How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Apa notices Spencer's movements and gives him a wide, only-for-guests smile. "Shu-pen-cher," Apa says. "Time you go home now. Joon Ho back soon."
"Sure, Mr. Park," Spencer says, ducking his head and rubbing the fuzz above his ear.
"Good boy," Apa says, the same smile stuck to his face.
"See ya, Joon." Spencer takes off around the side of the house, leaving behind his Lego set.
Apa waits for Spencer to disappear and then turns back to Joon. The smile flies off his lips faster than a door slamming. (16.46-50)
Who's the foreigner here—Spencer, who clearly doesn't belong in the Park household and gets the foreigner treatment from Apa, or Apa, who shows his own foreignness through his broken English as he makes Spencer feel like an outsider? Maybe the point is that they're both foreigners to each other because they're don't know each other.
Quote #8
Uhmma loves her pennies, collects them like flowers in an old glass vase she found at a garage sale. More than once Uhmma's pennies have saved the weekly groceries. I am embarrassed when Uhmma puts down a million pennies and the clerk snarls as she counts out the change. I inch away from Uhmma, pretend I am not that woman's daughter. Not a poor Oriental who saves pennies like gold. (18.8)
All right—we know you've felt this way at some point about your mom or dad. Young Ju's just adding an immigrant spin to a classic moment of teenage mortification. Like so many teenagers, she doesn't want others to view her as different, and for her, that means not appearing "Oriental." Who's even more Oriental than she is? Her mom with all her pennies, of course, which makes Young Ju cringe.
Quote #9
Uhmma squints at the kids. Are those not your friends over there? I turn my head away from her and look out my window at the long stretch of sand. I lie softly, That is another group. You can drop me off here and I will look around for Amanda. She said they would be near the pier. (23.34)
Do you feel bad for Uhmma? We kind of do. Uhmma's letting Young Ju go to Amanda's party at the beach, but instead of being grateful for the opportunity, Young Ju is embarrassed by her mother and her foreignness.