LS 5653: Module 5: APPLE PIE FOURTH OF JULY

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Wong, Janet S. 2002. APPLE PIE 4TH OF JULY. Illus. by Margaret Chodos-Irvine. Harcourt: New York. ISBN: 0-15-202543-X.

PLOT SUMMARY

It is the Fourth of July. A young Chinese American girl is watching her parents cook in their restaurant. She is incredulous to see them cooking Chinese food on the Fourth of July. She can’t imagine that anyone will want Chinese food on America’s birthday. She hears the parade and sells a few items to customers but does not understand why her parents keep cooking. She claims that her parents do not “understand all American things.” The narrator is shocked to discover that as the dinner hour begins, patrons come to the restaurant for dinner. Americans do eat Chinese food on the Fourth of July. After the restaurant closes, the girl and her family climb onto their roof to watch fireworks and eat apple pie.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Fourth of July is a distinctly American Holiday. Other sovereign countries would not celebrate American Independence. A young Chinese girl (the girl is unnamed) sits in her family restaurant watching her parents cook Chinese food on a holiday that is distinctly American. She thinks they are unaware that no one wants Chinese food on this American day. She learns a valuable lesson about what it means to be “American”.

The plot and setting in this story are simple. The action and anticipation continues to build as the girl watches her parents cook. The girl is certain no one will come in to eat. The reader may begin to agree as the action moves on. However as the clock moves toward dinnertime, the shop fills with hungry customers. Our young narrator realizes that she is wrong. At the end of the story, Ms. Wong does an excellent job showing cultures being intertwined. After the family cooked Chinese food all day and ate Chinese food for their meals, they go onto the roof and watch fireworks, a Chinese invention in America, and eat apple pie, an American iconic dessert. What a unique blend of culture! One culture was not absorbed into the other; they are intermingled together. Each retains its own identity.

The story could be set in any time period. The clothing is basic and generic. It could be set in any recent past, present or future time period. The important aspect of the setting is the location. This is not a story about Asians that is set in a far off land. This story is set in the United States.

The character development in this story is basic but thorough. Readers do not learn much about our narrator’s parents. They own a shop on a main street in a town. When the narrator claims that no one will want Chinese food on July 4th, the father’s only response is that fireworks are Chinese and he continues cooking. Perhaps he understands that July 4th is not only about hot dogs and apple pie, but it is also about bringing all Americans together, with all of the culture too, and celebrating freedom.

Readers learn the most about the young female narrator. She loves her family and is a good worker in the family business (she is seen straightening shelves and helping customers) but she does not believe that her parents understand America. She credits this lack of understanding to the fact that they were not born here. This leads the reader to assume that this girl was born here. This is why she believes she is the expert on what Americans want on July 4th. She is an American. She watches the day pass, shocked that her parents continue to cook. When the dinner hour strikes, she realizes that Chinese food is not forbidden on July 4th. Her definition of “American” was expanded and enveloped her own culture.

The illustrations are simple, colorful, and all-encompassing. They are not limited to a certain size. Many of the illustrations fill the pair of facing pages with the text blended into the scene. Ms. Chodos-Irvine does not overwhelm the reader with intricate details. Simple detail and color seem more important. For example, all of the characters (regardless of ethnicity) have similar faces. Eyes, noses, and mouths are all very uniform. The characters’ clothing is all equivalent as well. Ms. Chodos-Irvine relies on hair color and style as well as skin tone and shape to show the differences in the characters in the story. She does an excellent job using those two simple traits. No two people look alike. Many different ethnicities come into the shop, and all of them are distinct and discernible.

One interesting observation can be made about the narrator’s clothing. She believes that she is knowledgeable about what Americans want on July 4th. She is the expert. She is wearing blue pants with a red and white striped shirt—red, white, and blue.

Cross cultural conflict and adjustment are the prevalent themes in this story. Our narrator believes that her parents’ actions are in direct violation of the desires of Americans. She believes that they do not understand what Americans want. They have not adequately adjusted to life in America. They are immigrants and are therefore not aware of all things “American”. The narrator believes that being American and being Chinese are in conflict on the 4th of July. By the end of the story, the young girl realizes that the two identities are not in conflict but can be brought together. It is not an “either-or” situation.

APPLE PIE FOURTH OF JULY is a story of a holiday celebration surprise. Holiday celebrations are not exclusionary but rather open enough to include many variations and ideas.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

From KIRKUS REVIEWS: “All at once, cultural boundaries don't seem quite as defined.”

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This simply told story explores a child's fears about cultural differences and fitting in with understanding and affection… This second successful collaboration…is one you won't want to miss.”

FROM BOOKLIST: “Vibrant, colorful spreads keep the focus on the girl, using body language to accentuate first her discomfort and boredom, and then her pride as she hands out cartons of takeout. This excellent read-aloud will partner well with books that emphasize American patriotism, such as Lynne Cheney's America: A Patriotic Primer.”

CONNECTIONS

Students will study the origins of the Fourth of July holiday. When did it start? Have celebrations changed over the years? When did fireworks accompany the celebration?
Fourth of July Celebrations Database
Fourth of July is Independence Day: USA.gov

Students will select a holiday (from any country) and will create a presentation. Students will include traditional foods, its origin, and why, when and where the holiday is celebrated.
Students will visit Janet Wong’s website and learn more about her and her books. She reads an excerpt from this book on this site. Students will listen to this text in Ms. Wong’s own voice.
Janet S. Wong - Author of Acclaimed Children's Books