Enduring Love Chapter 1 Summary
Summary Section
Pages 1 50 We start off learning about a Chinese American family by the eyes of Olivia, the main character. She talks about her full-blood family, and then she transits to her half-sister, Kwan. According to Kwan, she had "yin eyes"; she was able to see the dead. Olivia also talks about how her husband, Simon, is getting divorced, while Kwan tries to stop the divorce. Kwan also tells a story about a girl in China named Nunumu, describing her encounters and such.
Pages 51 100 As the story transits into a faster pace, we see some of the beginnings of Olivia and Simon's relationship, all the discussions and such. We also see Olivia's reaction to a girl that was Simon's ex, making Olivia insecure about the relationship. Kwan, on the other hand, continues with her story. The girl runs into General Cape, which is her friend Miss Banner's lover, and suddenly remembers all the bad …show more content…
things that she heard about him. She tells her friend about these things, which upsets her and causes a small breach in the relationship.
Pages 101 150 After learning of the death of Simon's ex almost 15 years ago, a dinner is planned to change the course of Olivia and Simon's relationship. After thinking about the dinner, we also see into Olivia's trouble in the marriage. The two sisters also get closer through this dinner, strengthening the relationship. We also find out more about Kwan's story, and what General Cap's true colors are.
Pages 151 200 After the dinner goes successfully, yet the marriage still seems corrupted, Kwan attempts another desperate measure. After wanting to visit her relatives for some time, she offers a trip to China to both Olivia and Simon, which took some debating over to make their decision, but ended up going. We also get to see their first day in China, and how their lives are so much more different than Americans. We also learn of some of the conflict in Kwan's story, which I believe is man vs. man.
Pages 201 250 After a few days in China, they all decide to go Changmian to see a woman named Big Ma. After arriving, they find out Ma passed on, letting us see some of Kwan's other emotions. Kwan is also obliged to host a funeral service for Ma, letting us see a wiser Kwan, and some Chinese traditions. We also learn of the relationship between Miss Banner and Nunumu, and the reactions we get from the actions Miss Banner tells Nunumu to do.
Pages 251 300 We get flashbacks of Kwan's story that relates to something that happened earlier to the story.
A girl that Olivia encountered is mentioned in her story, making some parts more comprehendible. Kwan's attempt to heal the relationship is slowly working, as we see more communication, and a rekindling curiosity rising in each other. They also go exploring with each other, and find something so radical, they thought they were dreaming.
Pages 301 358 We get to the resolution of the story, which is really dramatic. We see Simon mad at Olivia, and possibly breaking through all the ropes they retied. We see Kwan and Olivia searching high and low in this radical place, until Simon reappears; yet Kwan does not. In the end, Olivia wonders why Kwan was involved in her life.
Formal Report
Time and Setting The story is set in both present day and 1800's China and San Francisco. The first half of the story was in modern day San Francisco, while the ending part was modern day China. There was also something like a mini-story that took place in 1800
China.
Point of View
This story is mainly told in a first person point of view.
Major two Characters Olivia is a more self-centered person in this story as a protagonist. She's motivated by her thoughts of her sister, wanting to get rid of her. "She's not my sister! I hate her! I wish she'd go back to China!" (Tan 12) She's more independent, insecure, and sometimes conniving. Her independent attitude toward life really changes during the course of the China trip, and her insecurity about her family is really starting to cool down, which brings her character into a whole new person. She also at first didn't embrace her Chinese culture, but as the story progresses, she starts to open up, and she starts to appreciate her Chinese blood. Olivia helps Kwan fit in, and helps Kwan in her journey to visit her past relatives. Kwan is a more giving person in this story as a protagonist. Her yin eyes, and all the ghosts she talks to motivate her. She wasn't that bright in the English language, but she starts to learn more and more as the story progresses. She's very superstitious, believing in all the Chinese superstitions, and also very giving and caring; taking care of Olivia when she was young, giving sentimental items to Olivia. She's also shameless;
"Libby-ah (Olivia), I found mole, big as my nostril, found on--- what you call this thing between man legs, in Chinese we say yinnang, round and wrinkly like two walnut?" (Tan 22) Kwan helps Olivia's transformation to being a more giving, caring person, and to also save Simon and Olivia's marriage.
Minor two Characters Simon, Olivia's husband, causes some conflict in the story. At first, he seems opinionated and unwilling to change, but by the end of the story, he changes along with the other characters, and causes more action in the story. He helps build tension and suspense to the story in a soft, indirect way. Nunumu, star of the other mini-story, is supposedly Kwan in her past life. Born to be selfless, she helps some foreigners, while learning the different walks of life she never encountered before. She helps thread the story together, giving us information to missing puzzle pieces.
Basic Conflict This story contained a lot of internal conflict, because of how everyone needed to change one way or another. A man vs. man conflict is also involved in the mini story of Nunumu and the war she is involved in with General Cape.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere in this book is more mixed between romantic and adventurous. Simon and Olivia is trying to rekindle their romantic relationship, while helping Kwan find her relatives in China.
Theme The theme of this story is that people can change, and people must change no matter what. People may seem almighty, but everyone has a flaw that they can fix or change, and that is learned by this book. You also learn that love is really never gone, it's just lost in your body somewhere.
Recurring Image The recurring image of the ghosts remind you of how people will always watch your every move, and how nothing can go unseen. It's symbolic of how life after death is a good thing, and how change is important to our lives.
Criticism
Being Chinese, I really felt this was a very accurate telling of Chinese characters and customs. Although the ghost idea was really supernatural and nothing like it would really happen, I know that someone is always watching me, and that acts undone can be changed by a simple turn of personality. I recommend this book to those that needs a little humor, and to learn some very valuable lessons that'll help you later in life.
