"The Piano Teacher" by Janice Y.K.Lee.The novel opens with a description of Hong Kong:dirty with people everywhere: businessmen from all parts of world, Indians, British and Philippinos, Pakistanis with Pakistani rug stores and lastly, the Chinese.
Lee describes the British and the Chinese their ability easily mingle with one another. And how the fish mongers butcher their fish in an unsanitzed manner, how feculence can be smelled and found in the alley ways of the tallest, high rise buildings.
The plot engages readers in the tell tale story of young newly wed by the name of Clair and her exposure to a brand new culture in Hong Kong. Clair, the piano teacher would come to teach Locket, a young Chinese girl how to play the piano. Clair is initially baffled by the prospect that a Chinese, upper class, family in Hong Kong would be well known in the community. She's surprised that the the family speaks immaculate English and at the parents interest in pushing their daughter, like an animal, to learn the piano.
When Clair asked the mother about whether Locket, the daughter, will be attending school in America, the Chinese mother simply retorts "I don't want to talk about Locket's education, I want to talk about yours."
When Clair becomes infatuated with the family's riches, she decides to take some for her own:stealing a trinket and scarf without being caught by anyone. Unfortunately, the family servant gets fired for stealing the items instead. Clair is once again baffled by the Chinese traits in the home, as the young pianist she teaches seems unruffled at the dispearance of the servant, exclaiming that her mother had always taught her that "all servants steal".
This incident would stick with Clair, putting her on edge in the family's home. Clair would come to have an affair in the novel, masking her obvious unfamiliarity in China with a new sudden interest.
Lee's generalizations of Americans and their over confident zeal, in this novel ,is obvious. But what is even more stunning is how Lee depicts the character of Clair. How could Clair be so unconscious of up-and-coming Chinese super power?
