Summary

Thi finds it harder to write about her mother, "maybe because [her] image of her is too tied up with [her] opinion of [herself]" (131). Although Ma was often busy and rushing, she always took the time to peel all of her children's fruit, even the grapes. As a child, Thi imagines her mother's childhood like the life of a beautiful far-off princess. As an adult, she revisits her romanticization of mid-century Vietnam with some skepticism. Perhaps sensing that, Ma feels more comfortable telling her story to Travis than to Thi, although Thi is also present to record the details.

Ma's father was a civil engineer who worked for the government and their family lived far from the fighting in other parts of Vietnam. Thus, the family was well-off and Ma was sent to French school. Ma taught herself to read Vietnamese, which was...