Characters

The narrator and main character in the short story “Where the Gods Fly” by Jean Kwok is Pearl's mother, an unnamed Chinese woman living in the US. Her characterisation is constructed through her thoughts, attitude, and actions.

The narrator is deeply influenced by her personal experiences, tradition, and religion all of which lead her to believe that it is better for her daughter to pursue a secure career rather than dancing ambitions and dreams. The narrator has a complicated relationship with her daughter, which is determined by her own life experience.

Pearl is a secondary character, absent from the events during the time of the narration. She is presented only from the narrator’s perspective and through her memories. Pearl's views sometimes clash with those of the narrator, as, unlike her mother, she has managed to adapt herself to the American lifestyle.

You can find their characterisations in the following pages.