4. Writing is a prominent theme throughout the book, from graffiti writing, to Lam teaching writing, to the memoir itself. What power does writing have in Paper Sons?
5. Paper Sons is organized in short sections. Why might Lam have chosen this structure? How did this affect your reading experience?
6. Think of some common stereotypes of Asian Americans. In what ways does Paper Sons challenge these stereotypes?
7. Consider Cynthia Ngewu’s statement on the need for forgiveness: “We want to get rid of this burden we are carrying inside, so that we too can feel at peace” (p.213). How does this statement relate to the section “Bandaged Figures”? (p.173-177)
8. “Honesty was a prerequisite for forgiveness,” Lam says (p.212). Do you agree with this idea? Is forgiveness only possible with remorse? Under what conditions should we forgive? If the wrongdoing is denied, is it still possible for the victim to find “peace”?
9. In comparing the US immigration policy toward Chinese and Europeans immigrants before the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, Lam says, “Citizenship could be extended or withheld, but this choice had nothing to do with notions of legal or illegal; it had everything to do with affirming whiteness” (p.123). Could this same sentence be applied to the treatment of undocumented immigrants today? Why or why not?
10. Why do you think Lam ended the story the way he did? What does the ending reveal about his current feelings toward his father?
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About the Author
Dickson Lam’s work has appeared in StoryQuarterly, The Kenyon Review Online, Hyphen Magazine, The Normal School, PANK, The Good Men Project, The Rumpus, and Kartika Review. He holds MFA degrees in creative writing from the University of Houston and Rutgers-Newark. Currently, Lam is an Assistant Professor of English at Contra Costa College.
