If You Could See the Sun: Questions and Answers

This companion page offers 15 questions and answers that dig into the key moments, relationships, and themes of Ann Liang's 2022 novel If You Could See the Sun. Each answer draws directly from the story's events and dialogue, then explains the deeper significance. For a full summary and ending analysis, visit the main book page and the ending explained page.

1. Why does Alice decide to use her invisibility for paid tasks?

Alice faces a tuition crisis after her parents tell her they cannot afford Airington. She turns her involuntary invisibility into a business plan: spying and errands for money. In Chapter 4, she pitches a 50‑50 split to Henry, and they launch the “Beijing Ghost” app. The decision springs from desperation—she needs 250,000 RMB to stay—and a belief that the power, which she initially feared, can be turned into a tool for survival.

2. What causes Alice and Henry's rivalry to shift?

Their academic rivalry softens when Alice asks Henry in Chapter 7 if he hates her. He replies “No,” surprising her. Their shared work on Beijing Ghost forces cooperation, and Alice realises Henry does not view their competition as a high‑stakes battle. The moment reveals that Henry’s wealth gives him a safety net, while Alice sees his vulnerability when he admits he does not hate her—opening the door to trust.

3. How does Chanel's reaction to the infidelity photos change her relationship with Alice?

In Chapter 5, Chanel is crying over photos of her father’s infidelity—the same evidence Alice just gathered as Beijing Ghost. When Alice confesses she is the app’s operator and proves it by pointing out her missing reflection, Chanel believes her and leaves a positive review. This act of trust bridges their social gap and turns a distant roommate into an ally, showing that shared vulnerability can overcome class divisions.

4. What does the White Rabbit candy symbolize?

Henry gives Alice a White Rabbit candy in Chapter 8 after she breaks down over a failed history test. The candy triggers a memory of her grandmother, who died of a preventable stroke. The symbol ties Alice’s relentless academic pressure to her family’s history of sacrifice and loss. It also marks a moment when Henry offers comfort, shifting their dynamic from rivalry to care—a rare glimpse of warmth in a stress‑filled life.

5. Why does Alice agree to steal the exam for Evie Wu?

Alice wrestles with the request for history exam answers in Chapter 9. A flashback to the robbery of her family’s California grocery store—where her mother was stabbed and police dismissed them—reminds her of the systemic injustice her family faced. She decides she cannot stop now because her parents' sacrifices demand she succeed at any cost. This choice illustrates how past trauma fuels her moral compromise.

6. How does Mr. Chen's advice challenge Alice's worldview?

After reading her sympathetic Macbeth essay, Mr. Chen keeps Alice after class in Chapter 12 (see evidence). He asks what she truly wants and tells her she is “too young to be this hardened by the world.” Alice deflects by saying she is passionate about being good at things. Mr. Chen’s gentle challenge exposes her suppressed dreams and the fear that keeps her from envisioning a future beyond survival—a theme that returns at the novel’s end.

7. What hidden tension exists between Alice and Rainie's first interaction?

In Chapter 2, Alice overhears Rainie crying on the phone about a serious problem. When Alice asks if she is okay, Rainie laughs it off as acting practice for an audition. The tension lies in Rainie’s polished performance: she makes Alice feel special but never addresses the real distress. This moment foreshadows Rainie’s later vulnerability and Alice’s growing awareness that even the rich hide desperate secrets—a pattern that fuels the Beijing Ghost enterprise.

8. How does the kidnapping task force Alice to confront her ethics?

Andrew She offers one million RMB to kidnap Peter Oh in Chapter 12. Alice debates with Henry, who challenges her moral boundaries. The task represents a line she never intended to cross. She eventually agrees, but during the act in Chapter 16 she sees a message from Peter’s mother and frees him. The kidnapping becomes the breaking point that forces Alice to recognise that her drive for money has endangered an innocent person—a consequence she cannot justify.

9. What does the train journey reveal about class differences?

In Chapter 13, Alice shares a cramped train compartment with Chanel, a mother, and a young girl. Chanel casually reveals her mother is model Coco Cao, earning instant admiration. Alice observes that her own family's financial struggles become painfully visible outside Airington’s uniform‑leveling campus. The scene underlines how privilege dictates social recognition: Chanel is celebrated for her connections, while Alice feels invisible even before the supernatural power activates.

10. Why does Henry confess his claustrophobia?

During the train ride, Henry’s compartment becomes crowded and he admits he hates small spaces because his father once locked him in a closet as punishment. In Chapter 13, Alice watches his calm demeanour crack. The confession humanises Henry beyond his wealth and reveals the emotional abuse behind his perfectionism. It also deepens Alice’s empathy and marks a turning point where they share genuine vulnerability, moving from rivals to something more intimate.

11. How does Alice's conversation with Mr. Chen at the end mirror his earlier warning?

In Chapter 20, Mr. Chen offers Alice a scholarship at a friend’s international school. He recounts his own past feeling invisible despite awards, and says, “To live well, you must learn to see yourself first.” This echoes his earlier remark that she is too hardened and should “be free to dream.” Both conversations push Alice toward self‑discovery. The ending shows she has started to see herself beyond grades and money—thanks in part to his persistent faith.

12. What is the significance of the sunrise ending?

Alice and Henry meet by the koi ponds before dawn in Chapter 20 (see evidence). They plan a legitimate tutoring app and watch the sunrise together. The sunrise symbolises hope and a fresh start after the Beijing Ghost scandal. It contrasts with the dark, secret‑laden world of blackmail and invisibility. Holding hands, they look forward to dreams—Henry’s possible future and Alice’s new scholarship—showing that trust and mutual support can illuminate even the darkest circumstances.

13. How does Alice's invisibility power relate to her marginalized status?

Alice’s invisibility mirrors the social invisibility she experiences as a scholarship student surrounded by wealth. In Chapter 1, she feels invisible when the spotlight shifts from her to Henry. Later, her power activates during moments of stress or feeling overlooked. The supernatural element turns a metaphor into literal fact: the system that makes her feel unseen grants her a tool to exploit that same blindness, yet she must learn to be seen on her own terms.

14. Why does Alice free Peter after kidnapping him?

After luring Peter to a hotel room in Chapter 16, Alice sees a message from Peter’s mother and feels overwhelming guilt. She returns to release him, even though it means risking exposure. This decision shows that, despite her desperation, Alice cannot live with causing real harm. Her moral core—forged by her own family’s sacrifices—reasserts itself. Freeing Peter is the first step toward reclaiming her integrity and eventually abandoning the Beijing Ghost scheme.

15. What does the rebranding of Beijing Ghost as a tutoring app represent?

In Chapter 18, Alice and Henry try to delete the app but fail due to a network error. Instead, Alice devises a cover story: rebrand Beijing Ghost as a study tool and write an article explaining she took the kidnapping task because she needed money. This rebranding symbolises her shift from unethical exploitation to legitimate ambition. It also shows her learning to use her resourcefulness for positive ends, turning a dark secret into a platform for acknowledging systemic inequality.