Pages 1 50 We start off learning about a Chinese American family by the eyes of Olivia, the main character. She talks about her full-blood family, and then she transits to her half-sister, Kwan. According to Kwan, she had "yin eyes"; she was able to see the dead. Olivia also talks about how her husband, Simon, is getting divorced, while Kwan tries to stop the divorce. Kwan also tells a story about a girl in China named Nunumu, describing her encounters and such.
Pages 51 100 As the story transits into a faster pace, we see some of the beginnings of Olivia and Simon's relationship, all the discussions and such. We also see Olivia's reaction to a girl that was Simon's ex, making Olivia insecure about the relationship. Kwan, on the other hand, continues with her story. The girl runs into General Cape, which is her friend Miss Banner's lover, and suddenly remembers all the bad …show more content…
things that she heard about him. She tells her friend about these things, which upsets her and causes a small breach in the relationship.
Pages 101 150 After learning of the death of Simon's ex almost 15 years ago, a dinner is planned to change the course of Olivia and Simon's relationship. After thinking about the dinner, we also see into Olivia's trouble in the marriage. The two sisters also get closer through this dinner, strengthening the relationship. We also find out more about Kwan's story, and what General Cap's true colors are.
Pages 151 200 After the dinner goes successfully, yet the marriage still seems corrupted, Kwan attempts another desperate measure. After wanting to visit her relatives for some time, she offers a trip to China to both Olivia and Simon, which took some debating over to make their decision, but ended up going. We also get to see their first day in China, and how their lives are so much more different than Americans. We also learn of some of the conflict in Kwan's story, which I believe is man vs. man.
Pages 201 250 After a few days in China, they all decide to go Changmian to see a woman named Big Ma. After arriving, they find out Ma passed on, letting us see some of Kwan's other emotions. Kwan is also obliged to host a funeral service for Ma, letting us see a wiser Kwan, and some Chinese traditions. We also learn of the relationship between Miss Banner and Nunumu, and the reactions we get from the actions Miss Banner tells Nunumu to do.
Pages 251 300 We get flashbacks of Kwan's story that relates to something that happened earlier to the story.
A girl that Olivia encountered is mentioned in her story, making some parts more comprehendible. Kwan's attempt to heal the relationship is slowly working, as we see more communication, and a rekindling curiosity rising in each other. They also go exploring with each other, and find something so radical, they thought they were dreaming.
Pages 301 358 We get to the resolution of the story, which is really dramatic. We see Simon mad at Olivia, and possibly breaking through all the ropes they retied. We see Kwan and Olivia searching high and low in this radical place, until Simon reappears; yet Kwan does not. In the end, Olivia wonders why Kwan was involved in her life.
Formal Report
Time and Setting The story is set in both present day and 1800's China and San Francisco. The first half of the story was in modern day San Francisco, while the ending part was modern day China. There was also something like a mini-story that took place in 1800
China.
Point of View
This story is mainly told in a first person point of view.
Major two Characters Olivia is a more self-centered person in this story as a protagonist. She's motivated by her thoughts of her sister, wanting to get rid of her. "She's not my sister! I hate her! I wish she'd go back to China!" (Tan 12) She's more independent, insecure, and sometimes conniving. Her independent attitude toward life really changes during the course of the China trip, and her insecurity about her family is really starting to cool down, which brings her character into a whole new person. She also at first didn't embrace her Chinese culture, but as the story progresses, she starts to open up, and she starts to appreciate her Chinese blood. Olivia helps Kwan fit in, and helps Kwan in her journey to visit her past relatives. Kwan is a more giving person in this story as a protagonist. Her yin eyes, and all the ghosts she talks to motivate her. She wasn't that bright in the English language, but she starts to learn more and more as the story progresses. She's very superstitious, believing in all the Chinese superstitions, and also very giving and caring; taking care of Olivia when she was young, giving sentimental items to Olivia. She's also shameless;
"Libby-ah (Olivia), I found mole, big as my nostril, found on--- what you call this thing between man legs, in Chinese we say yinnang, round and wrinkly like two walnut?" (Tan 22) Kwan helps Olivia's transformation to being a more giving, caring person, and to also save Simon and Olivia's marriage.
Minor two Characters Simon, Olivia's husband, causes some conflict in the story. At first, he seems opinionated and unwilling to change, but by the end of the story, he changes along with the other characters, and causes more action in the story. He helps build tension and suspense to the story in a soft, indirect way. Nunumu, star of the other mini-story, is supposedly Kwan in her past life. Born to be selfless, she helps some foreigners, while learning the different walks of life she never encountered before. She helps thread the story together, giving us information to missing puzzle pieces.
Basic Conflict This story contained a lot of internal conflict, because of how everyone needed to change one way or another. A man vs. man conflict is also involved in the mini story of Nunumu and the war she is involved in with General Cape.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere in this book is more mixed between romantic and adventurous. Simon and Olivia is trying to rekindle their romantic relationship, while helping Kwan find her relatives in China.
Theme The theme of this story is that people can change, and people must change no matter what. People may seem almighty, but everyone has a flaw that they can fix or change, and that is learned by this book. You also learn that love is really never gone, it's just lost in your body somewhere.
Recurring Image The recurring image of the ghosts remind you of how people will always watch your every move, and how nothing can go unseen. It's symbolic of how life after death is a good thing, and how change is important to our lives.
Criticism
Being Chinese, I really felt this was a very accurate telling of Chinese characters and customs. Although the ghost idea was really supernatural and nothing like it would really happen, I know that someone is always watching me, and that acts undone can be changed by a simple turn of personality. I recommend this book to those that needs a little humor, and to learn some very valuable lessons that'll help you later in life.