63 pages • 2 hours read
Sui Sin Far (Edith Maude Eaton)A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
“Mrs. Spring Fragrance”
“The Inferior Woman”
“The Wisdom of the New”
“Its Wavering Image”
“The Gift of Little Me”
“The Story of One White Woman Who Married a Chinese”
“Her Chinese Husband”
“The Americanizing of Pau Tsu”
“In the Land of the Free”
“The Chinese Lily”
“The Smuggling of Tie Co”
“The God of Restoration”
“The Three Souls of Ah So Nan”
“The Prize China Baby”
“Lin John”
“Tian Shan’s Kindred Spirit”
“The Sing Song Woman”
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Mermei and Lin John's parents brought them to the United States, but both parents contracted a fever on the steamer and passed away soon after arriving in America. Their uncle Lin Wan took in his brother’s children, taking good care of them, but at some point Mermei had a tragic fall that left her permanently disabled. Lin Wan eventually passed away, but he knew that Lin John would take care of his sister and always put her needs before his.
Mermei leads a solitary life. She lives in a boarding house in Chinatown, and although her brother visits her almost every evening, she spends her days alone. Every day she looked forward to the time when he would come visit her, so when Lin John fails to show up one evening, Mermei cries alone in her room.
Mermei is surprised when she hears a soft knock on the door because her brother is the only one who visits, and he knocks loudly and immediately enters. Mermei struggles to get to the door, and when she opens it, she sees a beautiful young woman holding out a lily to Mermei. The young woman’s name is Sin Far, and she had recently moved into the boarding house with her sister and her sister’s new husband.