Plot & Characters
Who is the narrator of “No Wood”?
Rose Hsu Jordan
What does the title “No Wood” refer to?
Rose lacking strength or firmness
How does Rose resist patriarchy by the end of the chapter?
speaking up
What literary device is used when An-mei compares Rose to a tree?
a metaphor
What is the biggest change we see in Rose by the end of the chapter?
She begins to speak up for herself or anything that makes sense
What is the name of Rose’s controlling husband?
Ted
What does the garden outside Rose and Ted’s house represent?
Rose’s neglected self or identity?
Under a feminist lens, what does Rose’s silence in her marriage represent?
a loss of voice and submission to patriarchy or anything that makes sense
What do the weeds in the garden most likely represent?
How Rose let problems grow without fixing them or anything that makes sense
At the start of the chapter, how does Rose mainly respond to conflict?
She ignores it and stays silent or anything that makes sense
What family member encourages Rose to speak up and find her voice?
An-mei Hsu
What does An-mei want Rose to be like when she says, “You must be like the tree”?
What is strong and unmovable?
How does An-mei challenge traditional gender roles?
teaching her daughter to be strong and independent rather than obedient or anything that makes sense
What does Rose’s silence in her marriage symbolize?
Her struggle to express herself or anything that makes sense
What role does An-mei play in Rose’s character development?
She reminds her of her strength and voice or anything that makes sense
Why does Ted want a divorce
because Rose stopped being passive and started disagreeing with him
What does the broken voice Rose starts to find represent?
Her ability to speak up and be herself
What does the chapter say about conditional love in patriarchal relationships?
women are often loved only if they remain passive or dependent or anything that makes sense
What does the line “You can't just pull yourself out like a weed” really mean?
Problems can't just be removed without effort or anything that makes sense
How does Rose’s refusal to sign the divorce papers show growth?
It shows she is beginning to make her own decisions or anything that makes sense
How does Ted’s behavior change once Rose begins to assert herself?
What is he becomes uncomfortable and surprised by her resistance?
What does An-mei mean when she talks about “invisible strength”
Being strong without showing it
What feminist theme is reflected in the passing of strength between mother and daughter?
anything that makes sense
The line “You can’t just let someone else decide everything for you” is symbolic of what theme?
The danger of passivity and loss of self or anything that makes sense
What symbolic action marks the moment Rose finally takes control of her life?
. She picks up the phone and tells Ted she wants the house or anything that makes sense