Shu Yi Character Analysis

In “Shu Yi,” Shu Yi is a young Chinese girl who is a new student at Ava’s elementary school. The other kids, apparently parroting the racist, xenophobic rhetoric they’ve picked up from their parents, bully her mercilessly because she’s Asian and an immigrant. Ava sees what’s going on and recognizes that it’s wrong, but she doesn’t do anything to help Shu Yi. Before Shu Yi’s arrival, Ava, one of the only Black kids in her suburb, was her racist peers’ preferred target. Though Ava knows how bad it feels to be treated like an outsider, she is selfishly grateful that her peers are too busy bullying Shu Yi to bully her. One day, Ava’s mother, realizing what’s going on with Shu Yi and the other kids, meets with the girls’ teacher Mr. Wilkinson (after an unsuccessful meeting with the school’s unsympathizing principal, Mr. James) to bring the bullying to his attention and try to make things better for Shu Yi. Shu Yi looks happy for the first time ever when Mr. Wilkinson says that Ava will make her feel at home. When bullying resumes later that day, Shu Yi cautiously and desperately turns to Ava for help. But Ava, fearing that her peers will make her life miserable if she defends Shu Yi, chooses to reject Shu Yi, calling her a racial slur in front of all their classmates. Ava’s cruel betrayal shocks and humiliates Shu Yi, and the story ends on an equally heartbreaking and pitiful note, with Ava (and likely all the other students) watching as Shu Yi urinates out of embarrassment.