Sek-Lung Continues to See Grandmother
After the family completes a second ritual honoring Grandmother after her death, Sek-Lung feels a greater sense of peace and calm. His health improves, and he stops talking about Grandmother, which leads the family to believe that their youngest child has finally processed the loss and moved on. However, in an example of dramatic irony, the other characters do not know that Sek-Lung continues to see his Grandmother's ghost around the house, and has simply stopped telling them. The dramatic irony is significant because it shows that Sek-Lung is growing up, and able to trick and manipulate his family members. It also heightens the connection between Sek-Lung and Grandmother, because Grandmother would often simply ignore what other family members wanted, and go about her own plans. Sek-Lung seems to have learned this tendency from his beloved grandmother.
Miss Doyle's Brother
When Sek-Lung starts school, he becomes fascinated by the stories that his teacher, Miss Doyle, tells about her brother. Sek-Lung becomes very attached to idea of the brother, whom he imagines heroically confronting danger. However, in an example of situational irony, Sek-Lung abruptly finds out that Miss Doyle's brother had died months ago; Miss Doyle assumed all the children knew this, and never realized that Sek-Lung might believe her brother was still alive. The irony is important because it shows the conflict between how children typically see the world (taking things literally, and having vivid imaginations), and events like war. The irony of Sek-Lung suddenly learning that he was building an imaginary relationship with someone who was dead also reinforces the themes of loss and change that appear in the novel.
Confusion between Japanese and Chinese Individuals
As tensions heighten during war time, many non-Asian Canadians mistake Chinese individuals for Japanese people. These errors are dangerous due to the strong anti-Japanese sentiment, and even the threat of violence. These factors lead to Chinese-Canadians like Sek-Lung sometimes wearing buttons reading "I am Chinese." This confusion is ironic because Canadians who are not Asian perceive Japanese and Chinese individuals as similar, and potentially even interchangeable. However, the novel shows that that many Chinese people distrust and even hate the Japanese because of atrocities occurring in China during the Sino-Japanese War. Racial tensions create irony because some white Canadians ignorantly believe that all Asian people are the same, whereas the Chinese characters in the novel actually hate Japanese people. Additionally, the Chinese characters often experience discrimination due to being Chinese, but they also have to proclaim this heritage lest they be mistaken for being Japanese.
Grandmother Digging through Trash
Grandmother loves to make wind chimes, and frequently digs through trash to find discarded items that she can use in her projects. This activity is embarrassing to the other family members, and they insist that she stop doing so. Grandmother stops openly digging through trash and talking about what she finds, leading the family to think that she has stopped engaging in this hobby. However, in an example of dramatic irony, the other characters (with the exception of Sek-Lung) do not know that Grandmother continues to gather trash in secret. The irony is significant because it shows that when characters are shamed for their traditions, beliefs, or identity, they tend to simply become more secretive about those things, rather than changing them. Grandmother is not going to abandon something simply because people tell her to, but she will become more sneaky and secretive. The irony also shows the arrogance of the other family members, and how little they understand the kind of power and influence they think they have.
