How does the author describe the theme of self-sacrifice?

Chinese women of only a few decades ago had little say over their lives and were often called on to sacrifice themselves in a loveless marriage for the sake of their families. While marriage wasn't the only place for that self-sacrifice, there's little doubt that many women—and even some men—married in order to make a better life for the family.

Jung shows amazing self-sacrifice for her family. She is young when her grandmother becomes ill and her younger brother is sent to live with her aunt. When the aunt has a stroke, Jung travels to be with her and spends weeks there, caring for her aunt who is almost an invalid. The aunt is careful not to call on Jung for too much. She needs help just to sit up and must use Jung as a prop while she sits. She will stay up only for a short period of time so that Jung can do other things rather than propping her up for a long time. When Jung's grandmother grows ill, she and her little brother return there to care for the older woman.

Jung is with her grandmother in the hospital until a few days before her death, sleeping on a mat under her grandmother's hospital bed. She stays up with her at night, helping her to the toilet and caring for her needs. When they go home, Jung can tell that her grandmother remains ill, but her grandmother remains stoic, never complaining about the horrific pain she suffers.