The Buddha Statue

The table-top statue of Buddha that the Kim family brings with them from Los Angeles to Minnesota represents both the family's Korean-ness and a thematically significant aspect of their religious faith. On both levels, it is an embodiment of the aspects of himself and his life that protagonist Chan initially resents, but eventually comes to accept and integrate into his identity.

Chan’s Soccer Jersey

The jersey that Chan is given to commemorate his success on a Los Angeles high-school soccer team represents an initial degree of community acceptance and self-worth that he feels he is losing when he moves to Minnesota. It represents a part of his past that he eventually lets go as he learns to embrace his new life, and new aspects of himself.

The Continental Divide

The so-called Continental Divide between the westernmost parts of North America and the rest...