Characters
This woman narrates and is the main character of this chapter
Lena St. Clair
This food represents fear, guilt, and Lena's belief that not finishing things brings bad luck
Rice
Lena remembers being forced to eat all of her food by her mother to avoid this outcome.
Marrying a bad man
This theme is showed when Lena believes her thoughts can cause real events
Superstition
Lena's mother predicts that problems start small and grow, symbolize by this object
the wobbly table
She warns Lena that words can become real, like predicting a bad marriage.
Ying-Ying St. Clair
The object in the St. Clair house symbolizes the instability in Lena and Harold's Marriage.
The wobbly table
Lena meets this boy, later after her mom told her she would marry a boy with pockmarks.
Arnold
The chapter highlights the conflict of these two things that Lena wants in marriage
Independence and fairness
Lena interprets her mother's childhood warning as a sign that she deserved this
an unhappy marriage
Lena married this man, who insists on splitting all expenses evenly.
Harold
Lena believes this boy's acne worsening is a result of her thoughts.
Arnold's Birthmark
Lena realizes she uncomfortable in her marriage because of what.
Harold always wants to go 50/50 on expenses
Lena's mother sees the truth beyond the surface, showing this recurring mother-daughter theme.
recognizing unspoken truths
Harold says they must keep finances "equal" but Lena sees this as a way for him to avoid doing this.
sharing responsibility
This person told Lena she'd "marry a bad man" if she didn't finish her food.
Ying-Ying St. Clair
Lena and Harold's expense list symbolizes this quality in their relationship.
Imbalance/unfairness
Lena tries to explain to Harold that she fells this way about their relationship.
Unequal
Harold and Lena's 50/50 method represents an unhealthy version of this concept
equality
Emotional and financial imbalance
This character represents Lena's childhood fear and imagination about bad consequences
Arnold
The cracked table leg/weak structure
Lena grows up believing this
Her actions cause bad things to happen.
Lena's relationship with Harold shows this theme about trying to please others at her own expense
self-sacrifice/lack of self worth
Overall, what did Lena and Harold's marriage represent?
unfairness/unstable/shared responsibility/unhappy marriage