Only

The dog Only symbolizes how Ruth feels about herself. Ruth does not fit in many places because she is hapa, half-Hawaiian and half-Japanese. She is rejected at times because of both aspects of her ethnicity. The dog Only is alone just like she is, and she develops a bond with him. She feels even more alone, however, when she is not allowed to keep Only. Eventually at the end of the novel, she believes she sees Only, and it is at this time, as Only runs away from her, that she finally is able to reconcile the two aspects of her identity and finally feel whole.

Chopsticks

Chopsticks symbolize Japanese culture. When Ruth first comes to live with the Watanabes, she is not able to use the chopsticks. The family understands this and gives her a fork while she learns. Eventually she does learn as she...