The Jade Peony Wayson Choy Book Review

Sek-Lung's grandmother's words and actions impacted his development greatly. In the story, Sek-Lung is the youngest in his household. He suffers from a lung infection that prevents him from going to school. Which caused him to be housebound for his fifth and sixth years. He spent most of this time with his grandmother who he admired unconditionally. The reason for this unconditional admiration is that while his family is focused on adapting to their new life in Vancouver, they valued their image in the eyes of the people. Particularly Sek-Lung's brothers and sisters. At one point the oldest brother Kiam asserted, “We’re not poor” “Yet she and Sek-Lung poke through those awful things as if--they were beggars!” (Choy 220) Referring to grandmother's search for glass fragments and costume jewellery roaming in alleys, neighbors garbage cans and chasing away cats for making windchimes. However, this didn't stop Ske-Lung from being loyal to her; he knew grandmother had no care for what others thought. Seeing his grandmother “happily gathering each piece like gold” (Choy 221) made Sek-Lung love to grow not only for his grandmother but also for the making of windchimes. Not long afterwards, when grandmother excused Sek-Lung from supper, it was not for their usual expeditions. She declared her secret, “I can’t last forever.”Hearing those words sparked realization to Sek-Lung that her death was approaching. This is when the concept of reality relates to the story. This news led Sek-Lung determined to work hard to complete his grandmother's last windchime. As months passed by, nothing was out of the ordinary. Until one late September evening, grandmother saw the ghost of the juggler who fell in love with her, when running out to chase what she thought was a cat. Trying to fight death by resisting the temptation of being with her deceased love. But a couple of days later, this fight ended. “ He will hang it against my bedroom window so that my ghost may see it, and hear it, and return.” (Choy 223)  grandmother said before her death. She requested it to be hung in her bedroom, so her ghost and others could see it. As a symbol of remembrance. Each time Sek-Lung looks at it his fond memories of his grandmother will comfort him, each time it makes a sound he knows she's with him. In conclusion, along the journey with his grandmother, Sek-Lung has learned to face the harsh reality along with evolving into a loving, loyal, determined character.