Christine Leong- “Being a Chink”
Questions on Meaning
1. In paragraph 9 Leong says that she and her friends “know what the word chink means.” Where in her essay
does she explain the true meaning?
2. What has the word chink come to mean when Leong and her friends use it? Where in the essay does Leong
explain this?
3. What is Leong’s purpose? To propose a new definition for a word, to teach the reader something about how
labels work, or to explain how adapting a racist term can be a form of gaining power? Explain and
elaborate.
Questions on Writing Strategy
1. Compare the structural similarities between Leong’s essay and Naylor’s essay ‘The Meanings of a Word”.
Why might Leong adapt these features of Naylor’s essay?
2. In paragraph 3 Leong details all the forgotten items she finds under the counter. What is the effect of ending
with the “old MidLantic envelope from the bank across the street”?
3. What is the main purpose of the extended example from Naylor’s essay in paragraph 7?
4. Why is Leong so careful to explain that she and her friends are all intelligent and educated (9)?
5. Why does Leong react so strongly, expressing shock and disbelief, when she sees the word chink written on
the envelope (4)?
Questions on Language
1. In paragraph 10 Leong explains that she and her friends are “dealing with a label that can never be
removed.” What other words does she use in this paragraph to suggest the potential helplessness of being
permanently labeled?
2. What do the connotations of “term of endearment” (8) indicate about the way Leong and her friends have
refined chink?
Journal Response
Although children and teens assume they will be protected by their parents, Leong presents a situation in which
she felt the need to protect her father. Can you identify with Leong’s feelings? Have you ever felt particularly
angry or defensive on behalf of a parent? In your journal explore why and what happened as a result.