The Heathen Chinee Poem Analysis
"The Heathen Chinee," also known as "Plain Language from Truthful James," is a narrative poem written by American poet Bret Harte in 1870. The poem is a satirical work that presents a story about a card game between two white men, Bill Nye and Truthful James, and a Chinese immigrant named Ah Sin. The poem touches upon themes such as racial stereotypes, prejudice, and the hypocrisy of the American society of the time.
The poem is written in a colloquial style, with Harte employing dialect and slang to lend authenticity to the narrative and create a sense of humor. The poem begins with Truthful James, the narrator, explaining the circumstances of the card game, which takes place in a California mining camp:
"Which I wish to remark,
And my language is plain,
That for ways that are dark
And for tricks that are vain,
The heathen Chinee is peculiar,
Which the same I would rise to explain."
Throughout the poem, Harte plays with the stereotypes and prejudices against Chinese immigrants prevalent in the American society of his time. The white men, Bill Nye and Truthful James, are depicted as deceitful and dishonest, trying to cheat Ah Sin in the card game. However, Ah Sin proves to be a better cheater than both of them, ultimately winning the game and causing the white men to become frustrated and violent.
The poem ends with a reflection on the moral lesson to be learned from the story:
"Which is why I remark,
And my language is plain,
That for ways that are dark
And for tricks that are vain,
The heathen Chinee is peculiar,
Which the same I am free to maintain."
Although the poem is humorous and satirical in nature, it serves to expose the hypocrisy and prejudice of the society in which Harte lived. The white characters, who are quick to judge and stereotype Ah Sin based on his ethnicity, are ultimately revealed to be dishonest and unscrupulous themselves. In this way, Harte uses the poem to challenge the prevailing attitudes and assumptions about Chinese immigrants and highlight the double standards of his contemporaries.
In summary, "The Heathen Chinee" is a satirical narrative poem that uses humor and dialect to explore themes of racial stereotypes, prejudice, and hypocrisy in 19th-century American society. Bret Harte's clever manipulation of language and character development serves to challenge the reader's assumptions and provoke reflection on the true nature of morality and human behavior.