The Jade Peony

The jade peony is a small carved object, and one of Grandmother's most prized possessions. She received the jade ornament when she was a young woman in China; it was a gift from a traveling acrobat named Sek-Lung, who visited the farm where she grew up, and taught her how to juggle. Even though it has been decades since she saw this man, Grandmother has treasured the jade object. The jade peony symbolizes memory and identity. Even though so much time has passed, and her grandchildren fixate on Grandmother's identity as an elderly woman, she continues to remember what it was like to be young and to experience wonder and desire. The object also symbolizes how the experiences of one's life, and especially one's youth, have an indelible impact.