Love

Sui explores the intricacies of love throughout this story. The primary way in which she does this is through Minnie’s relationships with James Carson and Liu Kanghi. Furthermore, the interactions between Minnie, her daughter, Liu Kanghi, and his son explore the familial aspects of love. For example, Minnie’s interactions with her daughter explore the balance between love and responsibility.

The difference between Minnie’s relationship with James and her relationship with Liu Kanghi highlights the fact that Minnie was not really in love with James at all. In the first section of the story, Minnie repeatedly reassures the reader and herself that she loves James despite his negative attitude toward her. For example, he laughs “sneeringly” (64) at her when she tries to do mathematics. Regardless, she loved James despite his “contempt” (64) toward her. This suggests that Minnie loves James despite his shortcomings. However, after...