The Retreating Ship

The retreating ship symbolizes leaving and loss for Mei Lien. When Mei Lien is thrown overboard by her father in order to save her, she scrambles to survive in the water and watches the ship on which she was traveling disappear. With it go her family and the only life she has ever known. She therefore intends to drown, but is instead saved by Joseph.

The Package

A package discovered in a hollow stair symbolizes mystery. The package wrapped is cloth and tied with brown twine. The package contains the blue sleeve, and its original insertion into the stairway will never be known to anyone except Mei Lien and the reader. Mei Lien placed the package in the stair because it was the secret hiding place for Yan-Tao’s treasures and she knew if he ever returned, he would find it safe and sound...