If I were a heroine in a fairy tale, I often thought, and a fairy godmother offered to grant me wishes, I would ask for peaches-and-cream skin, eyes like deep blue pools, hair like spun gold instead of blackest ink."
-- Chung (chapter 1)

Importance: While growing up in an all-white community as one of the only Asian-American girls, Chung quickly discovers that her physical appearance undoubtedly affects how people treat and perceive her. Chung finds comfort in retreating to her imaginative, inner world, where she can reconstruct her appearance as a beautiful girl who fits in with the community without having to prove her worth. The powerful imagery she portrays of white skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair demonstrates her acknowledgement of the importance of both race and appearance in how people treat you. Chung’s tendency to resort to fairy-tale fantasies where she plays the lead role also highlights her deeply imaginative nature...