Homebase: An Interesting Way of Telling History

After I read the first couples of pages of Homebase, I thought the reading was about the family story of a little boy who became orphaned at the age of fifteen. The story was clear to me until the part where Rainsford’s father died. The boy said: I was left a father to myself after my father’s death (Wong 6). I kept thinking about what the meaning of that phrase was. On the paragraphs, I kept reading further where the boy talked about how if a child dies or a dog dies, they can be replaced. To Rainsford, his father was a really important figure. Father just simply cannot be replaced while other things can. In addition, after his father died, Rainsford was forced to become the man of a household. For a boy that is seven years old, that is too early. However, he had to because in order to help out his mother.

                Sadly, his mother also left him eight years later. At that point, he had to choice but choose to become an adult so that he can take care of himself. From what I understand, Rainsford started to think about his background or his family history after his mother died. He had no one to turn to. He was just a little Chinese boy living in America. He was home but he was not. His home was in America, but it also seemed like a strange place at the same time. He had another home called China, yet it was also strange. Rainsford was lonely and lost in a giant world.

                I found it really interesting that the story is told in a way where historical perspectives from past people were mixed into the present. At times, I got lost and did not understand what was really going on; or what really was the meaning of the story. The story sometimes was told on the behalf of the Great-grandfather. Sometimes it was from the perspective of the grandfather. Sometimes it was father. At each generation, a different story was told. When the Great-grandfather was telling story, it was about the hardships that the early Chinese miners, laborers had to endure. It was about the unfair treatments which this country gave them. It was about the harsh weather that they experienced. Grandfather then talked about the time they were locked up in Angel Island’s immigration station.

                Rainsford’s memory about his father was the most significant however, because he was his “father’s son.” These memories were mainly about the time when his family lived in Guam Island. It was the happiest time of his life that he could remember. For every generation of Chinese in his family, there was a place that they called home. However, he also mentioned that he had no home in America. After losing his parents, everything must have been hard on Rainsford. I think he is trying to make the connection between his situation and his Great-grandfather’s situation. After a long time living in America, little Rainsford who is a fourth generation Chinese boy still has no place to call home. His Great-grandfather came to America to find a home and ended up with none.

                In conclusion, the story of Homebase is trying to talk about the fact that Chinese Americans in the US have always been homeless. The story of Rainsford is just a comparison. The point that Shawn Wong is trying to make is that “after 125 years of our live here, I do not just a home time allowed me to have. America must give me legends with spirit.” (Wong 95) The Chinese Americans have been longing the recognitions from America itself for 125 years. That is the message of the story.