The Effects of War

Many of the characters face the psychological and physical effects of war. The effects vary from one person to another, but it is clear that everyone pays a price. An officer cut off two of Ling's fingers as punishment and she carried that deformity for her entire life. She wore gloves to cover the fingers from those who would stare, but the loss remained a constant reminder of the war.

Ling lived with her parents, sister, and a brother before the Japanese invaded Malaya. She lived a typical teenage life in Malaya and was happy. Her father had placed a great deal of faith in the British and was bitterly disappointed when the British left Malaya, leaving the native people to deal with the Japanese invasion on their own. Ling's father chose to move to a remote plantation with his wife and two...