Purple amethyst ring

Mother wears a purple amethyst ring throughout the novel. It was a gift from Father, purchased in the United States during his time doing naval training. It is one of the very few things Mother still has from father. When the situation gets desperate, and Mother knows her children need clothes, she considers selling the ring. Quang, however, opposes this idea. He knows that the ring is a symbol of the past, a symbol of the family, and a symbol of his father. When Mother later loses the ring, she accepts this as a sign that father has died.

Food

Food is in short supply in Saigon, South Vietnam, during the closing days of the war. Prices for food have skyrocketed, and with much of the country under Communist control, little food is being produced and sent to the city. The lack of food...