Coming Full Circle Character Analysis

Physically speaking, An's journey could be considered coming "full circle" as he leaves America and comes back. He also returns to where his childhood took place. Mentally and emotionally, he comes "full circle" by coming to terms with his feelings and lost identity. I believe however, that his journey is not necessarily a circle but a progression. An initially sets out to Vietnam to discover his cultural roots and inner self. He hopes to reconcile his identity as both Vietnamese and American. Once he arrives however, he struggles to identify with either. In fact, he is labeled a Viet-kieu, making him considered a traitor, foreign to his own birth country. Throughout the novel, he constantly shifts forms to blend in with different types of
Thong initially saw beating a child in the Vietnamese way–as an expression of care for the child. Thong realizes however that his way of loving his children is not culturally accepted in the United States. He, like An, similarly shows regret for his behavior towards Chi. By coming to terms with the mistakes he made and how he will change in the future, An and Thong discover the power of self-realization. Thong was able to heal through admitting his wrongdoings, which provided An the strength to realize things about his own
The yellow rope was wrapped around the Yin Yang symbol in our image to signify the limitations she must have felt as a woman. The wrapped around rope also lends itself as a symbol for how Chi was closed off from reaching the sea she/he never finished crossing. The ocean is a significant motif in the story as An’s best memories of Chi seem to all be associated with the water. The ocean is mentioned again when An recounts a memory of him and Chi boulder-hopping, watching the waves crash and looking at the westering sun. Chi says this is “the most beautiful color she had ever seen.”