Native Speaker

by

Chang-rae Lee

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Native Speaker makes teaching easy.
Janice is a young white woman who works as John Kwang’s schedule manager. She also handles responsibilities like scouting out the best place for Kwang to make public appearances. She works closely with Eduardo and Henry, training them to make sure that the cameras can always see Kwang when he appears in public. Out of all Kwang’s supporters, volunteers, and employees, Janice is perhaps the most dedicated to Kwang’s burgeoning political movement, as evidenced by the fact that only she and Henry stick around once he’s surrounded by scandal and negative media attention.

Janice Quotes in Native Speaker

The Native Speaker quotes below are all either spoken by Janice or refer to Janice . 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:
Identity and Multiculturalism Theme Icon
).
Chapter 6 Quotes

We perhaps depend too often on the faulty honor of silence, use it too liberally and for gaining advantage. I showed Lelia how this was done, sometimes brutally, my face a peerless mask, the bluntest instrument.

Related Characters: Henry Park (speaker), Lelia, Janice
Page Number: 96
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19 Quotes

He is no longer moving in his customary way. He looks old and weary, like he’s standing still. He decides to make a brief appearance for the media in the foyer of the ruined offices (against the repeated warnings of Janice, who hates the shot—all that shadowy wreckage and defeat), and with the barrage of questions and arc lights and auto winders he actually falters. Perhaps for the first time in his public life he mumbles, his voice cracks, and even an accent sneaks through.

Related Characters: Henry Park (speaker), John Kwang, Eduardo, Janice
Page Number: 293
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 21 Quotes

For so long he was effortlessly Korean, effortlessly American. Now I don’t want him ever to lower his eyes. I don’t want to witness the submissive dip of his brow or the bend of his knee before me or anyone else. I didn’t—or don’t now—come to him for the occasion of looking upon this. I am here for the hope of his identity, which may also be mine, who he has been on a public scale when the rest of us wanted only security in the tiny dollar-shops and churches of our lives.

Related Characters: Henry Park (speaker), John Kwang, Janice
Page Number: 328
Explanation and Analysis:
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Native Speaker PDF

Janice Quotes in Native Speaker

The Native Speaker quotes below are all either spoken by Janice or refer to Janice . 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:
Identity and Multiculturalism Theme Icon
).
Chapter 6 Quotes

We perhaps depend too often on the faulty honor of silence, use it too liberally and for gaining advantage. I showed Lelia how this was done, sometimes brutally, my face a peerless mask, the bluntest instrument.

Related Characters: Henry Park (speaker), Lelia, Janice
Page Number: 96
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19 Quotes

He is no longer moving in his customary way. He looks old and weary, like he’s standing still. He decides to make a brief appearance for the media in the foyer of the ruined offices (against the repeated warnings of Janice, who hates the shot—all that shadowy wreckage and defeat), and with the barrage of questions and arc lights and auto winders he actually falters. Perhaps for the first time in his public life he mumbles, his voice cracks, and even an accent sneaks through.

Related Characters: Henry Park (speaker), John Kwang, Eduardo, Janice
Page Number: 293
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 21 Quotes

For so long he was effortlessly Korean, effortlessly American. Now I don’t want him ever to lower his eyes. I don’t want to witness the submissive dip of his brow or the bend of his knee before me or anyone else. I didn’t—or don’t now—come to him for the occasion of looking upon this. I am here for the hope of his identity, which may also be mine, who he has been on a public scale when the rest of us wanted only security in the tiny dollar-shops and churches of our lives.

Related Characters: Henry Park (speaker), John Kwang, Janice
Page Number: 328
Explanation and Analysis: