80
In March 2005, the Magic Theatre of San Fran-
cisco hosted a revival directed by Mitzie Abe. FOB
anticipates many themes and traits that character-
ize Hwang’s subsequent plays: Asian immigrants’
dilemmas about assimilation into American soci-
ety; links to other, well-known literary texts; and
the skillful incorporation of both naturalistic and
non-naturalistic staging techniques.
At some points, the play seems like naturalistic,
almost kitchen-sink family drama. At other times,
the playwright’s striking deployment of stage
lighting, direct addresses to the audience, and the
use of Chinese mythology make the play more
expressionistic and anti-illusionary. Clear echoes
from important Asian-American texts, like those
of FRANK CHIN and MAXINE HONG KINGSTON, also
underline the play’s literary, non-naturalistic style.
For instance, the character of Steve in Hwang’s play
identifies himself with Gwan Gung, a legendary
Chinese warrior featured in Chin’s unpublished
play, Gee, Pop! (1974). Although the comparison
between a skinny young man and a legendary
warrior is laughable, it represents Steve’s desire to
retain his Chinese identity. Steve gets angry when
other Chinese Americans do not know about the
legend of Gwan Gung, and he is particularly irate
when one youth prefers to follow Jesus Christ
rather than Gwan Gung. Asian Americans’ desire
to follow Western deities (including money) rather
than to maintain Chinese culture is represented in
FOB by the character of Dale. Grace, Dale’s cousin
and a UCLA student, identifies herself with Fa Mu
Lan, a Chinese legendary female fighter featured in
Kingston’s memoir, The WOMAN WARRIOR. Physi-
cal, practical, and intelligent, Grace pursues her
own choices in life.
FOB’s action takes place in one day in Los Ange-
les as Grace, Dale, and Steve go out to eat in a Chi-
nese restaurant. Steve, an FOB (new immigrant,
“Fresh Off the Boat”) is given a hostile reception
by Dale, an ABC (“American-Born Chinese”). Dale
looks down on Steve, who harbors the idealistic
notion that he can retain an uncomplicated Chi-
nese identity in America. Steve, however, is given a
warm welcome by Grace, who arrived in America
when she was 10 years old. Both Dale and Steve
are romantically attracted to Grace; indeed, their
struggle for her favor mirrors their competing at-
titudes. As they fight over the young woman, they
fight over lifestyle choices: Dale insists that every
immigrant must “decide to become an American,”
but Steve wants to retain Asian habits. Simple mo-
ments of comedy typify this competition. For in-
stance, Steve insists on eating large quantities of
hot, Shanghai-style sauce, which appalls Dale, who
calls Steve a “fucking savage” and even a “cannibal.”
Dale’s irrational language of abuse echoes Western
racist remarks about non-Europeans.
Hwang’s play suggests that the gulf between as-
similated Asian Americans and new immigrants
is enormous. Grace remembers that she tried to
be white when she was younger, even bleaching
her hair, because “I figured I had a better chance
of getting in with the white kids than with” Asian
Americans. Although Dale is a comical figure in
many ways—when he first enters, he is knocked
to the ground by an alarmed Grace—Hwang does
not condemn the character. Dale has had his own
struggles against racism and stereotyping. He has
chosen to act like a white American because he
desired to be “a human being, like everyone else,”
not “a yellow, a slant, a gook.” Although Dale loses
the battle for Grace’s affection and therefore be-
comes bitter, he accepts Grace’s decision to court
Steve and to choose the lifestyle of the consciously
Chinese rather than the totally assimilated Asian
American.Bibliography
Hwang, David Henry. FOB. In His Trying to Find
Chinatown: The Selected Plays, 1–51. New York:
Theatre Communications Group, 2000.
Kevin De OrnellasFong-Torres, Ben (1945– )
Born in Alameda, California, Ben Fong-Torres grew
up in Oakland, where his parents owned and op-
erated a restaurant in Chinatown. His parents ex-
pected him to be part of their family business, but
Fong-Torres had other plans. He graduated from
San Francisco State College in 1966 with a degree
in radio-television-film and worked for two years80 Fong-Torres, Ben