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The Third Dumpster

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Submitted By Celi0077
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Every family has a different culture, with different choices and different traditions. When it comes to taking care of old parents, the case is no different.
In the short story ‘The Third Dumpster’ written by Gish Jen, we meet two brothers and their struggle to make the perfect nursing home for their parents.

The short story deals with the two brothers, Goodwin and Morehouse, who have bought an old poor home on auction for their Chinese parents to live in. Their parents have been living in the US for the past 50 years, although they do not like the culture or the food for that matter. Goodwin and Morehouse are to renovate the old home, so that it becomes livable and at the same time make their parents actually like the US. The house was a bargain for the two brothers; it was close to their home and the house is in one plan, which makes it easy for the parents to cope. In spite of the two brothers effort, the parents are not pleased.

The short story starts in media res, just after Goodwin and Morehouse has bought the house. We are presented to the story, almost without any insight information about any of the characters; the only thing we know is that Goodwin and Morehouse are brothers. The story is being told by a third person narrator, through the eyes of Goodwin, which means we only get an insight in his thoughts and feelings.

Every culture has a tradition on how to properly take care of old people who no are able to take care of themselves. In America there is two different options, and in this short story there is three, which also is connected to the title, the third dumpster. The writer tells about three dumpsters, when the brothers are renovating the new house, which symbolizes the three options that the brothers have.
The first option, being the first dumpster, is taking the parents in to live with either Goodwin or Morehouse in their home.

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