The Mahjong Set in The Collected Regrets of Clover: A Symbol of Friendship and Generational Connection

The Mahjong Set as a Ritual of Friendship and Legacy in The Collected Regrets of Clover

In Mikki Brammer’s novel, the mahjong set is far more than a game. It is a tangible thread that connects Clover to her grandfather, to her only friend Leo, and ultimately to a life of participation rather than observation. The set appears at key moments—weekly games, a deathbed scene, and a final bequest—and each appearance deepens its symbolic weight. By tracing the mahjong set through the narrative, we see how it embodies the ritual of friendship, the continuity of human connection across generations, and the quiet courage of letting oneself be known.

A Concrete Object with a Personal History

The mahjong set is first introduced in Chapter 3, when Clover recalls her grandfather teaching her to play after she came to live with him at age six. She describes the learning process in detail: it took four years to beat him, he refused to let her win intentionally, and she memorized the hands and tracked his discards. This early history establishes the set as a vehicle for Grandpa’s practical, no-nonsense affection—he taught her a skill rather than offering overt emotional comfort. The game becomes a shared language between them, one that requires attention, patience, and the ability to read another person’s subtle tells.

After Clover goes to college, Leo becomes Grandpa’s regular opponent, and when Clover returns after Grandpa’s death, Leo continues the tradition with her. The mahjong set thus bridges three generations: Grandpa, Leo, and Clover. It is not merely an heirloom but a living practice, a weekly appointment that forces Clover out of her solitude. In Chapter 3, Leo greets her with “And when is our rematch?” and they schedule a game for the following Sunday. This ritual is so ingrained that in Chapter 51, when Clover arrives at Leo’s apartment and finds the mahjong tiles already set out on the table, she knows something is wrong—Leo is always ready, but he is not there.

The Mahjong Set as a Symbol of Friendship and Vulnerability

The mahjong games are not just about winning; they are a space where Clover and Leo reveal themselves. In Chapter 15, during a game, Leo challenges Clover’s self-imposed isolation: “You know, I can’t understand why you keep your world so small. There are so many interesting people out there.” Clover deflects, but the game itself becomes a metaphor for her approach to life. She is skilled at observing patterns and predicting moves—skills she also uses as a death doula—but she avoids the risk of genuine connection. Leo’s gentle prodding during their games is a form of care that the mahjong ritual makes possible. The game requires two people to sit across from each other, to engage in a shared activity, and to be present. For Clover, who spends most of her time with dying clients or alone, these games are her primary experience of reciprocal, living friendship.

The mahjong set also carries the memory of Grandpa’s own lessons about observation. In Chapter 14, Grandpa teaches Clover to look for patterns in nature and in people, but with a caveat: “no spying.” The mahjong game is a sanctioned form of observation—reading another’s discards and expressions—but it also demands participation. Clover cannot simply watch; she must make moves, take risks, and respond. In this way, the mahjong set becomes a counterpoint to her professional role, where she observes death without ever fully participating in life.

Generational Connection and the Passing of the Torch

The mahjong set’s most poignant moment comes in Chapter 51, when Clover finds Leo in the throes of a heart attack. The tiles are already on the table, a sign that Leo was expecting her, that their ritual was about to unfold. Instead, Leo asks Clover to stay with him as he dies, and she does. He tells her, “The secret to a beautiful death is to live a beautiful life. Putting your heart out there. Letting it get broken. Taking chances. Making mistakes.” This advice, delivered in the presence of the mahjong set, links the game to the novel’s central theme of regret and the wisdom of the dying. Leo’s final words are not about the game itself, but about the life that the game represents—a life of connection, risk, and love.

In Chapter 52, after Leo’s funeral, Clover learns that he left her his bar cart and mahjong set. This bequest is deeply symbolic. The mahjong set, which had already passed from Grandpa to Leo in a sense (through their shared games), now passes to Clover. It is a physical reminder of the two men who taught her how to be present with others, and it carries the implicit charge to continue the ritual—to find new partners, to keep playing, to keep opening her heart. The set is not just a keepsake; it is an invitation to live.

The Mahjong Set and the Theme of Observation vs. Participation

Clover’s life as a death doula is built on observation. She watches people die, records their final words, and bears witness without ever fully engaging her own emotions. The mahjong set offers a contrasting model: it is a game of observation, yes, but also of action. In Chapter 15, Clover admits that she is “good with people” only when they are dying, because there is no risk of rejection. The mahjong game, by contrast, is a living relationship. Leo’s challenges during their games push her to consider a different way of being. When he asks, “What kind of life are you living if you’ve never let anyone see the real you?” the mahjong tiles between them become a symbol of the vulnerability she avoids.

