Karen Lee Character Analysis in Interior Chinatown

Karen Lee is Willis’s wife (and later his ex-wife). She and Willis have a daughter together, Phoebe. Willis meets Karen on the set of Black and White, where she plays an undercover detective. She’s a quarter Taiwanese. Willis thinks that being a woman gives Karen an advantage, at least within mainstream (white) society, which considers women of Asian descent beautiful (even if it simultaneously objectifies and stereotypes them). Karen is initially supportive of Willis’s career, but eventually his all-consuming goal of becoming Kung Fu Guy drives them apart. Karen eventually gets her own show on which she plays a young mother, a role that necessitates her leaving Chinatown to relocate to the suburbs. There’s a part for Willis on the show too, but he turns it down to be Kung Fu Guy, and eventually he and Karen divorce. Toward the end of the novel, Willis is tried and found guilty of his own disappearance. Afterward, he delivers an emotional monologue to the courtroom audience. Willis’s speech moves Karen, and she hints that she may be willing to give their marriage another try.

Karen Lee Quotes in Interior Chinatown

The Interior Chinatown quotes below are all either spoken by Karen Lee or refer to Karen Lee . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“Oh, boo hoo, I’m a poor helpless Asian Man. It’s so terrible being me.”

“I have to talk with an accent because no one can process what the hell to do with me. I’ve got the consciousness of a contemporary American. And the face of a Chinese farmer of five thousand years ago. Asian Man. It’s a fact. Look it up. No one likes us.”

“Not with that attitude they won’t. And by the way, I think I might like you. Maybe. A little.”

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 182

Explanation and Analysis:

You survey the room: drawings, hair ties, notes to herself. Seemingly every species of stuffed animal or creature, real or imagined, lined up like a royal court along the walls on the floors. Her friends, her audience. Her off-screen voices. She seems both more resourceful and yet more childlike at the same time—how she’s invented a world, stylized, so that its roles and scenery, its characters and rules, its truths and dangers, all fit within one room. How small it is, and overstuffed, and ready for expansion. How bright it is, how messy. This whole place, the objects in it, all from her.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Related Symbols: ,

Page Number and Citation: 213

Explanation and Analysis:

The words coming out of your mouth, you can feel it happening, how you’re softening, changing into a different person. You were a bit player in the world of Black and White, but here and now, in her world, you’re more. Not the star of the show, something better. The star’s dad. Somehow you were lucky enough to end up in her story.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Related Symbols: ,

Page Number and Citation: 12

Explanation and Analysis:

PHOEBE Can you tell me a story?

KUNG FU DAD I don’t know how. No one’s ever asked me to.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker),

Related Symbols: ,

Page Number and Citation: 219

Explanation and Analysis:

KAREN You wanted them to find you.

KUNG FU DAD I wanted them to find us.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker), , ,

Related Symbols: ,

Page Number and Citation: 227

Explanation and Analysis:

Karen Lee Character Timeline in Interior Chinatown

The timeline below shows where the character Karen Lee appears in Interior Chinatown. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...gesturing toward the scantily clad women downstairs. Then he presses a button, and a woman (Karen) steps into the office. Willis freezes as he locks eyes with the woman. He asks... (full context)

...out. Fong leaves through a secret exit, leaving Willis behind with the mysterious beautiful woman (Karen). (full context)

...to duck, though it’s not in the script. He does, and she introduces herself as Karen, which isn’t in the script either. Willis introduces himself as Willis Wu. Just then, Fatty... (full context)

...is lying. Willis turns to her, stunned, and Green explains that the woman is Detective Karen Lee, an undercover agent. Willis thanks her for saving his life, and she compliments his... (full context)

Lee turns to Turner and Green and tells them that Fatty Choy knows something but will... (full context)

Willis looks at Lee and feels like he’s going to melt. Just then, he realizes that his side is... (full context)

Karen looks grim. She tells Willis she wishes things didn’t have to end this way, but... (full context)

Just then, the door opens: it’s Karen Lee. She asks Willis how “death” is treating him. At first, Willis isn’t even sure... (full context)

Willis asks about Karen’s background, and she tells him. When he observes that she’s a quarter Taiwanese, she takes... (full context)

LOVE STORY. Willis plays the role of Delivery Guy, and Karen is a tourist. BEGIN ROMANTIC MONTAGE. Willis is still coming to grips with the fact... (full context)

Karen wants to meet Old Asian Woman. Willis is nervous and explains to Karen that his... (full context)

Willis shares this good news with Karen; now that he can work again, they can plan in earnest for their future. Willis... (full context)

...be Kung Fu Guy any day now. Willis comes home to share the news with Karen, but she’s got news of her own: they’re going to have a baby. Willis is... (full context)

Time passes, and eventually Willis and Karen become parents to a daughter they name Phoebe. Now it’s Karen and Willis and Phoebe,... (full context)

One day, Karen gives Willis more big news: she’s been given her own show. It’s about a young... (full context)

Karen is skeptical. She believes in Willis, but she just doesn’t think “they” are ever going... (full context)

...pass, and then a year has passed. Just when Willis is starting to think that Karen was right after all, he gets a call from the director with the news he’s... (full context)

...says he misses her and apologizes that it’s been so long since he’s seen her. Karen appears and dryly thanks him for making an appearance. Willis tells her she looks amazing.... (full context)

INT. PHOEBE LAND—GROWN-UP TALKING PLACE. Karen calls Willis out on being gone for so long and then showing up out of... (full context)

Willis looks out the window then and sees the police. Willis assures Karen and Phoebe that everything is okay—they’re there for him because he stole the police car.... (full context)

Willis looks at the spectators and finds Karen’s eyes in the crowd. He appeals to her for approval, asking if perhaps she can... (full context)

The next thing Willis knows, Karen is leaning over him. She kisses him. Phoebe is there too. She asks if Willis... (full context)

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Karen Lee Character Analysis

Karen Lee Quotes in Interior Chinatown

Karen Lee Character Timeline in Interior Chinatown

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