Kelly Yang’s young adult fictional novel Parachutes addresses a variety of sensitive topics, including social class, sexual assault, and immigration. The novel focuses on two Asian-American teenage girls: Claire Wang, a Chinese teenager who is one of the text’s titular “parachutes,” or typically wealthy Asian teenagers who are sent to the United States solo in order to attend American schools, and Dani De La Cruz, a Filipina-American scholarship student who works part-time to support her and her low-income single mother. Although the differences between Claire and Dani are obvious, their lives intersect when Claire’s family chooses the De La Cruzes as Claire’s American host family, and Claire is sent to American Preparatory, a private school that Dani attends.
The novel opens in Shanghai, where Claire lives with her mother and adulterous father, who is often absent as he has affairs with other women. Although Claire comes from an extremely wealthy background, her life is not nearly as happy as outsiders may suspect it to be; Claire’s parents are forgetful and decide her life for her based on the opinions of the family matriarch, Claire’s Nai Nai. Claire is told that she will be sent to America to study, a decision she is unhappy with.
Meanwhile, in East Covina, California, Dani is introduced as a hardworking student and passionate debater at American Prep. Surrounded by students who come from wealthier backgrounds and can afford better opportunities, such as private debate coaches and tutors, Dani is forced to work even harder to compete with her classmates. Dani and her friend Ming, a parachute who comes from a poor Chinese family, accompany Dani’s mother in working for the cleaning-service company Budget Maids, where Dani often cleans the homes of her wealthy classmates.
I found the character development in Parachutes very interesting. Although one might expect Claire to be spoiled and self-centered, through her concern for her mother and Dani despite her privileged upbringing, Yang develops Claire as a character who wants to distance herself from her family’s obsession with status. Conversely, while Dani’s debate coach, Mr. Connelly, is initially depicted as a kind teacher who wants to help Dani achieve her goal of attending Yale, he is later revealed to be a manipulative character who sexually harrasses Dani and other students.
Through Claire’s and Dani’s experiences, Parachutes addresses society’s ignorance toward sexual harrassment and rape. When Claire is raped by her boyfriend Jay, the American Prep school board refuses to expel Jay, mainly basing this decision on the fact that Claire did not immediately leave Jay’s home afterward. In this scene, Yang brings attention to the idea of women not being listened to when it comes to cases of sexual assault, a practice that unfortunately still exists in some settings. Additionally, when Dani speaks to American Prep after being sexually harassed by Mr. Connelly, she is accused of lying about her experience due to not being selected for an important debate tournament. When Mr. Connelly becomes aware of this accusation, Dani is permitted to go to the tournament, an act that Mr. Connelly believes justifies his behavior. Yang’s ability to show that American Prep’s fear of tarnishing its reputation could allow one of its teachers to continue taking advantage of young girls highlights a severe problem in modern society.
Although there were several inappropriate and toxic relationships in the novel, there were also some bonds and friendships that I occasionally found heartwarming. For instance, Claire’s best friend Jess, who is also a parachute, cares deeply for Claire and is almost always there for her. Though there are certainly moments where their friendship is tested, such as when Jess starts drama or treats Dani poorly, it is shown that Jess does try her best to be a good friend to Claire, and vice versa. I also felt that Claire’s relationship with her mother was very sweet. Claire’s mother is not always there for Claire, but they still love each other deeply and look out for each other. For instance, Claire is often concerned about the effect of her father’s adultery on her mother’s mental health, and is proud of her mother when she chooses to divorce Claire’s father. Through these relationships, the text shows that although life often gets in the way, true bonds last through even the worst moments.
Overall, Parachutes is a very well-written and complex novel that brings light to sensitive topics that should be taken seriously. Through its portrayal of the effects of social class and sexual assault on the lives of high schoolers, Yang’s book lays the foundation for future works designed to erase the stigma surrounding these matters. Parachutes is an essential read for lovers of fiction and young adult literature, as well as those seeking to understand the deeper impacts of societal problems on teenagers.
