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
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Lin John has worked tirelessly for three years in order to save 400 dollars “to release his only sister from a humiliating and secret bondage” (125). She is a kept woman for Moy Loy, a wealthy merchant, and Lin John plans to exchange the money for his sister’s freedom. The money is tucked away in one of his sleeves, but in the middle of the night, a woman comes in and steals the money while Lin John sleeps. When Lin John wakes, he is devastated.
Lin John’s sister confesses to her maid, Pau Sang, that she stole the money from her brother. She has no wish to be liberated from her comfortable situation, and so she took the money and bought a sealskin coat, “such is worn by fashionable American women” (126).
Lin John tells Moy Loy: “I made the money with which to redeem my sister and I have lost it […] I will engage myself laboriously and conform to virtue till three more New Years have grown old and that though I merit blame for my carelessness, yet I am faithful unto her” (127).
Pau Sang sees her mistress’ brother walk dejectedly away from the house, and under her breath calls out “Fool!” (127).