Jing-mei & Suyuan

Conflict

Misinterpretation of mother’s hopes and expectations:
à“I’m not going to play anymore…Why should I? I’m not a genius”
“You think I want you to be genius? Hnnh! What for! Who ask you?”

Miscommunication:
à “These kind of explanations made me feel like my mother and I spoke two different languages, which we did. I talked to her in English, she answered back in Chinese”
à ”We translated each other’s meanings and I seemed to hear less than what was said, while my mother heard more”
à “I was tempted to ask if she really had put poison in a fish”
à “I can never remember things I didn’t understand in the first place”

Bond & Influence

Suyuan never gave up hope on Jing-mei, harboring the strong belief that Jing-mei could rise above her current self:
à “Four o’clock, she reminded me as if it were any other day”

Suyuan was fully aware of the positive traits that Jing-mei possessed:
à “My mother looked at me and smiled. ‘Only you pick that crab. Nobody else take it. I already know this. Everybody else want best quality. You thinking different.’ ”

Suyuan allowed Jing-mei to gain confidence that she did accomplish something when she show care, concern and selflessness to others, and it was the best of her own ability. She also learns that one does not have to be famous, or a genius, or greatly wealthy in order to be successful.

We need to make our own choices in life and find our own life's importance.

Suyuan was very hopeful
à “Because they had known for many years about my mother’s search for her twin daughters, her endless hope.”

Jing-mei, on the other hand, had a low self-esteem
à “And I sat there feeling as if my hair were coated with diseases”