A Pair Of Tickets Characters
Throughout the story, the more we know about the setting and relationship of the characters, the more likely we are to understand the thoughts and actions behind their choices. “A Pair of Tickets” especially explores the relationship of setting to place, heritage and ethnic identity. Jing-Mei Woo, the main character and protagonist of the story, has trouble accepting that she is Chinese. Despite of her heritage, Jing-Mei Woo believed at the age of fifteen, that she has no Chinese beneath her skin. She believes she is Caucasian and her Caucasian friends also told Jing-Mei that “she was about as Chinese as they were” (Tan, ). Jing-Mei didn’t believe anyone; she has her friends telling her one thing and her mother stating the complete opposite.
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Through the meeting with the half sisters, Jing- Mei finds her heritage and identity of who she really is. At first, she is amazed that her half sisters resemble her mother. The more she looked, the further the resemblance of the twins look to Jing-Mei. She sees a similarity in what she considers her Chinese part, until her father takes a picture and shows them the resemblance that all three of the girls looked like the mother. Finally, she realizes that what lies beneath their facial features, their flesh and blood, is what makes them all look so alike. This theme grasps its climax as the concluding image of the book. All three of her children share “her same eyes, her same mouth, open in surprise to see, at last, her long-cherished wish.” Which ties in the mothers meaning to her name “Long- Cherished Wish” has become factual. This concept unites with the theme of appearance and reality as well. The three sisters are indeed the mother, but at the same time they are not fully the mother as a whole. They look alike in many ways but are all not identical. Implying that there is no difference between appearance and realism, they are the same thing. All that matters is that the bloodline and heritage of all three daughters are the same. Which in conclusion brings Jing-Mei to reality and makes her realize whom she really is despite where she
Through the meeting with the half sisters, Jing- Mei finds her heritage and identity of who she really is. At first, she is amazed that her half sisters resemble her mother. The more she looked, the further the resemblance of the twins look to Jing-Mei. She sees a similarity in what she considers her Chinese part, until her father takes a picture and shows them the resemblance that all three of the girls looked like the mother. Finally, she realizes that what lies beneath their facial features, their flesh and blood, is what makes them all look so alike. This theme grasps its climax as the concluding image of the book. All three of her children share “her same eyes, her same mouth, open in surprise to see, at last, her long-cherished wish.” Which ties in the mothers meaning to her name “Long- Cherished Wish” has become factual. This concept unites with the theme of appearance and reality as well. The three sisters are indeed the mother, but at the same time they are not fully the mother as a whole. They look alike in many ways but are all not identical. Implying that there is no difference between appearance and realism, they are the same thing. All that matters is that the bloodline and heritage of all three daughters are the same. Which in conclusion brings Jing-Mei to reality and makes her realize whom she really is despite where she