What are the motifs in This Burns My Heart: A Novel by Samuel Park?

Traditions is a recurring idea. This novel is about Korean people and their way of life. For this reason, the author describes the beautiful ceremonies they conduct when they are engaged and married, as well as some of the traditions specific to their holiday celebrations. These ceremonies and celebrations add a great deal of color and understanding to the novel, allowing the reader to also comprehend some of the other traditions that come with this culture that led to conflicts in the novel's plot.