In this book it shows an interesting bond between two sisters, Lily and Mui. Last class we discussed how Mui has a power over Lily because Mui is more immersed in Western culture now and has adapted faster. Mui found a new found skill and Lily was jealous and it would be catastrophic if Mui was better than Lily in something.
Even though Lily is older than Mui, she always seems to want to be better at things than Mui. Why do you think Lily is like that? Is it just her personality or is she hiding a fear that we can not see yet? Do you think that Lily has a harder time adapting to Western culture and is jealous of Mui that she can?
I think you bring up a really point sometimes the sister dynamic is overlooked even though it is such an important part of the story. I think Lily is naturally competitive and used to be better compared to his sister. Raised as a boy and favored by their father, even though Lily is younger, she has always been treated as the eldest always taking care of Mui and other affairs. I think even being trained as a boxer has brought out her competitive nature and even aggression. Because Lily is used to being the best at everything, when Mui begins to assimilate and thrive in London it changes the dynamic of their established relationship. I also think one of the reasons Lily has a harder time adapting to Western culture is her adversity to change. Her unwillingness to change and let go of old traditions has made her feel like an outsider in her new home. While I think Lily has adapted but not assimilated, Mui has been able to thrive and find her new identity in Great Britain. I think Lily is jealous because of her uncertainty of the future and what role she is to play in the family because of Mui's rising influence.
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