How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Eleanor had only known one Asian person in her life—Paul, who was in her math class at her old school. […] Paul was the one who'd taught Eleanor to say Asian and not oriental. "Oriental's for food," he'd said.
"Whatever, La Choy Boy," she'd said back. (12.28-30)
This goes to show how rare Asian people are in Eleanor's neighborhood—if she's only known one Asian person before, Park is the second one she's met. Ever. Her response to Paul is pretty insensitive, right? And we wouldn't generally categorize Eleanor as insensitive.
Quote #8
Eleanor couldn't figure out what an Asian person was doing in the Flats anyway. Everybody else here was seriously white. Like, white by choice. Eleanor had never even heard the N-word said out loud until she moved here, but the kids on her bus used it like it was the only way to indicate that somebody was black. Like there was no other word or phrase that would work. (12.31)
Because she's new to the neighborhood, Eleanor's picked up on the complete lack of diversity in the Flats—and the racism that comes with it.
Quote #9
"I mean, you don't seem like you're from here…"
"Because I'm Korean?"
"You're Korean?"
"Half."
"I guess I don't really know what that means."
"Me neither," he said. (19.146-151)
So this is a really important thing about Park: Even though the world thinks he's Asian, and therefore an outsider, he has no idea what his Korean heritage even means. It's all about appearances, isn't it?