An Analysis of Older Brother’s defense of Willis Wu

Older Brother’s defense of Willis Wu identifies the difficulties of Asian-American life in America by exposing Wu’s strong internalized racism and submission to the confined roles Western society imposes on Asian Americans. Older Brother explains that Wu’s behavior is a product of the racist environment he has grown up in. Wu reacts to this defense with confusion, signaling he does not fully grasp what Older Brother is saying. This is significant as it suggests that Wu is so conditioned to assimilate that he does not realize the pressures that cause him to behave this way. 

When defending Wu in court, Older Brother ironically accuses him of being “guilty” of internalizing the racism perpetuated against Asians in America. When explaining the process of Asian Americans playing stereotypical roles he says, “Figuring out what you’re allowed to say. Above all, trying to never ever offend…Be appealing and acceptable, be what they want to see. My client was a part of this system. Both victim and suspect,” (Yu 239). Older Brother’s accusation reflects the paradox of Wu’s situation, as he is both shaped by the system and complicit in perpetuating it. Wu’s submission to these confined roles speaks to a broader societal issue which is the pressure put on Asian Americans to survive by conforming to dehumanizing stereotypes. Raised in a racist society, Wu is taught to be ashamed of his Asian identity and to engage in roles that are stereotypical yet palatable to a white audience. Older Brother does not accuse Wu to shift the blame but to expose how deeply internalized racism has become for Asians like Wu. This further provides context for Wu’s behavior as a direct result of anti-Asian racism. 

Along with highlighting Wu’s internalized racism, Older Brother connects this to the larger experience of Asian Americans. He says, “This is it. The root of it all. The real history of yellow people in America. Two hundred years of being perpetual foreigners.” (Yu 238). Older Brother’s characterization of the Asian American experience as being perceived as “perpetual foreigners” signifies how Wu’s actions are a product of xenophobia, especially towards Asians. He argues that Asian Americans are treated as outsiders despite their initial immigration dating back two hundred years. The struggle of being seen as foreign in one’s own country is not unique to Wu, but an experience that is shared amongst many Asian Americans.

Wu’s confused reaction to Older Brother reveals his inability to recognize his own implicit biases against his race. Because Wu has spent so much of his life trying to assimilate and play acceptable Asian background characters, he fails to realize how deeply he has internalized these racist notions about Asian people. Throughout the novel, Wu repeatedly states, “Ever since I was a boy, I’ve dreamt of being Kung Fu Guy,” (Yu 244). Wu’s obsession with this role stems from a desire to become the most acceptable form of an Asian man within Western society. It does not occur to him that, in his attempt to assimilate, he has come to resent parts of his Asian identity. Therefore, Older Brother’s accusations of his “guiltiness” stir up confusion, as Wu has never questioned the pressures that fueled his desire to assimilate.