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Like Mother, Like Daughter

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Like Mother, Like Daughter
The importance of loving others and loving one’s self must be carefully balanced in anyone’s life. This idea is demonstrated in three generations of the Hsu family. There are two lessons that are taught from mother to daughter: Devotion to family and speaking up for one’s self. These two values sometimes seem to contradict each other. Since they were raised in an Asian culture, which emphasizes on family devotion, their actions tend to lean towards it. As a result, these individuals lose their voice in the process.
The lesson of family devotion that An-mei’s mother displays is probably the most moving and powerful example. Even though she has been disowned, cussed at, and chased out of the house by her own family, she continues to treat her mother-in-law with respect and love, even to the point of cutting out her own flesh in order to cure her mother-in-law for the last time, despite knowing that the odds were against her. Seeing this with her own eyes, An-mei becomes a very devoted mother to her children. When her son, Bing, falls into the Pacific Ocean, she jumps into the water where Bing fell despite the fact that she doesn’t know how to swim. The next day, she tirelessly goes to the place where Bing fell and offers prayers to God and her precious sapphire ring, the only thing she has from her mother, to the Coiling Dragon in order to get Bing back. Rose also learns this lesson; however, she misunderstands it and takes it too far. When she marries her husband, Ted, she lets him make all the decisions whether it’s where they go for vacation or what furniture they buy. By letting Ted decide everything, Rose indirectly implies her decision is not as important as Ted’s. She essentially sees Ted as more important than herself.
Another lesson that An-mei’s mother taught An-mei is speaking up for herself. She knows that Asian culture

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