Passages

Page 1-76

The first passage that shows imagery as well as some importance to the story is when Gwei Chang had felt that people were finally accepting him, after he had not been in a long time. He felt as though he had a purpose after he was sent to find the bones and felt that he had accomplished something and felt accepted. The quote “She taught him to love the same mother earth and to see her sloping curves in the mountains. He forgot that he had once thought of them as barriers”. This shows that Gwei has found peace in where he has come, and that Kelora Chen had made him feel welcome. This is the part in the story where he forms a stronger bond with Kelora and starts developing feelings for her, which leads to other events in the story. Another quote is “He would watch red buds bloom into freshly peeled blossoms”. This explains how he was learning to respect the land that he had come to. This also could mean that he was emerging like red buds would in the spring and he felt that he had some use here in the strange place that he was sent to. It may even show that he feels as if he wasn’t only sent here to find these bones, but sent here to have his character fully developed.

The second passage that shows imagery as well as importance to the story is 32 years after the first passage. This is when Gwei Chang is with a women named Mui Lan. This passage is important to the story since it shows that Gwei and Mui Lan’s son can’t have a baby which is important for them since having a son would mean an heir to their fortune. The quote “No, it’s the same concern that I’ve had about Choy Fuk and Fong Mei for a long time now”. This shows that Choy Fuk has been trying to get an heir for a long time now and Mui Lan is worried that they won’t be having a son. “Bringing in another wife for him is impossible anyway. There’s a new Chinese Exclusion Act”. This shows that the Chinese people are being treated unfairly. This shows some depth to why Mui Lan is so worried, since this could mean that they may not have an heir which seems to have a lot of importance to them. This is also important since Mui Lan wants to devise a plan to get Choy Fuk with another women behind Gwei Chang’s back. This means that Gwei Chang doesn’t approve of this, but Mui Lan feels the need to do it because she fears that Gwei Chang will not approve.


Page 77-162

“He recognized in it the smoldering ferocity of an animal that had known only boundless freedom before walking into a snare” (page 145, line 12-15). This was Ting An’s recognition of emotion in his growing fury, stepping into the Lucky Money Home Club. The cause of his fury remained elusive; however, it lingered around the commotion concerning Choy Fuk’s affairs. Choy Fuk had been talking a great deal about his escapades, to a point where people had a gathering specifically to gamble on when they thought Choy Fuk’s partner would conceive. Though his partner in crime had not been able to conceive in six months, his betrayal to Mui Lan was effortless. Not only had this passage been an important factor in the story, it had shown great imagery as Ting An’s fury was exemplified as such a beast. It had represented his entrapment in the predicament he was introduced to, being brought along by Yee Gaw, though against his will, he had not put much resistance. This passage gives insight into Ting An’s character (showing that it was against his volition to do such things), and notifies readers of events in the story.

The collective motherly presence across the household focused on Kae’s child felt as if ‘a feminine order takes charge; a hearth like warmth alights’ (page 171, line 21-22). Kae’s baby had brought Kae, her mother, Beatrice, and her old nanny, Seto Chi’s relationship much closer. The raising of a baby, yet troublesome, gives a ‘magic’ so loving it brings people together unlike any other. The emotion feels as if “peace and serenity descend” (page 171, line 20-21) into the household. This passage shows immense imagery as the uprising of closeness is represented as the magic displayed. As the three take care of the child, they learn more about each other in their past lives and the current states. We are given some understanding of their true personalities, as explained by Kae “the people around (her) wore two-faced masks, and played their lifelong roles to artistic perfection.” Readers find that the beauty in raising children is great but it comes with troubles, as we can see from the passage.


Page 163-258

This passage has some very strong imagery in it. It shows a unique way of a daughter’s behavior in the eyes of an estranged and overly protective mother. This passage can be portrayed in many ways, but the way it is portrayed here, is of the mothers emotions. Her daughter Su’s curiosity and her new found friend was taking her daughter onto a path that she didn’t feel was a traditional one or one that she wanted. Fong Mei sees her eldest daughter in a complicated and compromising relationship with Morgan which is taking her daughter away from her, and is also bringing Bea along with her. The family that FOng Mei has tried to keep together underneath all of the lies that seem to be unravelling and the deep betrayal is falling apart. It’s almost like their perfectly woven world that was so isolated was being torn onto two different paths, one that was continuing on the path of past generations of the family (Fong Mei’s path) and the path that changes depending on what the people who choose it want (Sue’s path). Now all of the baggage that the family has brought upon themselves coming back to haunt them and whoever could ‘cling onto the wreckage clung; those who didn’t spun away into oblivion.” This passage definitely shows readers how the family and the relationships between them are crumbling.

The passage on page 241, line 1-28 was particularly interesting because of what was derived from it. This passage deeply describers what the family had comign for them from the start. It has completely fallen apart. The mistakes and lies and betrayal that the older generations have made, not only bring hurt to those generations but also bring terror to the younger ones. Much like Kae. As she writes about her family, and the stories of her family, she is appalled and feels as if she will have to carry the burden of all of the pain and rage on her own shoulders if she stares too long. She has no words to explain the terrible past of her ancestors. There is a feeling of some extreme tension between Kae and her mother when this passage is read. Perhaps the women who she watched disintegrate in the beginnig of the passage was her mother? Most of her family is willing to talk to her about what happened from beginning to end, from all sides of their stories. Except her own mother. This makes Kae resent her mother because she knows that whatever happened to her mother is too much of a burden to carry alone. Whatever that burden is, Kae wants her mother to let it go and move on, but whenever she looks at her, she sees a flame that is dying because its being kept inside and has no way to get out. The way the author uses the word “torpid” is interesting as a description of the text that Kae had written closely compares to her family : “having lost motion of pwer of exertion or feeling” or “lacking in energy or vigor”.