Best Quality

"Tss! Why you listen to her? Why you want to follow behind her, chasing her words? She is like a crab...always moving sideways, moving crooked. You can makes your legs go the other way." (P. 208)

Suyuan says this to June before she dies. June was upset about something Waverly and the others had said to her at the dinner party, how she picked the worst crab that was missing a leg. Her mother tell her not to listen to them. That she shouldn't go chasing around what other people say to her. She tells June that they are moving like crabs. They move sideways, going only one direction, having only one point of view, however, June can make her legs go the other way and turn herself around.

Without Wood

“No way to pull them out once they’ve buried themselves in the masonry; you'd end up pulling the whole building down.” (P. 195)

This is showing Roses position after the divorce. Because Rose lacked "wood," as she was so often told, she literally needed Ted. He made all the decisions for her when she wouldn't make them herself. She was rooted to this relationship. And, like the quote explains, once they the roots have dug themselves in and made a home, it is impossible to pull them up without pulling the whole building down. That is exactly what happened. Rose was thusly taken down into a dark place. 

“’I have just planted them this morning, some for you, some for me.’ And below the heimongmong, all along the ground, were weeds already spilling out over the edges, running wild in every direction.” (P. 196)

In the last sequence of her dreams, her mom plants new roots for herself and rose. In this dream, her mom is there for her after the divorce to pick up the pieces for her. Even though this is only a dream, her subconscious mind knows thats her mom is going to be there to pick up the pieces for her and be there for her in a difficult time. 

How do you think that Rose's new found bravery is going to effect her in the future?

I think that she is going to grow more of a backbone. She has now gotten a taste of what it is to stand up for yourself and I think that she felt good doing it. She will be able to take care of herself and support herself more. She won't need Ted. She will have her mothers support and she will be able to carry herself though any difficult time that may lie ahead.