Joan Is Okay

How does this novel depict racism against Chinese Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic? How does the author’s representation of Joan’s experiences and observations ground the text within the history of the early days of the pandemic?

Discuss Joan’s relationship with her parents. How does she both try to be a “good” immigrant daughter and resist stereotypes about second-generation Asian American immigrants?

How does this novel address the expectations placed on women of color in the United States? What does Joan think about these expectations? How does she interpret roles for women in general and Chinese American women in particular?

Discuss Joan’s relationship with her neighbor Mark. How would you characterize Mark? Does his lack of boundaries help or hurt Joan? How?

Discuss Joan’s work ethic and work habits. In what ways does her work shape Joan’s identity?

Consider Fang as a son, father, brother, and worker. What are the key differences between how Fang and Joan approach their lives? What similarities do they share despite those differences? How does their presence, as siblings, remark on The Difficulties of Immigration?

Discuss the novel’s use of popular cultural representations of New York City. What might Joan’s unfamiliarity with television shows like Friends and Seinfeld say about her as a character? What does it suggest, in a broader sense, about those who approach life in ways that subvert societal norms?

How does this novel depict solitude and interpersonal connection? Would you characterize Joan as lonely? Why or why not?