The set also connects to the theme of grief and emotional suppression. Clover’s grandfather taught her to play as a way of coping with her parents’ death, and the game became a container for her grief—a structured activity that allowed her to feel close to him without having to articulate her pain. Leo, too, used the games as a way to honor his late wife Winnie, whose portrait watches over their matches. The mahjong set thus holds multiple layers of loss and love, and it becomes a means of processing grief through ritual rather than through direct confrontation.

Character Connections: Grandpa, Leo, and Clover

The mahjong set is inseparable from the characters who play it. Grandpa Patrick, though introverted, expressed his care through teaching and practical lessons. The mahjong game was one of his primary ways of connecting with Clover, and it outlasted his death. Leo, who became Clover’s only friend, continued that tradition, and his bequest of the set ensures that the connection will not end with him. Clover, in turn, must decide what to do with the set. In Chapter 54, she sorts through her grandfather’s belongings, keeping only the most sacred items—his notebooks, his coat, his overnight bag. The mahjong set from Leo is not part of that sorting, but it remains a presence in her apartment, a reminder of the two men who shaped her.

The set also indirectly connects to Sylvie, who becomes Clover’s new friend and helps her let go of the past. While Sylvie does not play mahjong, she represents the new connections that Clover begins to form after Leo’s death. The mahjong set, as a symbol of friendship, suggests that Clover’s capacity for connection is not limited to the dead—it can extend to the living, as she learns to open herself to Sylvie, Hugo, and others.

Study Questions with Answers

1. How does the mahjong set function as a symbol of friendship in the novel?

The mahjong set symbolizes friendship because it is the vehicle for Clover’s most meaningful living relationships. Her grandfather taught her to play, and Leo became her regular opponent, continuing the tradition after Grandpa’s death. The weekly games are a ritual that requires two people to sit together, engage, and be present. Unlike her work as a death doula, where she observes without risk, mahjong demands mutual participation and vulnerability. Leo’s challenges during their games push Clover to consider opening her heart, and his bequest of the set after his death ensures that the ritual—and the friendship it represents—will continue.

2. What does Leo’s decision to leave Clover his mahjong set signify?

Leo’s bequest signifies the passing of a legacy of connection. The mahjong set had already linked Grandpa and Leo, and now it links Leo to Clover. By leaving it to her, Leo is not just giving her a physical object; he is entrusting her with the practice of friendship and the courage to live a beautiful life. The set becomes a tangible reminder of his final advice: to let herself live, to take chances, and to put her heart out there. It is a call to continue the ritual with others, to keep playing, and to remain open to love.

3. How does the mahjong set contrast with Clover’s work as a death doula?

Clover’s work as a death doula is based on observation and bearing witness. She sits with dying people, listens to their regrets, and records their final words, but she does not form reciprocal, living relationships. The mahjong set, by contrast, is a game of active participation. It requires her to make moves, take risks, and respond to another person in real time. While her death-doula work allows her to avoid vulnerability, the mahjong game forces her to engage. The contrast highlights the novel’s theme of observation versus participation, and the mahjong set becomes a symbol of the life Clover is afraid to live.

4. In what ways does the mahjong set represent generational continuity?

The mahjong set is passed from Grandpa to Leo to Clover, creating a chain of connection across generations. Grandpa taught Clover to play, and Leo continued the tradition after Grandpa’s death. When Leo dies, he leaves the set to Clover, ensuring that the practice will continue. The set embodies the idea that human connection can outlast individual lives—that the rituals we share with others become a way of keeping their memory alive. It also suggests that Clover, by inheriting the set, is being asked to carry forward the lessons of love and presence that both men taught her.

Conclusion

The mahjong set in The Collected Regrets of Clover is a deceptively simple object that carries profound meaning. It is a symbol of friendship, a ritual of presence, and a bridge between generations. Through her games with Grandpa and Leo, Clover learns not only the rules of mahjong but also the value of letting herself be seen. Leo’s final bequest transforms the set into a call to action—a reminder that a beautiful life is built on connection, vulnerability, and the willingness to keep playing, even after loss. As Clover moves toward a future of travel, photography, and new relationships, the mahjong set remains a quiet testament to the people who taught her how to live.