find her place in Japan and grows very unhappy. Overwhelmed by her sadness and frustrations, Masako takes a bus to Osaka and ends up taking a job in a department store in the marvelous and bustling Japanese city. Masako is persistent and works hard, and she ends up being promoted from an elevator girl to the store’s guide for foreign businessmen. It is in this role that she meets a friend, Joseph, who teaches her that a home is not necessarily a place but a life that one builds. When Joseph’s job transfers him to Yokohama, Masako goes with him. They make a home together there, and the author says, “I was their first child.”

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

This story centers around the character of Masako, and her character serves as a significant cultural marker for the story. Masako’s name reflects aspects of her cultural identity as her name shifts from Masako to Ma-chan (a nickname given to her by her parents) to May. In America, Masako prefers to be called May, signaling her American identity. In Japan, she is called her proper name, Masako, signaling her Japanese identity. In the end, she goes by Masako in Yokohama, except by her husband, who still reminds her of some of her American cultural characteristics by calling her May. Masako’s desire to live in America is also significant to the story, revealing the conflict she feels about her cultural identity as she is forced to return to Japan.

The story takes place in two different countries, America and Japan. The setting is significant because Masako’s change of locations and cultures has a profound impact on her. Eventually, Masako comes to realize that her location does not matter as much as the idea of building a “home” with people and things you love.

Food is another important cultural marker, and Say does an excellent job of contrasting the foods consistent with American culture with the foods consistent with Japanese culture. In fact, the title of the story, TEA WITH MILK, draws readers’ attention to Masako’s desire to drink “tea with milk and sugar” and be a part of American culture. In contrast to the pancakes, omelets, fried chicken, and spaghetti that Masako had grown accustomed to in America, her parents were still accustomed to traditional Japanese foods such as “rice and miso soup and plain green tea.”

Language also reflects Masako’s combination of cultural identities, and she must attend high school all over again once she gets to Japan to learn her own language. As a fluent English speaker, Masako is frustrated by this and is conflicted about having to learn Japanese when the other students in Japan are learning English. Her separation from others in Japan is so extensive that the other students call her “gaijin,” which means foreigner. Eventually, her fluency in English lands her a job as a store’s guide for foreign businessmen, though, and English is the language she uses to communicate with Joseph, her husband. Interestingly, at the end of the story, the author mentions that Masako always spoke Japanese to him when he was a child, revealing her ability to utilize both American and Japanese cultures and languages.

Clothing also presents readers with a cultural marker as Masako transitions from wearing American clothes, such as a bright dress she had bought in California, to traditional Japanese clothing, such as a kimono. Similarly, the Japanese custom of sitting on the floor for extended periods of time is mentioned, and Say states that Masako “never got used to sitting on the floor for very long.”

Say’s realistic illustrations add another dimension of authenticity to the story, following Masako as she struggles to find her place among the American and Japanese cultures. Say’s depictions are accurate, and he pays close to attention to details such as skin tone, hair, and clothing styles in order to add a realistic quality to the illustrations.

TEA WITH MILK offers readers a touching look at the struggles of one woman to find out where she belongs between two different cultures. Say does an outstanding job of infusing the story with rich cultural details in order to draw the reader into Masako’s plight as she struggles with balancing her American identity with her Japanese identity. Say uses the cultural elements of names, food, clothing, language, and setting to draw a contrast between Masako’s life as an American and her life in Japan. In the end, Masako strikes a balance between the two cultures and establishes a “home” with Joseph and her children in Yokohama. TEA WITH MILK is an outstanding multicultural selection that students of all ages will enjoy.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

From HORN BOOK starred (Fall 1999):”Continuing to explore place and home, Say tells the story of his mother, first introduced to readers in Tree of Cranes. Born in California to Japanese immigrants, Masako is miserable when she moves to Japan with her parents after high school. The illustrations capture Masako's unhappiness and also her eventual contentment as she learns to combine two cultures.”

From KIRKUS REVIEW (1999):
“In describing how his parents met, Say continues to explore the ways that differing cultures can harmonize…Painted with characteristic control and restraint, Say's illustrations, largely portraits, begin with a sepia view of a sullen child in a kimono, gradually take on distinct, subdued color, and end with a formal shot of the smiling young couple in Western dress.”

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (December 1999):
”When her Japanese-born parents leave America for their homeland, an independent girl reluctantly follows and melds her experience and her heritage to find a new meaning for the word "home." This perfect marriage of artwork and text offers readers a window into a different place and time.”

CONNECTIONS:

If students enjoy TEA WITH MILK, introduce them to some of Say’s other books that explore family themes, cultural identity themes, and immigration themes, such as TREE OF CRANES and GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY.

This story makes a great read aloud. Make some tea with milk and sugar for students to sip on while you read.

Ask students to discuss why they think Masako was so upset about having to return to Japan. Ask students how they would feel if they had grown up in America and then had to move to another country with their parents. Then ask students to consider how children born in other countries might feel when they move to America. Point out to students that balancing two cultures might be difficult for some people.