Chapters One through Three Summary and Analysis

The story begins with Truong Nhu Tang's description of his childhood, a situation he calls the "family cocoon." In this protective life, Tang's father decides Tang is to become a pharmacist. His older brother was told by their father to become a doctor and the plan is for the two brothers to go into practice together, a practice that will be exemplary and profitable for both. Of Tang's younger four brothers, one is to be a banker, who will finance the endeavors of the remaining three, all destined by their father to become engineers. Tang and his brothers are kept at home unless they are at school. They have little interaction with anyone outside their home and teachers. Each son has a nanny and any son experiencing difficulty in a subject is provided a tutor...