The jade bracelet

1. The Jade
Bracelet
Mary Frances Chong
Prepared by;
Masitah Iklil
Hidayah Nabihah

2. Synopsis
This short story is about the life of a Chinese woman,
Mrs. Wong, who is filial to her mother until the day her mother
died. She had a daughter, Siew May and a brother, Fook Kee.
When her mother is alive, she always stays in her room
since she’s quite ill and frail. Siew May really loves her
grandmother that the old woman wanted to give her the jade
bracelet she always wore after she’s dead.
Mrs. Wong’s mother finally died and the preparations
was held in a temple. They all sleep in the temple while waiting
for the body to be cremated. In the morning, they all use
chopsticks to clear the bones out from the ashes. And there’s
the jade bracelet. However in the end, Mrs. Wong couldn’t
bring herself to give the bracelet to Siew May and finally she
gave it to Fook Kee instead.

3. Themes
Filial piety
Portrayed in the character of Mrs. Wong. She takes good care of her sick
mother. Although she would feel tired sometimes, but she never
complained about it. She keeps on doing the same duty every day, because
she loves her mother and wants her to get better.
Love
Siew May really loves her grandmother that when they are all staying in the
temple she cried “I want to go home…Grandmother will be waiting alone!”
Responsibility
Mrs. Womg is willing to take care of her bed-ridden mother for years.
Although she has a brother, she plays the role of both son and daughter. Mrs
Wong never complaint of the duty while her brother, Ah Kow only shows up
during their mother last moment and suggests that their mother should be
sent to Sam Poh Tong.

4. Characters
Mrs. Wong Grandmother
Obedient Sick
Never would she permit any word For years she had been nursing
of complaint to pass through her her bed-ridden mother. (page
lips – not a single word. (page 30, 30, line 6)
line 15) But not a mouthful was taken.
Generous (page 30, line 13)
Uncle will have it – Ah, Fook Kee,
since you are the only son in our Fook Kee (Ah Kow)
family you ought to take it.’ (page Insensitive
36, line 18). She was just able to catch her
uncle’s last words, ‘…send her to
Sam Poh Tong at once.’ (page
Siew May 29, line 18)
Naïve Irresponsible
She is too young to understand It seemed to her as if she was
about her grandmother's death. both daughter and son; Ah Kow
‘you lie. . . Mama said she is so ill was exasperatingly
and . . .’ (page 31, line 21) irresponsible.

5. Issues that being Raised
filial piety and
The writer raised the issue of
gender inequalities. Mary
Frances Chong is like saying that we have to
respect our parents no matter what happen. Even love
cannot omit gender inequalities.