Literary Term: In this chapter I found a flashback. "As I remember it, the dark side of my mother sprang from the basement in our old house in Oakland. I was five and my mother tried to hide it from me. She barricaded the door with a wooden chair, secured it with a chain and two types of key locks. And it became so mysterious that I spent all my energies unraveling this door, until the day I was finally able to pry it open with my small fingers, only to immediately fall headlong into the dark chasm (103)." Amy Tan's use of a flashback is effective because it gives the reader insight into the character's recollection of a significant past memory.
Quote from novel: "I had such fears inside, not in my head but in my stomach (113)."
In chapter 6, Lena's home life spirals downward as her mother falls apart slowly after her youngest baby's death. Lena's father tries to shut out the reality of what is happening and make things better. Lena must cope with the world shattering inside and outside the walls of her room. Every night it seems, the girl next door is living a nightmare too. Screams, shouts, and bangs arise from the room next to Lena's where a girl, Teresa, it seems, constantly fights with her mother. Lena's life is filled with fear and feeling scared. However, to Lena, it feels a little comforting to know she didn't have it the worst. "I had such fears inside, not in my head but in my stomach." "...It comforted me somewhat to think that this girl next door had a more unhappy life." The first quote reminded me of what my mother used to say to me. I remembering hearing from her these words: "Don't worry, you'll make yourself sick." Sometimes, people think and ponder too much over things that upset them. This is unhealthy because it adds stress, anxiety, and unhappiness. It is possible for a person to worry so much that they make themselves feel sick. I believe this is the feeling Lena is experiencing in this quote from the book.
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