Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Not Jade Away
When a novel features a necklace that gets called a "life importance," your ears should really, really prick up. Because that, guys, is a clue that some serious symbolism is about to go down.
Suyuan gives her daughter Jing-mei a jade pendant after a particularly humiliating evening. Jing-mei is criticized by a childhood friend, ridiculed by her aunties, and reveals that she doesn't know much about Chinese cooking...or food safety. She almost eats a bad-quality crab, and her mother has to save her from near-food poisoning.
Her mom reads all of this as evidence that Jing-mei doesn't care enough about herself. The fact that she doesn't choose "best quality" crab—compounded by the fact that she subjects herself to antagonistic comments—means she really needs a jolt of self-confidence and self-worth. She needs to realize her own value.
So: Suyuan gives her daughter a jade pendant...although not without mentioning that the jade isn't the best, but that its color and luster will improve with age.
We think that's Suyuan's subtle way of suggesting that Jing-mei will also improve with age. Just like the jade's color will deepen over time (and its market value will rise), Jing-mei's character will strengthen.
At first, Jing-mei sees the pendant as just another tacky necklace to be hidden in her jewelry box. But after her mother dies, Jing-mei starts to wear it. It's no longer just an ugly necklace; now it reminds her of Suyuan. The meaning the pendant has for her deepens, right along with the color of the jade.