The Children Summary
Julie Otsuka

The Children Overview

“The Children” is a short story by Julie Otsuka. It was originally published in 2011 in issue 115 of the literary magazine Granta. The story is told through the collective perspective of Japanese women who have immigrated to California with their husbands. The women have children and struggle to negotiate their relationships with their children along with the hardships of poverty and the cultural tensions that they experience in America. The story explores themes of patriarchy, adversity, and cultural tension.