Native Speaker (1995), author Chang-Rae Lee's debut novel, explores the life of a Korean-American man named Henry Park as he navigates his marriage and career as a spy. Native Speaker explores the themes of language, identity, and assimilation as an Asian-American, and reflects elements of literary fiction and spy thrillers. The novel won the 1996 PEN/Hemingway award for Best First Novel and is the first novel by a Korean-American author to be published by a major American company, Riverhead Books.

Synopsis

Native Speaker follows Henry Park, a Korean-American living in New York City during the 90s. Henry struggles with the recent separation from his wife, Lelia, who is white, following the death of their seven-year-old son. He also works at Glimmer & Co., a firm hired by clients to gather information on various subjects, typically immigrants and people of color. As a spy, Henry is tasked with the job of going undercover to investigate John Kwang, a Korean-American councilman and potential candidate for the next mayoral race. While Henry starts to gain Kwang's trust, he begins grappling with the implications of his impending betrayal, knowing that his actions will harm a fellow Korean-American.

Characters

The Park family

John Kwang's family and staff

Glimmer & Co.

Others

Major themes

Henry is the quintessential Korean-American, as much of his Korean heritage resonates through his voice, personality, and beliefs. His Korean upbringing still shows up in his adult life. Like many American immigrants trying to find an identity in a foreign land, Henry is an "...emotional alien...stranger [and] follower..." who constantly feels isolated from the country in which he lives and also the country from which he came. Even though he is American, Henry Park feels a constant alienation and sense of isolation. There are many challenges that come with fitting into American life because of the difference in culture, beliefs, behavior; and because of the desire to still hold on to one's heritage.

Awards and nominations

In Popular Culture

The novel is referenced in the film Estuaries by German director Lior Shamriz, in a scene between the protagonist's sister Ropnit and her therapist. In a conversation about diaspora and exile, Ronit refers to Los Angeles as "what Chung Rae-Lee called the Last Babylon".