While Jing-Mei Woo is only one of four young women whose stories integrate the novel, her story makes her seem to be the initial character, especially since her tale not only begins and ends the novel, but also strongly develops the theme and plot of the entire book. Her mother, Suyuan Woo was very concerned with people and things they lacked, "Something was always missing...always needed improvements...not in balance" (19). This reveals that Suyuan is lacking something herself and feels not good enough for her family. We later discover her past and the twin girls she left behind in China. This past life draws readers and makes the story more interesting but a little confusing at the same time. This past comes back to Jing-Mei when her mother dies and Jin

These four girls all realize by the end of the story that their mothers were only trying to do what was best for them. Mothers make mistakes and so do daughters. This book has shown a culture evolving throughout the generations of family and how it is integrated in the American life. These girls had a hard time understanding where their mothers came from until history started repeating itself a little through the daughters. The daughters have learned to accept their mothers for their flaws and try their best to understand it from their mother's perspective. When Jing-Mei finally meets her sisters she is very happy... "We all see it: together we look like our mother. Her same eyes, her same mouth, ...at last, her long cherished wish" (332).

g-Mei begins to understand how hard it is to let go of the people you love, which makes her become more open, understanding and mature. She lost a mother she got to share her life with, but like her half sisters, they didn't understand their mother until she was gone to share the experience of being reunited. In a sense, her spirit was there to capture their happiness of finally meeting one another.

Rose Hsu Jordan used to feel against her mother, An-mei and was afraid of her. She wanted to keep her out of her life, and not so involved. "More than thirty-five years later, my mother still trying to make me listen... `You are getting too thin...you must eat more'" (208). She felt that her mother couldn't understand her and wouldn't listen. But when An-mei called her to tell her that the most important thing was standing up for herself, rather than saving her marriage, Rose began to feel closer to her. She

Some topics in this essay:
Waver-ly Jong101, Suyuan Woo, Ted I'm, Hsu Jordan, Waverly Jong, Luck Club, Jing-Mei Woo, mother trying, understand mother, mother waverly, understand mothers,