Words and Actions

Hoang examines the paradox of words versus actions, particularly in respect to showing one’s love, through Esme’s relationship with Khai, and through Esme’s relationship with her daughter. Even though Esme can sense through Khai’s actions that he loves her, she refuses to agree to marry him until he can tell her that he loves her. Meanwhile, Esme worries that perhaps her love for her daughter has caused her to be selfish in keeping her daughter in poverty in Vietnam. Esme worries that the love she has shown her daughter is not enough to give her a good life. At the same time, she does not want to set a bad example for her daughter by marrying a man who tells her that he does not love her, even though his actions say otherwise.

Esme insists that Khai be able to...