Diamonds

The diamond on an engagement ring supposedly represents the strength of an unbreakable bond, diamonds having been recognized as the hardest mineral throughout much of history; however, the narrator evokes the diamond as a symbol of inadequacy. Her immediate reaction to Eric's proposal is to note that according to a recent scientific article, lonsdaleite, not diamond, is the hardest known mineral. To the narrator, then, the diamond represents how the ideal of marriage falls short of the reality she knows.

Qipao

The red qipao that the narrator tries on during a visit to Chinatown represents her difficulty living up to the physical ideal represented by her mother. A qipao a slim-fitting traditional Chinese dress. Because the narrator has her father's stocky build, she does not look good in the qipao, but buys it anyway. Her mother tells her that red clashes with her skin tone, and...