Interior Chinatown Summary
Charles Yu

Interior Chinatown Overview

Charles Yu's novel, Interior Chinatown, is a second person narrative that tells the story of Willis Wu. As the son of Taiwanese immigrants, Willis has always felt a confused sense of identity. Instead of trying to discover and act like his true self, Willis becomes lost in the templated world of a cop show production called Black and White. Obsessed with climbing the ladder and achieving the ultimate role of Kung Fu Guy, Willis abandons his authentic feelings and his closest relationships. Adopting the structure of a screenplay, Yu's subversive tale explores the dark truths of being an immigrant in America. Interior Chinatown examines themes of invisibility, entrapment, and home.