The 'China Dolls' of "China Dolls"

At the end of Lisa's latest novel Helen's granddaughter Annie strongly upbraids Grace for her role in perpetuating racial stereotypes:  "How could you dance at a place called the China Doll or even tolerate being called a China Doll?" (372).  Throughout the novel the phrase "China doll" is used frequently, but the complexity of its meaning goes beyond Annie's simple understanding of it.

It is true that "China doll" is at times stereotypical, as Annie protests.  Tom Ball's naming his New York nightclub the China Doll with its "Slant-Eyed Scandals" seems to fit Annie's criticism well (322).  Often the phrase reflects male stereotyping of Chinese women with an obvious sexual undercurrent.  Grace runs into this usage when she interviews for a dancer job at the Golden Gate International Exposition.  Her male interviewer tells her: "You're a regular China doll. If I put you in the Gayway, the men would eat you up" (10).  Ed Sullivan's review of Tom's performers reflects a similar usage.  "The wolves brayed wolf whistles at all the China dolls."  (331)

On the other hand, "China doll" is often used by women to describe a female role that is played for good or for ill.  Ruby uses it in a negative sense when she tells Grace that Joe doesn't want "his very own China doll at home with a new vacuum cleaner, washing machine, and dryer" (361).  By far the darkest use of "China doll" in this sense is when Ruby lashes back at Joe's anger at her for lying to him.  "You wanted a China doll. I gave you a China doll" (208).

For Ruby "China doll" suggests lack of self respect and a role of duplicity and manipulation.  It is interesting, however, that Helen and Grace find that at times this role can in fact be self affirming and transcended in a journey of self identity.  For Helen the dancers' performance at Charlie Low's Forbidden City opening brings a sense of beauty and freedom from the confined world of her father's compound:  "We twirled our parasols and tilted our heads just so. We looked exquisite. We looked delicate and breakable -- like dolls, like little China dolls . . . We supported each other and lifted each other other to create a glorious and colorful spectacle" (68).

And Grace discovers that, despite Ruby's cynicism, the role of China doll can mean something entirely different in the context of love.  When Grace affirms Joe's sexual attractiveness despite his traumatic war injury, she "gave him my best China doll smile", prompting Joe's laughter (342-343). On the last page of the novel, Grace affirms that Joe will understand her decision to be part of a performance in support of Eddie "because Joe loves me, I am his China doll, and he knows that Helen and Ruby will be the sisters of my heart for all eternity" (376).  It is love that allows Grace to enjoy being a China doll at last.