Theme of chapt. 1

The author uses a parable, or a short narrative making a moral point by comparison, before each section to describe the central theme of all of the stories in that section. This parable starts with an old Chinese woman buying a beautiful swan in Shanghai. The swan represents all the valuable possessions and values the woman had in China. These are taken away when she arrives in America. The woman waits until she learns perfect English to tell her story to her daughter, who is raised in American tradition. The day never comes. The themes of loss of individuality and culture is central to this.