Mr. Al is a black man who lives on the same street as Kim and Ma. He operates a shop and an apartment building, and he's very interested in Chinese culture. Kim teaches him some Chinese words, and Mr. Al repays her kindness by advocating for them at the local grocery store. He moves away to escape the supposed leveling of their street.
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Mr. Al Character Timeline in Girl in Translation
The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Al appears in Girl in Translation. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
One
...Ma and Kim. The man laughs, explains he loves kung fu, and introduces himself as Mr. Al . When he realizes that Ma and Kim are Chinese, he asks what he can...
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Three
...looks out the back of her building. She can see into the neighboring apartment in Mr. Al 's building. Inside, Kim can make out a sleeping black woman cradling a baby. The...
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Four
...as he says that he was standing up for Park. Later, Kim and Ma give Mr. Al an elephant from Chinatown to bring him good luck.
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The next Sunday, Ma and Kim notice lights on at Mr. Al 's shop, an unusual occurrence. They decide not to bother him, but he notices them...
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Five
When Ma and Kim get to their apartment, Kim translates what Mr. Al said about the block being condemned. Ma insists it means that Aunt Paula will soon...
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In March, Kim and Ma say goodbye to Mr. Al . He gives them folding chairs and a mattress as parting gifts, and Ma gives...
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