Pa Character Analysis in Girl in Translation

Pa is Kim's father and Ma’s husband; he died suddenly of a heart attack when Kim was three and so never appears in the novel. He was the principal of a school where Ma taught music, and the two married for love despite the fact that he was fifteen years her senior. Throughout the novel, Kim often wishes that Pa were around to help them, as she believes that life would be easier for them with him in it.

Pa Quotes in Girl in Translation

The Girl in Translation quotes below are all either spoken by Pa or refer to Pa. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Ma had told me that Pa had been a brilliant student, with a talent for both languages and science, and that I'd gotten my intelligence from him. I used to take comfort from that, but now I just wished he were here to help me.

All I wanted was to have a break from the exhausting cycle of my life, to flee from the constant anxiety that haunted me: fear of my teachers, fear at every assignment, fear of Aunt Paula, fear that we'd never escape.

Related Characters: Kim (speaker), Aunt Paula, Ma, Pa

Page Number and Citation: 190

Explanation and Analysis:

As Kim studies hard for her math and science exam with the faculty to prove her innocence following a cheating accusation, she desperately wishes Pa were around to help and comfort her. When Kim voices these wishes here, it shows the true cost of being forced to grow up far too early and take on adult responsibilities as a mere teenager. Kim's desire to have her father around is as much a desire for him in particular as it is for some sort of parent figure in her life to be able to guide her and remove some of the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde

Pa Character Timeline in Girl in Translation

The timeline below shows where the character Pa appears in Girl in Translation. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Family, Choices, and Sacrifice Theme Icon

...a drive in which eleven-year-old Kim searched futilely for skyscrapers and the Liberty Goddess, Aunt Paula and Uncle Bob park the car in a run-down, dirty neighborhood. Everyone gets out of... (full context)

...a stained mattress, a flaking dresser, and a wobbly coffee table. Kim realizes that Aunt Paula lied: it's clear nobody has lived in the apartment for a while. Kim believes that... (full context)

...Kim explains that she and Ma spent their first week in the U.S. in Aunt Paula's house on Staten Island. Kim met her Uncle Bob for the first time and realized... (full context)

...and an inexpensive box of green tea on the counter. Ma told Kim that Aunt Paula left the cheap tea out on purpose; the special tea was never truly meant for... (full context)

Aunt Paula returned around lunchtime, sat with Ma and Kim at the table, and complimented Kim's intelligence.... (full context)

...bed, wrapping her in coats and one thin blanket, and promises to speak to Aunt Paula about the state of their apartment. Then she pulls out her violin and plays a... (full context)

...attends a school that's very far away from the apartment, in a cleaner neighborhood. Aunt Paula set it up so that that Kim will use an address in that neighborhood as... (full context)

Independence and Coming of Age Theme Icon

...boys push racks around. A layer of fabric dust coats everything. Ma points out Aunt Paula, who is handing out work to seamstresses. The ones who get larger piles seem grateful.... (full context)

Aunt Paula leads Ma and Kim through the factory. They pass a large table with old ladies... (full context)

...swiped it from "Dog Flea Mama's" station. When Kim looks confused, the boy mimics Aunt Paula's habit of scratching her neck. Kim gasps and says that Paula is her aunt, and... (full context)

...Mrs. Wu. He doesn't look at her and ignores Matt as well. Matt explains that Park is shy and doesn't hear well, and then declares he's taking a break. Other kids... (full context)

...must be cooked fully and fears the water will give her diarrhea. She fantasizes that Pa is still alive and thinks about Ma at work at the factory. (full context)

...on music. Ma's parents had been killed during the Cultural Revolution after getting Ma and Paula into Hong Kong, and then Pa died in his early forties. Music is how Ma... (full context)

...what Mr. Al said about the block being condemned. Ma insists it means that Aunt Paula will soon move them, but Kim believes that it means that Mr. N. will never... (full context)

Ma sternly tells Kim that they have to repay their debts to Aunt Paula, even if Paula is flawed. Kim asks if Paula has always been like this. Ma... (full context)

...begins stashing all her paychecks there. Kim spends all her free time studying and wishes Pa were around to help her, as he'd been a brilliant student. Eventually, Kim picks up... (full context)

Kim tells Park that she has an article on his motorcycle. The sewing ladies are shocked to see... (full context)

Ma and Kim aren't surprised when Aunt Paula calls them to her office; they know that they should hear from Yale soon. When... (full context)

Aunt Paula says that Ma and Kim are ungrateful, points out that she sacrificed to get them... (full context)

Aunt Paula suggests that Ma and Kim leave the factory and the apartment if they feel taken... (full context)

...allows them to go. On the way, Kim tells Matt about what happened with Aunt Paula, but leaves out her acceptance to Yale. They wait in line for a moment until... (full context)

...In a rush, Kim says that she's moving away, but she could take him and Park with her. (full context)

...Kim and Curt officially break up and Matt spends all his free time with Kim. Park, however, withdraws after Mrs. Wu's death and seems nearly unreachable. (full context)

...cries that it's her only option and she'd never be able to support Ma, Matt, Park, and a baby. She apologizes for being stupid, but Ma haltingly says that she's sorry—Kim... (full context)

Kim asks Ma if she ever worried about marrying Pa. Ma explains that when she did, she never imagined that Aunt Paula would still bring... (full context)

Pa Character Analysis

Pa Quotes in Girl in Translation

Nine Quotes

Pa Character Timeline in Girl in Translation