At the Western Palace Narration Guide by Chris Pham

"When she was about sixty-eight years old, Brave Orchid took a day off to wait at San Francisco International Airport for the plane that was bringing her sister to the United States" (114).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 13:45:13 UTC

We begin this chapter with Brave Orchid waiting for her sister, Moon Orchid, to arrive to the US.
*Note* This chapter is a linear chapter. Therefore, it is a much more enjoyable read!

"Luggage conveyors fooled immigrants into thinking the Gold Mountains was going to be easy" (116).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 13:48:49 UTC

Just an interesting quote in regards to the "American Dream".

"My niece said nothing, although she had seen her mother only five years ago" (117).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 13:51:20 UTC

Insight into Kingston's family's immigration process. Here we can infer that her auntie sent her daughter to America before her. We will soon come to find out how/why.

"Maybe that shame-face they so often wore was American politeness" (118).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 13:56:01 UTC

This notes the start of the conflict between Brave Orchid's children and Moon Orchid- or better yet, the conflict between tradition/culture, expectations/reality, elderly/youth, American/Chinese.

"What are we going to do about your husband?" (124).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:16:46 UTC

The plot thickens! We find out that Moon Orchid's husband is here in California. Not only is he here, he has another wife!!!
*Note* The system of wives are as follows:

First wife (Big Wife) = main wife. All kids belong to her technically as she is the primary mother of the entire family.

All wives that follow (Little Wife) = follow. They are not any more "powerful" than the first wife.

"Thank you, Aunt"...How vain. She marveled at their vanity" (134).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:21:11 UTC

Leading up to this moment were a few scuffles of Brave Orchid's kids and their auntie. There is a huge cultural difference, this being one of then. To accept a compliment in many East Asian cultures is considered vain. Take Japanese culture for example: when given a compliment, they say "いいえ, いいえ"- which means roughly "no no".

"In the mornings Brave Orchid and her husband arose at 6 a.m." (135).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:22:59 UTC

We have entered into working arc where Moon Orchid is invited to participate in the daily lives of her sister and their family. However, we come to find that it is too difficult for Moon Orchid. She is having a very hard go at American work life.

"They set out at gray dawn, driving between the grape trees, which hunched like dwarfs in the fields" (143).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:25:57 UTC

Alright, the climax of the season is beginning. Brave Orchid, Moon Orchid, and Brave Orchid's oldest son are now driving to confront Moon Orchid's husband! What will happen?? What will go down?? - we wait with bated breath...

"So. A new plan, then...I want you to go up to his office and tell your uncle that there has been an accident..." (150)

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:28:18 UTC

(Oh geeze. I am getting second hand embarrassment, but also OH GEEZE, everyone is put into an awkward position. Part of me wants to scream at Brave Orchid to stop, but also maybe this is just her way of managing the situation. A huge recipe for disaster.)

"She has had food. She has had servants. Her daughter went to college...I have been a good husband" (153).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:30:06 UTC

My heart, absolutely shattered.

"Moon Orchid whispered. "They're listening. Hang up quickly before they trace you" (155).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:34:22 UTC

It is not confirmed, but Moon Orchid is now exhibiting signs of dementia. When considering her age - less than 63, but old enough to have a grown daughter with a granddaughter - it does align.

*Edit: She may actually be much older as we do not know the time skips Kingston may have omitted.

Or perhaps, we take a different analysis: the experience of America - her husband, the work, how she had aged so rapidly in it all - left her in a state of disorder. She is no longer herself, she never was. She could not be "reborn" as a "first daughter" (if you will) like her sister was. And thus, she is left destroyed.

"And so Brave Orchid gave up..." (159).

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:38:29 UTC

There is something incredibly tragic about witnessing your own family struggle through dementia. There is pain in watching your own sister reach a point where she can no longer be tolerated by your family, no longer brought back to a place she once was in her life. Brave Orchid tells her niece to put Moon Orchid in a California State mental asylum.

Last notes:

chrispham1 — 2023-02-07 16:41:47 UTC

The chapter ends with a very somber tone. Moon Orchid is able to tell another story, but she still "slip[s] entirely away" (160). I wonder what our thoughts are now, in terms of if Kingston has told us the full truth - or if she is merging timelines to make the onset of her auntie's mental health deterioration more in line with the events of the husband. I wonder if we have more to say in terms of single stories, multiple stories, "talk-stories".