The restaurant
The restaurant is a symbol of success. When Mr. Chan opens a pancake shop, he hopes to become successful. Fortunately, the pancake shop grows into a big restaurant with many employees. As a result, Mr. Chang becomes very rich and affords any luxuries he needs for his family. The restaurant becomes an important symbol because it shows that anyone can succeed in America if he is determined and hardworking.
The country club
The country club symbolizes the new dawn for Mrs. Chang. Initially, Mrs. Chang criticized her daughters for being imitators because they easily fit into the American culture. When Mrs. Chang gets an opportunity to join the country club, she feels renewed, refreshed, and set free from traditions. The more Mrs. Chang attends the country club, the more she loves being an American in every aspect of her life.
Nice clothes
The nice clothes symbolize Mr. Chang's unwillingness to accept American culture. Mr. Chang is deeply rooted in his Chinese traditions. When Mrs. Chang asks Mr. Chang to wear new clothes, he says he does not care what people think about him in his old clothes. According to Mrs. Chang, her husband still thinks that he is in China despite having lived in the United States of America for several years. Mr. Chang's wife and children have accepted the American way of life because they have fully assimilated into the Western culture. However, Mr. Chang wants to do everything according to his ancestors' teachings and doctrines.
