ther-daughter cultural conflict is evident. Waverly's mother is constantly showing off her daughter because she is a national chess champion. In a Chinese society, a woman's social standing is measured by how successful the children are and also how well you care for your spouse. Waverly's mother constantly boasts about Waverly's mastery of the game of chess. However, this conflicts with the accepted American norm of modestly equaling politeness. Because of this, Waverly interprets this constant praise as exploitation. In another episode, "Waiting Between the Trees," the cultural clash emerges again. This time, however, it is over spouses. Ying-Ying, the mother, admits that her daughter, Lena St. Clair, "sprang from me like a slippery fish, and had been swimming away ever since" (p. 274) when she was born. Lena chooses American ways of life over her Chinese culture, not realizing that her Chinese family education and tradition will have influence over her future. There was always a serious lack of communication in the St. Clair household. Both sides, parents and daughter, only tried to keep peace and stability growing up instead of really getting to know each other. Lena always ignored the fact that children learn to act as their parents do before them regarding marriage. Because of this, Lena inherits her mother's attitude and rushes into a superficial marriage just as her mother had done two times before. When June makes her trip to China at the end of the book, it is her way of undermining any obstacles standing in the way and finally reaching out to her mother's culture. By completing her mother's promise to return to China and honor her sisters, June is transferring what she had absorbed from her mother and her tradition. One of the most important and pivotal quotes is on page 306 with the line: "And I think, My mother is right. I am becoming Chinese"....
