Mothers
In Chapter 9, "Rice Husband", these are some of the criticisms of the house that Lena’s mother (Ying-Ying) finds.
What are it cost too much, the floors slant, and it's full of spiders and fleas.
To make Lena realize the problems with her marriage, her mother Ying Ying does this.
What is Ying Ying knocks over a table with a vase on it.
This is the symbolic meaning of the vase in chapter 9, "Rice Husband".
What is an unstable marriage between Lena and Harold.
Jing Mei finally finds her identity and heritage when this happens.
What is when she meets her sisters in China.
Jing-mei eats this for her first meal in China.
What is hamburgers, french fries, and apple pie.
This is why An-Mei ends up remarrying after she was widowed.
What is Wu Tsing took advantage of her and she got pregnant with his son.
This is the name of the pendant that Suyuan gives to Jing-mei.
What is "life's importance".
When Tin Jong asks Lindo to marry him, this is why she declines (an example of theme of Mistranslation).
What is he uses the word spouse incorrectly.
Second Wife gives An Mei a pearl necklace that is actually made of this.
What is glass.
This is where Suyuan meets her husband Canning.
What is a hospital in China.
What is she paid a Chinese woman who was raised in America and asked her to teach her how to "blend in".
This is how Rose stands up for herself by the end of chapter 11, "Without Wood".
What is she hands her husband unsigned divorce papers and declares that she will not move out.
In traditional Chinese culture, magpies are a symbol of joy, but in chapter 13 they represent this.
What is evil.
This is what Lindo means about every immigrant having "two faces".
What is they must embrace two cultures at the same time.
This is missing a leg and is believed to be unlucky.
What is a crab chosen for New Years Eve dinner.
In chapter 15, "Double Face", this is what is ironic about the fact that Lindo works in a fortune cookie factory.
What is she doesn't understand the fortunes that she writes in the cookies.
This is the gift from Rich that Waverly shows to her mother.
What is a mink coat.
This is the theme expressed in chapter 12, "Best Quality" when Suyuan gives her daughter the better of the two remaining crabs on New Years Eve.
What is sacrifice.
This is what all the mothers want for their daughters in the novel.
What is a better life than they had in China.
Lindo call Waverly’s psychiatrist this.
What is a “psyche-atricks”.
This is the reason Jing-Mei’s mother (Suyuan) is the only one in the book who doesn’t get the chance to tell her own story.
What is she is dead.
In chapter 16, "A Pair of Tickets", the reader learns that this is the significance of Jing-Mei’s name.
What is "pure essence" and "younger sister".
A woman’s main worth in her ability to give her husband a male heir to continue on the family legacy is an example of this theme.
What is sexism and power OR gender roles.
This is the main reason Waverly and Lindo’s relationship is like a game of chess as stated in chapter 10, "Four Directions".
What is they are constantly studying each other's moves.
This is how Ying Ying's first husband died.
What is Ying-ying's brother killed him for leaving her while she was pregnant.