Snow Flower Relationships

Lisa See’s 2005 novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, discusses the role money and class has in nineteenth Century China. The family dynamic is shattered due to the desire to achieve economic stability. Early in the novel, Lily seems to have a complicated relationship with her family because daughters were not valued during the nineteenth century. Lily describes her relationship with her mother as, “I was a third child, a second worthless girl, too little to waste time on until it looked like I would survive my milk years. She looked at me the way all mother looked at their daughters—as temporary mouth to feed and a body to dress until I went to my husband’s home. (See 12). Lily, however, displays affection for her family, frequently sitting

She learns that her family has been harvesting secrets about her laotong, Snow Flower and takes the anger out on them. Once the daughter with little to no value, Lily was now Lady Lu and greatly valued by her parents because of the gifts she brought from her husband’s family. Unfortunately, Lily no longer has the love and desire for attention from her family. Lily says, “My parents were happy to see me when I returned…But to be honest, I was not happy to see them…I rebelled in small ways, isolating myself emotionally and physically as best I could.” (See 135). Lily realizes that her family never really valued or loved her, rather they valued the marriage and friendship she had with individuals that had a higher class status. They lie to their daughter in order to maintain their relationship with the woman who matched their daughter with a wealthy man. The family desires money more than being honest to their daughter. The relationship between Lily and her family continues to deteriorate when they feel she ignoring them believing that she feels she is better than them. Once again, in See’s novel, the desire and gain of money ruins a

Even though the brother and sister value money differently in “Love”, at the end of the day, the relationship the two have with each other is more important that the money. The theme of love is portrayed through the brother in the story. It is apparent that he loves and cares for his sister very much. In the opening of the piece, it states, “The wanting to give is only learned through the learning to love” (243) and this statement is personified though the brother. He dreamed of finally getting the gold ring at the Flying Horses but when he finally gets it, he gives it up. He loves his sister and valued her happiness so much he gave up his own happiness. Early on, the nephew seems selfish because he spends all of his money so quickly. The nephew’s display of love and kindness at the end proves how mature this boy actually is. The boy was able to understand love in a very mature way and values love over money. In the end, the two realize that money doesn’t buy or prove happiness or love. It is our actions that prove