What are the motifs in Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama?

The common idea that connects all the characters in the novel is the silk trade. The silk trade was a source of commerce in China. The silk trade provided its employees with better wages than could be found in rural China. Their wages were instrumental in supporting their families. The pay was not easily earned, however. The work was physically challenging. Many of the people employed were just young girls. The employees worked long days, often twelve hours, with little rest. They worked over boiling water and had poor ventilation, which combined to make them dehydrated and wan. Accidents on the job were life threatening.