“Martyr Complex”
Grace states, "But his martyr complex has floated to the surface and hardened into a crisp crust. He has loudly sacrificed for us all his life and sees no reason to stop now. It's a habit he enjoys immensely. He ignores me and only scrubs the cups more vigorously." Grace's father enjoys sacrificing his comforts in the interest of his family. In this case, he insists on cleaning utensils although Grace and Sonny are willing to relieve him of the duty. He holds that he is responsible for making his children comfortable by engaging in chores which they would easily do. Accordingly, he behaves like an archetypal martyr based on Grace's observation.
Scapegoat
Grace states, “I want somebody to blame for my mother’s death. I want to blame him (her father), the way Sonny does…I want to blame him, but I can’t now. I can’t make him the scapegoat because lately, sometimes when I look at him, I don’t see the Patriarch anymore. I just see Jonah Tay." A scapegoat would be condemned for causing Grace's mother's demise. Having a victim to blame would relieve Grace's agony for she would project her emotional aching on him or her. Grace feels that someone should be held liable for her mother's death and he/she should suffer for triggering the demise.
Buffers
Grace concedes, "These are the myths I tell about my family and, like all myths, they are both truths and lies, simultaneous buffers of love and betrayals of trust." Grace's stories regarding her families are not absolute truths. She combines both real happenings and myths when recounting her family's history. Flattering accounts would be deemed, by her family,'buffers of love' whereas the unflattering accounts would be considered 'betrayals of trust.'
“Crucible of Social Change”
Grace explains, “She (Grace’s mother) thrust her child into the world and was delighted to find it male. She immediately assumed that her son, conceived and born in the crucible of social change, in the Chinese year of the cock, and in the western astrological month of the bull, was destined for great things.” The crucible underscores the backdrop of the remarkable social happenings which are taking place during Sonny’s birth. His mother anticipates that the social happenings will have positive effects on his future because they are favorable.
“Gift from the gods”
Madam Tan scolds Mei Ling, “talk nonsense! Your child is a gift from the gods. You should thank the goddess for it.” Madam Tan reminded her sharply. But she felt in her heart that the gods could have bestowed the gift on someone who would have the means to take care of the child.” Mei Ling hates her child and she does not consider her a blessing since she is consciously that raising her will be problematic due to her financial condition. Mei Ling displaces her frustration with her marriage and economic condition on her new born child which hinders her from appreciating the blessing of motherhood.
