The Jade Peony Lesson Plan

Who is Suling? Why does Sekky see Suling as an adversary? How is the matter resolved?

Chen Suling is Stepmother's best friend. Suling gave up her family's wealth to work as a Christian teacher in Old China and Stepmother is trying to help her immigrate to Canada. Due to his childhood lung infection, Sekky was unable to enter school with the rest of his age group; his family often calls him brainless due to his lack of scholarly education. Stepmother often would tell Sekky that when her friend Suling arrived, she would be able to teach him and "give [him] a brain." Suling soon becomes symbolic of the intellectual ideals that Sekky is frustrated to be failing at, which...