The Liberty Goddess
The Liberty Goddess (the Statue of Liberty) symbolizes Kim’s hope that, regardless of the obstacles and issues she and Ma face, New York still holds opportunities for success. At several points throughout the novel…
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Underwear
When Kim begins school at Harrison Prep and has to change for gym class in front of female classmates, her homemade underwear and lack of a bra soon make her a bullying target. The conflicts…
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Ma's Violin and Piano
One of the few things that Ma brings to New York with her is her violin. She was a music teacher in Hong Kong, and throughout her life, her violin and music in general have…
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Skirts
In Girl in Translation, skirts come to represent the way that the inhumane factory system fundamentally warps Kim’s outlook on the world and threatens to doom her to a lifetime of factory work…
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