Podcast
Questions and Answers
What emotional state did An Mei's mother display while preparing the soup?
What emotional state did An Mei's mother display while preparing the soup?
What act does An Mei witness her mother perform in order to cure her own mother?
What act does An Mei witness her mother perform in order to cure her own mother?
What significance does An Mei give to the pain experienced by her mother?
What significance does An Mei give to the pain experienced by her mother?
What happened to the leatherette Bible after An Mei's mother lost her faith?
What happened to the leatherette Bible after An Mei's mother lost her faith?
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What is indicated about Popo's condition after An Mei's mother attempts the magic soup?
What is indicated about Popo's condition after An Mei's mother attempts the magic soup?
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What action does the mother take that signifies a moment of intimacy and care?
What action does the mother take that signifies a moment of intimacy and care?
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What does An-mei remember vividly during her mother's emotional moment?
What does An-mei remember vividly during her mother's emotional moment?
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How does Popo react to An-mei's mother's presence?
How does Popo react to An-mei's mother's presence?
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How does the narrator perceive her mother upon her arrival?
How does the narrator perceive her mother upon her arrival?
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What metaphor does Popo use to describe losing one's face?
What metaphor does Popo use to describe losing one's face?
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What is conveyed by the mother's action of rubbing An-mei's smooth-neck scar?
What is conveyed by the mother's action of rubbing An-mei's smooth-neck scar?
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What does An-mei refer to herself with regarding her feelings towards her past?
What does An-mei refer to herself with regarding her feelings towards her past?
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What reaction does the auntie have when the mother arrives?
What reaction does the auntie have when the mother arrives?
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How does the narrator feel while watching her mother?
How does the narrator feel while watching her mother?
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What emotional response does An-mei's mother exhibit while reminiscing?
What emotional response does An-mei's mother exhibit while reminiscing?
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What does the phrase 'my skin's memory' imply in the context of An-mei's experience?
What does the phrase 'my skin's memory' imply in the context of An-mei's experience?
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What physical characteristic does the narrator notice about her mother?
What physical characteristic does the narrator notice about her mother?
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Which character directly shames An-mei's mother when she arrives?
Which character directly shames An-mei's mother when she arrives?
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What does the narrator hear when her mother speaks?
What does the narrator hear when her mother speaks?
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What is Popo's mental state when her daughter arrives?
What is Popo's mental state when her daughter arrives?
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What emotions does the narrator experience while hiding?
What emotions does the narrator experience while hiding?
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What did An-mei's grandmother refer to her mother as?
What did An-mei's grandmother refer to her mother as?
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What was the purpose of Popo's story about the greedy girl?
What was the purpose of Popo's story about the greedy girl?
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How did Popo describe An-mei and her brother?
How did Popo describe An-mei and her brother?
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What did Popo want An-mei to remember about her mother?
What did Popo want An-mei to remember about her mother?
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What unusual feature did Popo show through her sickness?
What unusual feature did Popo show through her sickness?
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What was a consequence mentioned about not listening to elders in Popo's stories?
What was a consequence mentioned about not listening to elders in Popo's stories?
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What did Popo associate with saying An-mei's mother's name?
What did Popo associate with saying An-mei's mother's name?
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What overarching theme is prevalent in Popo's storytelling?
What overarching theme is prevalent in Popo's storytelling?
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What did An-mei's dying clothes and shoes symbolize?
What did An-mei's dying clothes and shoes symbolize?
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How did An-mei's wounds affect her memories?
How did An-mei's wounds affect her memories?
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What role did Popo play during An-mei's illness?
What role did Popo play during An-mei's illness?
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What emotions did An-mei feel towards her mother upon seeing her in Popo's room?
What emotions did An-mei feel towards her mother upon seeing her in Popo's room?
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What was Popo's warning that impacted An-mei's emotions?
What was Popo's warning that impacted An-mei's emotions?
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How did An-mei describe the actions of her mother during her illness?
How did An-mei describe the actions of her mother during her illness?
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What does An-mei's wound represent in the context of her emotions and family?
What does An-mei's wound represent in the context of her emotions and family?
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What was the initial emotional reaction of An-mei after learning about her dying clothes?
What was the initial emotional reaction of An-mei after learning about her dying clothes?
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Study Notes
An-Mei's Early Life
- An-Mei's grandmother, Popo, told her that her mother was a ghost, meaning she was forbidden to talk about her.
- Popo often said that An-Mei and her brother were "eggs that nobody wanted" to scare away ghosts.
- Popo told An-Mei stories: one about a greedy girl who poisoned herself and another about a disobedient girl who lost her brains.
- Popo warned An-Mei never to say her mother’s name because it was like spitting on her father’s grave.
- An-Mei only knew her father through a painting that hung in the main hall.
- An-Mei considered her mother thoughtless and unlucky for leaving them.
- An-Mei's mother was taller than her aunt, almost as tall as her uncle, and looked strange.
- When An-Mei saw her mother, she recognized her own face looking back.
- An-Mei’s mother tried to care for Popo when she was sick, laying cool cloths on her face.
An-Mei's Scar
- An-Mei remembered a dream from when she was four years old.
- An-Mei’s mother was at the dinner table, and An-Mei called out to her, but her aunt slapped her and pushed her down.
- There was a commotion, with people shouting and An-Mei's mother’s voice crying, “An-Mei! An-Mei!”
- Popo called An-Mei’s mother a "concubine" and said she would make An-Mei "like her" if she took her.
- An-Mei remembered her mother’s face across the table, and a boiling soup pot spilled onto her neck.
- This memory was so painful that An-Mei could not remember anything else.
- An-Mei couldn’t speak because she felt like she was choking.
- She could not see because of all the tears that poured out.
- An-Mei remembered her mother’s voice crying.
- Popo told An-Mei that she had already made her "dying clothes" because she was still a child.
- Popo told An-Mei that her mother had already "used up her tears and left" and would forget her.
- Popo took care of the wound on An-Mei's neck until it healed.
An-Mei's Mother's Sacrifice
- An-Mei came back to life wanting to find her mother.
- An-Mei cried every night until her eyes and neck burned.
- Popo poured cool water over the wound on An-Mei’s neck until she fell asleep.
- Popo would peel off the dead skin from the wound.
- An-Mei's scar became pale and shiny in two years.
- An-Mei had no memory of her mother.
- An-Mei saw her mother at Popo's deathbed.
- An-Mei's mother was cooking soup and cut off a piece of her own arm to put in the soup to cure Popo.
- An-Mei understood that her mother’s sacrifice was an act of love.
- It showed how deep a daughter’s love can be for her mother.
- To remember that love, you have to let go of the pain.
- You must peel off your skin, and that of your mother, and her mother before her.
Rose Hsu Jordan's Mother
- Rose's mother used to carry a leatherette Bible to church every Sunday.
- Rose's mother later lost her faith in God and wedged the Bible under a table leg to correct the imbalances of life.
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Description
Explore the early life of An-Mei, focusing on her relationship with her grandmother Popo and her mother. This quiz delves into the cultural tales and familial dynamics that shape An-Mei's identity and perception. Test your understanding of An-Mei’s memories and her significant scar story.
