New from Here

“‘The point is, we’re also very Chinese,’ Mom adds with a smile. ‘That’s why I named you Bowen, Lea, and Knox. After all my favorite places in Beijing, Hong Kong, and America.’ Her voice hitches. ‘But right now, I need you three to lean into the Hong Kong and American parts of yourselves...okay?’”

These words describe the troubles the family faces in Hong Kong. Julie wants them to hide their Chinese heritage as much as possible because of sentiments against Chinese people in Hong Kong. This demonstrates the prejudice present in Hong Kong during the pandemic.

“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.