Author holds small invite-only workshop

Those who attended the invite-only luncheon for Chinese-American author Maxine Hong-Kingston yesterday afternoon seemed to regret the end of their hour and a half with the master storyteller. For most of the workshop, Hong-Kingston fielded questions about topics ranging from the politics and aestheticism of literature to female and male narrative perspectives. She entranced the audience with her wisdom, powerful command of language and ceaselessly dancing hands and arms. Many of the 20 or so students, University faculty, faculty from other universities and local high school teachers gathered in Bennett Hall yesterday praised the petite author. "In a context in which Asian-American voices have been silent so long, I think her voice has been so strong," said Jean Wu, a psychology professor at Bryn Mawr College and the first professor to teach an Asian-American course at the University. Debby Wei, Asian-American curriculum specialist of the Philadelphia Public School District, echoed Wu's praise. "She's not just important as an Asian-American writer, she's important as an American writer," Wei said, adding that Hong-Kingston's presence on campus "reemphasizes the need for greater intellectual discourse" on Asian-American issues. But Wei said she felt Hong-Kingston's appearance was all-too-brief and overly-exclusive. "I think it was valuable to have someone on campus to validate the Asian-American experience," she said, "but it was disturbing to have her for about half a day and [the programs] open to only a select few." She also criticized the invite-only status of Tuesday night's dinner and yesterday's luncheon. Wei also criticized the inadequate accommodations for Hong-Kingston's reading two days ago. "There were probably at least 50 people who came and were turned away." she added. Jim Lee, a 1992 College graduate who is applying to graduate programs in Asian-American Studies, said he admires Hong-Kingston's "brilliant style" but said he feels that Hong-Kingston's views on multiculturalism and the Asian-American experience inaccurately "seemed to universalize her West Coast experience." While Hong-Kingston perpetually emphasized a "wider sense of identity" by embracing all cultures, Lee said that integration is more difficult on the East Coast where ethnic communities are more isolated. "She was talking about the Asian-American experience, but I couldn't empathize," he said. "Her limitations were obvious," he added, saying he was disappointed that she did not address the issues of class and money and the "Asian-American urban experience."