Characters

The main character of Gish Jen’s short story “The Third Dumpster” is Goodwin Lee, the son of a pair of Chinese immigrants in the US. 

Morehouse is another major character of the story. He is Goodwin’s brother who seems to be a more “rebellious” type. 

Goodwin and Morehouse’s parents are secondary characters. They are stereotypical demanding parents who are not open to new things or cultures. They are described as being fully Chinese, even though they have lived in America for a long time; they, therefore, represent cultural differences between Chinese and American viewpoints, which come into conflict for their sons. The two illegal workers, Jose and Ovidio, are also secondary characters.

You can read Goodwin’s and Morehouse’s characterisations in the next pages.