Essay Questions

Why did Rose curse her biological mother?

Rose was saved from a bucket latrine near Lord Sun Wukong temple when she was a toddler. Her biological mother dumped her immediately after she was born and vanished. Throughout her childhood, Rose went through hell because of mistreatment. She grew alongside Cha-li, who was the loved adopted daughter of Kai-ma and Kai-ye. Unfortunately, they treated Rose harshly because she was brutally assaulted and abused. Kai-ma was in the frontline in mistreating and abusing Rose as a child. Cha-li remembers how Kai-ma abused Rose when she said, “The latrine is in your flesh! Kai-ma railed at Rose. Go and bathe, you filthy rag!” These kinds of abuses made Rose curse her biological mother, who was not around to defend her from the unfriendly world. The author writes, “Rose cursed the mother who gave birth to her and dumped her in the temple’s outhouse.”

What is the significance of Rose's character in the book 'The Man Who Wore His Wife's Sarong’?

The author has used the character, Rose, to build the theme of memories. The larger part of the first section of this book is about Cha-li’s memories. Cha-li is a private investigative agent who helps troubled married women know who their husbands are cheating with. Robina approaches her offices and gives her the assignment to look for the woman cheating with her husband. Cha-li takes up the task, and in the course of duty, she discovers that the woman Robert Lee is cheating with is Rose. From that point, Cha-li narrates all her childhood memories with Rose. Therefore, Rose plays a significant role in building the theme of memories in the book.

Why is Robina so convinced that the only solution to her marital problems is Charlie Wong (Cha-li)?

Cha-li is known as a successful private investigator among women. She has done her work over the years, and she is trusted by many. Besides being a private investigator, she is a ritualist cleanser. Most women believe that their husbands cheat on them because they are bewitched. When Robina realizes that her husband is cheating on her, she seeks investigative services from Cha-li, who later discovers that Robert Lee is cheating with Rose.