“Kouun”

At the beginning of the novel, narrator / protagonist Summer uses this Japanese word to define the “bad luck” she said was the only kind of luck she and her family experienced over the course of a very bad year. Its usage only at this point in the narrative is an example of how the author simultaneously, and very clearly, places Summer's experiences within the context of her culture while at the same time placing references to Japanese culture, language, and traditions into the background of the story rather than the foreground.

Mosquitoes

At the beginning of the narrative, Summer describes how she contracted malaria and nearly died as the result of being bitten by a mosquito. Throughout the narrative, she is portrayed as having what might best be described as a love/hate relationship with them: in spite of her experience, she still finds them beautiful...