Chapter 2 Summary, Themes, and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Chapter 2 opens with the narrator reflecting that she had never heard of eating fish eyes until two weeks before the events of the chapter. She recalls that when her father, Appa, left, she was convinced her mother, Umma, had lost her mind.
A few days after Appa's departure, Umma is inconsolable. She sobs through the night, trying to hide it from her daughters, but the narrator and her younger sister Ji-hyun hear everything through the thin wall of their shared bedroom. Lying awake, Ji-hyun whispers to the narrator, asking if they should say something to their mother. The narrator refuses, afraid of seeing her mother slumped over in grief and wanting to ignore the situation.
Ji-hyun then asks if Appa is going to come back. The narrator, knowing the truth that he will not, lies and says yes to comfort her sister. Ji-hyun is reassured and curls up next to the narrator, who strokes her hair until she falls asleep. The narrator stays awake, feeling guilty and overwhelmed by the awfulness of their situation.
The following evening, Umma comes home early from work and spends the entire afternoon cooking a massive feast. The narrator is surprised because Umma had been so lethargic and miserable that morning. The table is covered with food: braised beef short ribs (Appa's favorite), a whole deep-fried fish, soy-marinated soft tofu, steamed egg, and a variety of homemade side dishes, including fresh kimchi. The narrator notices an extra table setting at Appa's usual place.
During dinner, Umma barely eats, instead staring at the front door as if expecting Appa to burst through at any moment. Ji-hyun and the narrator try to get her to eat. Then they hear the jingling of keys in the hallway. Umma jumps up and rushes to the door, but it turns out to be a forgetful neighbor who tried the wrong door. Umma collapses on the floor, sobbing. Ji-hyun and the narrator help her up and lead her back to the table.
Umma, with mascara running down her cheeks, begins to laugh harshly and asks if she is unlucky. Ji-hyun says no. Umma points to the fish and explains that fish eyes are good luck; if she eats one, maybe it will bring their father back. Before the girls can react, she rips an eyeball out of the fish's head and eats it, chewing and swallowing despite their horrified protests. She then flips the fish over and offers the second eye to the girls, who back away in disgust. Umma laughs sincerely for the first time that evening and says she won't make them eat it, adding that she needs all the luck she can get.
Key Events
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The narrator and Ji-hyun lie awake listening to their mother weep at night.
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Ji-hyun asks if Appa will return; the narrator lies and says yes.
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Umma cooks a large feast, including Appa's favorite short ribs and a whole fried fish, and sets an extra place for him.
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A neighbor's keys at the door cause Umma to rush over, only to be disappointed.
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Umma collapses, sobs, then laughs and asks if she is unlucky.
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Umma explains that fish eyes bring good luck and eats one to try to bring Appa back.
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She offers the second eye to the girls, who refuse; she laughs sincerely and says she needs all the luck.
Character Development
The Narrator – The narrator is torn between protecting her sister and confronting her own fear. She lies to Ji-hyun to spare her pain, but the lie deepens her guilt. She is also afraid of her mother's grief, avoiding any direct confrontation. Her internal conflict is evident as she watches her mother's behavior and tries to make sense of it.
Ji-hyun – Ji-hyun is younger and more innocent. She seeks reassurance from the narrator and is easily comforted by the lie. She is also the one who voices the question about Appa's return, showing her need for stability. During the dinner, she is frightened by Umma's erratic behavior and reacts with horror to the fish eye.
Umma – Umma is consumed by grief and denial. She tries to maintain normalcy by cooking a feast, but her fixation on the door and her superstition about fish eyes reveal her desperation. Her laughter is initially harsh and frightening, but later becomes sincere when she decides not to force the girls to eat the eye. This shows a glimmer of self-awareness and a protective instinct toward her daughters, even as she clings to irrational hope.
Appa (absent) – Though not present, Appa's absence drives the chapter's emotional core. His favorite foods and the extra place setting highlight the family's loss and the mother's refusal to accept it.
The Neighbor – The forgetful neighbor serves as a catalyst for Umma's breakdown, briefly raising false hope before shattering it.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Fish Eyes as Symbol of Hope and Desperation – The fish eye represents Umma's desperate attempt to control an uncontrollable situation. She believes that eating it will bring Appa back, turning a mundane object into a talisman. The girls' revulsion contrasts with Umma's willingness to consume it, highlighting the gap between rational fear and grief-driven superstition.
Food as Comfort and Ritual – The feast is a way for Umma to recreate a sense of family and normalcy. Cooking Appa's favorite dishes and setting an extra place are rituals of denial. The food also becomes a site of horror when the fish eye is eaten, subverting the comfort food usually provides.
Grief and Denial – Umma's behavior oscillates between sobbing, laughter, and superstition, illustrating the chaotic nature of grief. Her refusal to accept Appa's departure is evident in her actions, from the extra place setting to her belief in the fish eye's power.
Sibling Bond – The narrator and Ji-hyun share a close bond, lying together and seeking comfort from each other. The narrator's lie is an act of protection, and Ji-hyun's trust in her sister underscores their reliance on each other in the face of parental instability.
Fear of Abandonment – Ji-hyun's question about Appa's return and the narrator's lie both stem from a deep fear of being left. The chapter explores how children cope with the threat of abandonment, often by clinging to hope or denying reality.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter establishes the central motif of fish eyes and the mother's superstition, which will likely recur throughout the novel. It also deepens the narrator's perspective on her mother's mental state, setting up a tension between rational understanding and emotional loyalty. The chapter introduces the theme of denial as a coping mechanism, and the sibling dynamic becomes a crucial anchor for the narrator. The feast scene is a powerful set piece that shows how grief can distort ordinary rituals, and the fish eye becomes a symbol of the lengths to which people will go to hold onto hope.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does the narrator lie to Ji-hyun about Appa's return?
The narrator lies because she sees her sister's desperate need for reassurance. Ji-hyun's expression and the wrinkles on her forehead make the narrator feel that telling the truth would cause unbearable pain. The narrator also wants to comfort herself by pretending, even though she knows the truth. The lie is an act of protection, but it also deepens her guilt and isolation.
2. What does the fish eye symbolize in this chapter?
The fish eye symbolizes Umma's desperate hope and her attempt to control an uncontrollable situation. It represents superstition as a coping mechanism for grief. For the narrator and Ji-hyun, the fish eye is a source of horror and disgust, highlighting the divide between their rational fear and their mother's irrational belief. The eye also becomes a test of loyalty: Umma offers it to them, but they refuse, and she accepts their refusal with a sincere laugh, showing that she understands their limits.
3. How does the mother's behavior reflect the stages of grief?
Umma exhibits denial (setting an extra place, cooking Appa's favorite foods), anger (her harsh laughter and question about being unlucky), and bargaining (eating the fish eye to bring Appa back). Her sobbing and collapse after the neighbor's false alarm show depression. The chapter captures the chaotic, non-linear nature of grief, as Umma swings between these states within a single evening.