Relationship between characters

Relationship between the narrator and her mother

The relationship between the narrator and her mother is an important aspect of the short story “Edge of the World” by Souvankham Thammavongsa.

In the beginning, the narrator is a 4-year-old child and she and her mother are very close. They watch soap operas together, and her mother teaches her about traditional dishes at the Lao refugee gatherings. They even share the opinion that fitting in is not something you would want (ll. 41-42). 

The mother seems to feel safe enough with the narrator to let her guard down. Although the mother is shy with other people, she laughs out loud when she is alone with the narrator and does not hesitate to show her true feelings. There is something natural and almost child-like about the mother which the young narrator admires: “I wanted everyone to see what I saw when...