The most obvious conversation one can have about the book is the brilliant treatment of race and identity—the first edition cover is proof of that—but instead of focusing on that, what can be learned from looking at Minisha's relationship to success. Eventually, she craves independence, realizing that her father doesn't pay enough attention to her to actually be much of a resource for her. What is the major crux of independence? It is money, in Minisha's opinion, and being poor, she figures that to be happy, she must need to get rich.
Obviously, a well-meaning person could easily see that Minisha is plainly misguided, but first, notice that she has a point. If she were rich, would she struggle to be popular? Certainly not. Money has a way of ensuring popularity, because you can live the lifestyle that impresses people, and if all else fails, you can afford to be the life of the party, giving money and prizes in return for friendship. But, this strategy is unhealthy. She wants happiness, and if she can get happy without getting rich, her relationship to money will be healthier.
The problem is that her struggles are so abstract that she has to try things and learn from her failures and mistakes. By hoping for riches, she becomes desperate. Then, her father comes through like a deus ex machina, and shows her the right answer—an answer that adults know from personal experience—that investing oneself in an endeavor with commitment yields happiness, not from "success" necessarily, but from witnessing one's own power to grow, to exceed, and to have victory. Minisha realizes that she is competent and powerful when she works hard at swimming. In a way, she is happy already, and in the ways she lacks joy, she sees that there is a reward for working toward goals; her relationship to the future is healed of its hopelessness.
