New from Here

“He makes it sound like we just boarded a lifeboat off the Titanic. Is this what this is…a lifeboat taking us to America?”

Knox’s attention to another passenger’s comment provides foreshadowing of the struggles to come. The comparison of the plane to a lifeboat from the Titanic provides a stark parallel and communicates the unknown dangers of the pandemic and its effects.

“I want to learn,

From a human, not a box.

Because a human cares,

And a box stares.”

Knox’s haiku assignment is incorrectly written and underscores his frustration with remote learning. The content of his poem explains the dehumanizing effects many people found with remote learning.

“‘Because there’s a lot more to going to school than that,’ Mom says.”

Julie’s response to her children’s request to just do Khan Academy highlights her forward thinking as a parent as she understands that schooling is more than rote fact learning. Julie’s concern is emphasized, as she tries her best to connect her children with extracurricular interests that benefit them and keep them connected.

“But if she finds a job here, then we’ll really be here. Like be here, be here.”

Knox refuses to accept being in the US when he first arrives because their father is not there with them. His change in perspective shows his character development as he decides he would prefer to be in the US than in Hong Kong, because he has made friends and has found a school in which he thrives.

“That would never happen in America.”

Julie’s claim introduces irony into the narration, as well as foreshadowing as to how that—being the hoarding of toilet paper—exactly is what happens in the US. That Julie defends American sensibility foreshadows their move to California, and how they must navigate American racism and prejudices when they arrive.

“My sister looks over. ‘Don’t crush them. They’re cool!’ She takes one and holds it up to the window. The bright sun illuminates the colorful Goldfish. ‘I like it because it’s different from the pack!’”

Lea’s admiration of the purple goldfish crackers symbolize Knox’s feelings of exclusion in his world and within his own family. Lea’s adamant support of the purple goldfish make Knox feel accepted and serve to comfort him in an ironic way, as she does not realize the effect she has on her brother.

“I miss not being the only Asian kid in my class.”

Bowen struggles the most out of the three siblings because of his Asian appearance. He experiences more racism than his siblings do, demonstrating the Prejudice and Racism During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“Could it be that he’s finally opening up to me? That we’re finally having a real conversation? I want so badly to say something smart and grown-up.”

Knox really wants a strong relationship with his brother, and he gets excited whenever he starts to see a relationship develop. Unfortunately, this also leaves him suffering when his brother withdraws his affection and shows how much Knox admires Bowen and looks up to his older brother.

“Sometimes you just need to look at a problem a different way to solve it.”

The children face numerous challenges, including helping Christopher’s family, finding a job for their dad, and earning money to get their father to the US. They must be creative to solve these problems that emphasize their maturity.

“A lot of very successful people have ADHD. Here’s the thing about it that you might not know: while you may have problems focusing on certain tasks, you can also hyper-focus on other tasks…the ones you really like.”

Here Knox realizes the benefits of ADHD. In the past, he was only aware of the problems that his impulsivity caused him. He learns to really work on his hyper-focus so that he can use it to his advantage.

“We have to get Dad over here quick! Before they completely hate each other […]!”

Being apart is difficult for the family, and Julie and Andrew begin to argue as stressors increase. This argument reflects how the pandemic not only affected children and their learning experiences, but adults and their family and professional lives as well.

“I’m only worried about this one […] People like him are the reason we now have this virus in the world. Go back to where you came from! If you’re people weren’t so filthy—"

The racism directed toward Bowen illustrates two key points. First, they show how he is treated differently than his siblings because he is the only one who looks Asian. Second, they show just how poorly Asian people could be treated during the pandemic.

“Life is hard enough already. But if we’re not kind to each other, it’s a double whammy of hard.”

Julie’s attempt to cheer Bowen up after his difficult day at track, supporting the novel’s theme of The Difficulties and Expectations of Assimilation. Throughout the novel, the family tries to make people’s lives better and grow a community of support through helping Christopher’s family business, giving out a mask to an unhoused person, and making hand sanitizer for the classroom.

“‘You know the part about it that makes me the most sad?’ Mrs. Turner asks. ‘All the children who rely on free lunches going hungry. Twenty-two million kids depend on free school lunches in the US, did you know that? Many of them children of color…’”

Mrs. Turner’s concerns introduce class considerations within the narrative as she worries about students who may not have access to food outside of school. Her reflection prompts Knox to understand his own privileges, as well as how he can help others, and inspires his further character development.

“‘I mean I need to be good at things,’ he says. He thinks for a long while before adding, ‘It’s my way of getting Mom and Dad’s attention.’”

Bowen’s frustration reveals how he perceives he sense of self-worth within his family, and also illustrates the pressure he feels to succeed. His admission shows the impacts of Knox’s ADHD diagnosis on his family members as well as his own experience with his neurodiversity.

“Now things are a little better but discrimination and racism still exist. The more we speak up about it, the less it spreads. It’s like a virus.”

Julie’s words of encouragement emphasize the persistence of racism in the US and the work still required to combat it. Through Julie’s advice, she helps her children navigate their own experiences with racism and continues the theme of Prejudice and Racism During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“ICEE stands for interrupt, correct, educate, and echo. Anytime someone says something intolerant, we should interrupt them, correct the thing they are saying, educate them on why it’s wrong, and echo statements of support for the victim.”

Yang speaks through Knox’s research to help readers learn how to combat racism they may experience or witness. Providing an acronym also supports Knox’s ADHD, as it is a manageable conflict resolution style that is easier to remember by the term that makes him think of slushy drinks.

“‘You want to be on the safe side?’ Mom asks. ‘Don’t be mean and racist. Try that.’”

Julie stands up for herself against racists who distance themselves from her in the grocery store because she is an Asian woman. As she confronts the racism she experiences, she provides an example for her children to follow and inspires them to remain strong in their own experiences with racism.

“I think about my A- test on the wall next to my bed. Just when I was starting to do well!”

Knox views a move back to Hong Kong as a setback because he has been excelling at school in the US. His reaction illustrates how he associates his self-worth with his achievements in school.

“Sorry about last week, by the way. What those other kids said, that was mean.”

A classmate apologizes to Bowen for his silence while others were racist toward him. His apology establishes a new friendship for Bowen, but also demonstrates the harm of remaining silent while witnessing racism occur.

“I was so worried these past few days…I really thought I was going to lose my best friend.”

Bowen confirms his affection for Knox after Knox awakes from his flu-induced sleep. His statement shows both Knox and the reader how much he means to Bowen, resolving a large conflict between the brothers within the narrative.

“‘[S]adly we don’t have enough surgical ones here,’ he says. ‘So my wife made this at home. It’s not quite the same thing…’”

Knox’s doctor at the hospital also experiences the effects of the Prejudice and Racism During the COVID-19 Pandemic as he is unable to access masks suitable for health professionals, like the ones the Taradippin brothers hoard to sell for inflated prices. This act of the brothers shows how some people chose to act with prejudice while others, like healthcare workers, acted heroically during the pandemic.

“‘The racism in this country affects all of us,’ Mom says as she puts a tissue to her eyes, unable to find the words to express the injustice. The sorrow. ‘Black, brown, Asian, Indigenous. And it’s not okay!’”

Julie compares racism to a virus, providing profound imagery as to how it affects everyone, not just those who contract a virus. Yang connects the virus itself with the Prejudice and Racism During the COVID-19 Pandemic, illustrating how all are impacted by racism, like all are impacted by a viral pandemic, whether they think they are or not.