Read the page-and-a-half-long excerpt from Jennifer Wang’s essay Orientation Day²² she wrote at the age of 17, that explores the relationship between her name and her identity, when she came to the United States from Beijing, China, with her family at age 7. It’s a response to a familiar experience: introducing oneself to a group of strangers. After reading (again, I’d recommend either reading aloud and having students annotate while they follow along, or do a popcorn style go-round) give students time to answer the following connection questions²² individually in writing, then allow for pair-share discussion and/ or a whole group discussion to share answers:
- What words or phrases does Jennifer Wang use to describe her identity? What words or phrases does she use to describe her attitude toward her identity?
- What does Wang mean when she says “the ‘Jennifer’ clashing with the ‘Wang,’ the ‘Wang’ fighting with the ‘Jennifer’”? What examples does she provide to support this description of her name?
- What might your name tell others about your identity? What stories about you or your family might your name reflect? What about your identity is simplified, hidden, or confused by your name?
