Summary

The short story “Who’s Irish?” by Gish Jen is about a 68-year-old Chinese woman living with her family in the US. The Chinese woman, who is also the narrator, recalls the time when her husband was alive and their life at their restaurant. The narrator’s daughter, Natalie, is married to John Shea, who comes from an Irish family. The narrator looks down on the Sheas, particularly on John and his brothers, who are unemployed. John’s mother, Bess, is sorry that she only had boys, and the narrator offers Bess to stay with her at her daughter’s place because there are a lot of girls there. Bess refuses politely.

The narrator also disagrees with her daughter’s way of raising Sophie, the three-year-old granddaughter. Sophie looks like a beautiful Chinese girl except for the fact that her skin is much darker than both her parents’. Natalie and J...