Themes and Motifs
Symbols
Plots
Waverly Jong
Lena St. Clare
100
This is what Lena and Harold suffer from.
What is marriage troubles
100
This is what the list represents.
What is the pretended balance between Lena and her husband?
100
The game Waverly used to play
What is chess
100
Waverly's daughter.
What is Shoshana
100
The boy that used to bully Lena.
What is Arnold
200
"'I know you think he's not good enough...'"(Tan 201) This is Waverly's issue with her mother in the quote above.
What is communication issues between mother and daughter
200
The things the ice cream represents
What is the good that has gone bad in Lena's life
200
Waverly's first husband
What is Marvin
200
The item that Rich gave Waverly as a gift on Christmas.
What is the mink jacket
200
The reason for Lena hating ice cream.
What is she gorged herself with ice cream and threw up
300
The criticism that Lindo Jong gives about Rich's present to Waverly
What is she says that "'[it] is not so good... just leftover strips. And the fur is too short, no long hairs"'(Tan 186)
300
This is what the poorly designed table represents.
What is Lena and Harold's relationship being unbalanced and Lena not being able to stop it from breaking it
300
Harold's last name
What is Livotney
300
This is how Waverly won back her mother.
What is she developed a high fever
300
The reason for Arnold's death.
What is he developed the measles virus
400
The misunderstandings between Lindo and Waverly
What is Lino was concerned for Waverly's happiness but Waverly took it as hurtful criticism
400
This is what Lena's mother told her would happen if she did not finish the last grains of rice.
What is her "'future husband [would] have one pock-mark for every rice [she] not finish"'(Tan 164)
400
Lena crossed this off the sharing list, causing an argument
What is ice cream
400
Lindo's reaction to Waverly telling her she is marrying Rich.
What is she said that "she already knew this"(Tan 200)
400
The reason for Lena skipping meals
What is she wanted the things that happened in the video about leprosy to happen to her future husband that her mother warned her about if she didn't finish her rice
500
Lena does not feel equal because of this
What is Harold's list
500
This is what the chess pieces symbolize
What is Waverly and her mother's communication problems
500
Lindo's criticisms for her own food
What is the food is not salty enough
500
The worst thing that Rich did during his dinner with Waverly's parents.
What is he criticized her cooking by saying,"all it needs is a little soysauce"(Tan 197)
500
The special ability that Lena's mother has.
What is Chunwang chihan- the ability to see things before they happen