What are the symbolism in "Tripmaster Monkey" by Maxine Hong Kingston?

The Baby Uncle Sam suit is a symbol of the novel's central conflict, Wittman's unsuccessful attempts to reconcile himself as a person of Chinese heritage familiar with traditional Chinese myth and culture, and as an American. Try as he may, Wittman's appearance and background prevent his being accepted by mainstream culture. Yet, he is often surprised to see an oriental face when looking in the mirror, because he feels completely a product of America, especially Berkley of the 1960s.