stifle their demand for social justice by showcasing the "success story" of a few selected

individuals or groups. William Peterson, for example, took such a stance in his article

"Success Story, Japanese-American Style," published in The New York Times Magazine

in 1966. Focusing on the success of Nisei and attributing their success to education,

frugality, good work ethics, and the intact family structure in which the respect for

authority is strongly preserved, he presented a conservative and optimistic view of ethnic

America, implying that anything is possible if the individual is willing to work hard

enough.304

 As those who have studied the issue of diaspora and its psychic impact show,

however, the truth is that oftentimes a strenuous task of physical survival that consumes

the first generation drives the emotional and psychological issues underground, whereas

the second generation has to work through these more complex issues transferred to them

and suffers the consequences of their parents' pathological development.305 In Henry's

case, despite his outburst against the suppressive facade of his parents' propriety and

perfection, he himself becomes an "impeccable mate" (161) and "the obedient, soft-

spoken son" (202), not to mention all the "good names" at work accrued to him because

of the "textbook examples" (171) of his daily register. In addition, his speech is again

"perfect" according to the professional assessment of his wife, who happens to be a

speech therapist and acquires the nickname "the English lady." But the irony is that

notwithstanding all these outward achievements, his life, like his profession, turns out to

be more a matter of impersonation. With a troubled marriage, the sudden death of his son,

the suppressed negative feelings toward his parents, and an unrelenting guilt over the acts

of betrayal he has been committing due to the nature of his work, he faces serious