Abstract: Based on the writing stance that the experience of immigrants of different ethnic groups is that of the American nation, Chinese American writer Gish Jen's debut novel typical American is an inward reflection on the so-called Americaness from the perspective of Chinese immigrants. The novel represents the assimilating process in which the marginalized mock and after some time consciously and unconsciously embrace and finally doubt the American identity. As such, the novel entails a differentiated thinking about Americaness. The novel discloses that Americaness as a discourse construction is closely related to race, gender and class. While consciously destructing the mythic Americaness, the novel is to reconstruct the decentralized American identity.