Perils and Resources of ‘Eternal Sojourners’ in Timothy Mo’s Sour Sweet

Timothy Mo’s novel Sour Sweet addresses the difficulties faced by the
Chen family that moved to London in the 1960’s in search of a better life. In opposition
to many other “first generation novels” however, the Chens are not all admiring
immigrants who wish to blend in with their host country; on the contrary, they
prefer a ghettoized life in the suburbs and see their new location simply as a temporary
rest place. For the Chens and the Triad gang that threatens them the cosmopolitan
city is a land of opportunity they can exploit through the commodification
of their “superior” culture, making theirs an attempted “reverse colonization”. This
is accomplished through the preparation and presentation of food by means of
which the English often approach the Chinese. At the same time however, in order
to sell their food the Chens must adapt their dishes to their clients’ expectations
and tastes. Moreover, although the “foreign devils” have not caused them any particular
distress, the Chens still regard them with a stereotypical eye that resembles
the one through which people like them are commonly viewed. Timothy Mo thus
depicts the diaspora experience from an alternative and ironic point of view, that of
a family committed to not coming to terms with their new condition unless compelled
by the “yin yang” flow of contrasting yet complementary forces and elements
that characterize everyday life. The present perusal into the development of
the diaspora experience offered in Timothy Mo’s novel will be carried out by focusing
on some of the main issues that divide and that unite Chinese immigrants
with fellow countrymen as well as from and with their English “home away from
home”.