Characters
The protagonist of the novel.
Who is Otter?
"They're coming!"
Who are Uncle Foxfire and Squeaky.
Western boots.
What Uncle and Father wore under their silk robes.
The name of Otter's home "town".
What is Three Willows Village.
The the oppressive "barbarian" peoples who invade China.
Who are the Manchus.
The legendary uncle.
Who is Uncle Foxfire.
"It would be heaven to be with ... the living legend."
Who is Otter referring to going to America with Uncle Foxfire.
"clean and plain"
What are Cassia's clothes.
A metaphor for America.
What is the Golden Mountain.
The European "barbarians" in China benefiting economically.
Who are the British, from opium.
Adoptive father and bio father of the protagonist.
Who is Squeaky? Who is Tiny?
"If we had weapons...
What is stop the British from selling opium; drive out the Manchus.
Who is Otter to Father after Mother asks him if he got the rental rate for the robes.
The opening setting of the novel.
Uncle Blacky's schoolhouse.
Fiery ethnic group thought to have aided the Manchus.
The Strangers.
Adoptive mother and bio mother the protagonist.
Who is Cassia? Who is Aster?
"Everybody there, they free. Everybody, they equal."
Uncle Foxfire referring to America; Otter feels he should be 'free to go to America'.
Discarded skin.
What were Father's grimy work clothes from America.
Mother wanted to explore business opportunities in this English speaking place.
What is Hong Kong.
The last great dynasty of China before the Manchus.
What is the Ming Dynasty?
The opium-addicted mother.
Who is Stumpy's mother.
'It is said that if a fish can swim through the gate, it will change into a dragon.'
The legend of the Dragon's Gate - accomplishment after long, difficult swim upstream.
The cloth shoes were on the table.
Otter sent to fetch the embroidered slippers made by mother - one had dragons, other tigers.
Name for China, meaning of the characters.
Father's / Squeaky's clan. Mother's / Cassia's clan.
Who are the Laus. Who are the Youngs.