An Analysis of Who is Irish? by Carol Belanger In the United States, there are many immigrants from different countries and nationalities. It is probably the most ethnically diverse country in the world. Some people view it as a “melting pot” where a variety of cultures mix together and influence the overall culture. Others use the analogy of a quilt, woven by cloths from different colors and fabrics that comes out a whole piece. Despite this, gaps between different cultures still exist, especially for older immigrants, no matter how well they have assimilated. The cultural and life perspective of first generation Chinese immigrants are deeply rooted in China, even though some may have lived almost half of their lives here. Their offspring, the second generation, Chinese-Americans who grew up in the United States, hold different views than their parents. They have been Americanized just like the Chinese food at many restaurants in the United States. Because of this, the culture gap between these two generations is inevitable. In “Who is Irish”, the writer Gish Jen addresses the issues between a sixty-eight old Chinese born grandmother, who is the narrator, and her American born daughter, Irish American son-in-law-and granddaughter. As a permanent resident, the grandmother is not going anywhere, but she still feels uncomfortable with the cultural here. In the story, she ends up living with her son-in-law’s mother. The culture gaps in contemporary America are portrayed by the relationships within the Chinese American family, the relationships between the Chinese-American and the Irish American families, and the raising of the granddaughter. The culture gap between China and America is manifested in the relationships between husband and wife and between mother and daughter. Natalie, the narrator’s daughter, works in a bank as a vice president. Her