Additionally, the Chinese characters often experience discrimination due to being Chinese, but they also have to proclaim this heritage lest they be mistaken for being Japanese. Racial tensions create irony because some white Canadians ignorantly believe that all Asian people are the same, whereas the Chinese characters in the novel actually hate Japanese people. However, the novel shows that that many Chinese people distrust and even hate the Japanese because of atrocities occurring in China during the Sino-Japanese War. These factors lead to Chinese-Canadians like Sek-Lung sometimes wearing buttons reading 'I am Chinese.' This confusion is ironic because Canadians who are not Asian perceive Japanese and Chinese individuals as similar, and potentially even interchangeable. These errors are dangerous due to the strong anti-Japanese sentiment, and even the threat of violence. Confusion between Japanese and Chinese IndividualsĪs tensions heighten during war time, many non-Asian Canadians mistake Chinese individuals for Japanese people.

The irony of Sek-Lung suddenly learning that he was building an imaginary relationship with someone who was dead also reinforces the themes of loss and change that appear in the novel. The irony is important because it shows the conflict between how children typically see the world (taking things literally, and having vivid imaginations), and events like war. However, in an example of situational irony, Sek-Lung abruptly finds out that Miss Doyle's brother had died months ago Miss Doyle assumed all the children knew this, and never realized that Sek-Lung might believe her brother was still alive. Sek-Lung becomes very attached to idea of the brother, whom he imagines heroically confronting danger. When Sek-Lung starts school, he becomes fascinated by the stories that his teacher, Miss Doyle, tells about her brother. Sek-Lung seems to have learned this tendency from his beloved grandmother. It also heightens the connection between Sek-Lung and Grandmother, because Grandmother would often simply ignore what other family members wanted, and go about her own plans. The dramatic irony is significant because it shows that Sek-Lung is growing up, and able to trick and manipulate his family members.

However, in an example of dramatic irony, the other characters do not know that Sek-Lung continues to see his Grandmother's ghost around the house, and has simply stopped telling them. His health improves, and he stops talking about Grandmother, which leads the family to believe that their youngest child has finally processed the loss and moved on. Buy Study Guide Sek-Lung Continues to See GrandmotherĪfter the family completes a second ritual honoring Grandmother after her death, Sek-Lung feels a greater sense of peace and calm.

The jade peony