Robina Lee
The character Robina is emblematic because she represents marital issues in society. Robina Lee has come to Charlie Wong to seek investigative services because her husband is cheating on her with another woman. The first time she introduces herself to Charlie Wong, she says that Robina is not her married name. Robina is ashamed of her husband's unfaithfulness, and she does not want to be officially associated with him. The author writes, “Robina Lee, the woman, introduced herself. Not my married name, she added, and sat down across from Cha-li, who reckoned her age to be thirty or so.” Robina is a representation of many women suffering from infidelity and unfaithfulness in their marriages.
Black Art
The author symbolically uses black art to represent magic power used by women to lure married men. Robina argues that her husband is a black art victim, so he is abandoning her for an older woman. She fails to understand why a young man can decide to leave his beautiful young wife for a woman old enough to be his mother. Cha-li asks Robina to give proof that her husband has been bewitched, and Robina replies, "Proof? Do you need proof? Then you tell me. Why else would a young man desert his young wife for a woman old enough to be his mother? Look at me. I am not yet thirty!"
Fenced-in-Garden
The fenced-in garden symbolizes middle class and private property ownership. As Cha-li is carrying her investigation to discover Robert Lee’s mistress, she looks around and sees two-story terraces separated by fenced-in gardens. The author writes, “All the houses down the road had switched off lights except the corner house at the end of the row of two-story terraces, each with a fenced-in-garden, drive away and a car under the porch, the symbols of a spelled middle class and private property ownership.”
Peach Garden
The Peach Garden is symbolically used to represent heaven or the eternal resting place for the dead people. Cha-li was with her adopted father in the hospital when he sensed that he was about to die. Kai-yeh was suffering from stage four cancer, and his condition was getting worse every second. He was trying to have a conversation with Cha-li but in vain. The last name he mentioned was Rose, and Cha-li suspected that he wanted to see her. She promised to bring her before he died. The author writes, "His eyes remained closed; he gave no sign that he’d heard. Cha-li knew he wouldn’t last long. She had to find Rose before Kai-yeh entered the eternal Peach Garden.”
The Temple
The temple is largely mentioned in the first section of the book, which symbolizes Potong Pasir village's memories. The town now is full of malls and tall buildings because many transformations have taken place since Cha-li was a young girl. She is currently driving across the city, and she is amazed that the temple still stands despite the many transformations that have taken place. The temple reminds Cha-li of her early life. However, after demolishing the temple, the authorities are arguing that it is public property and new preservations need to be put in place.
