Necessary Roughness Summary
Marie G. Lee

Necessary Roughness Overview

Necessary Roughness, by Marie G. Lee, is the story of Chan Kim, a first-generation Korean American who moves with his family to a small, mostly white rural community. As Chan struggles to find a balance between fitting in with both his new life and his traditional family, he develops a clearer sense of the person he is, and the person he wants to be. Within this coming-of-age story, the narrative also explores themes related to encountering racism, father-son relationships, and the nature of religion and faith.