Summary

“A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” begins by introducing Mr. Shi, who is visiting his daughter in the United States because she recently went through a divorce. Mr. Shi does not speak English well, but enjoys speaking what he can with an elderly Iranian woman, called Madam, who is also not fluent in English but with whom he enjoys sitting in the park. Mr. Shi and Madam often speak to each other in Chinese and Persian, not understanding the other but appreciating the company. Mr. Shi is concerned for his daughter because he thinks of her as being “made for a good wife,” and thus must be in “inconsolable pain” after the divorce (188, 189). His daughter isolates herself from Mr. Shi, and despite Mr. Shi’s worries that her isolation will make her less marriageable, he is unable to get...