Chapter Three: Lindo Jong - The Red Candle; symbol

Lindo Jong is promised to marry a man whom she does not love. At the age of 2, this marriage was arranged. For her sake, her own mother referred to Lindo as the daughter of Huang Taitai, the mother of Huang Tyan-yu. At the age of 16, Lindo was to be married. One ancient Chinese tradition is to light a red candle at your wedding, and if it lasts through the night the wedding is sealed and will last forever. The candle here symbolizes eternity. No matter how in love, or in Lindo's case out of love, the couple's life together is based on the burning of a candle. Lindo knew this story and during the night, she blew out Tyan-yu's side of the candle. When she awoke in the morning, the candle was burning on both ends and the marriage was sealed. While reading this chapter, it made me think what if my parents had done this to me when I was two? Would I react the same way Lindo did by going through with the marriage? She said, "I made a promise to myself: I would always remember my parents' wishes, but I would never forget myself" (58). I do not know if I could have remembered my parents' wishes in that situation. She ended up getting out of the marriage, which is good for her, but it makes me wonder if American children would follow through with a marriage they did not want.