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Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Crazy Rich Asians, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Wealth and Absurdity
Marriage and Money
Family vs. Individuality
Chinese vs. Western Culture
Summary
Analysis
From the hotel, Rachel calls Kerry and tells her that she’s been at the bride’s bachelorette party on an island in the Indian Ocean, and that she flew there on the bride’s private plane. Rachel says that the bride and groom are really rich. Kerry asks if Nick is rich too, and Rachel confirms it. Then, Kerry says Rachel must be careful: she can’t let people think she’s after Nick’s money. Rachel thinks it’s too late for that. She wants to tell her mom about the disastrous bachelorette party but decides not to; she hasn’t told Nick, either. As the conversation progresses and as Rachel admits that she hasn’t met Nick’s parents, Kerry becomes concerned—is Nick ashamed of Rachel, or have his parents forbidden him from bringing her home? She insists Rachel give Eleanor mandarins so she seems like a well-raised Chinese girl.
Kerry, who grew up in China and so is familiar with traditional Chinese culture, understands what Rachel is up against—Rachel might not know that Eleanor is out to get her, but Kerry can guess. This is why Kerry insists on the mandarins: if Rachel can’t win Nick’s parents over by making it clear she’s not after Nick’s money, Kerry reasons that Rachel at least must look demure and respectful. (The only way Rachel could broadcast she’s not after Nick’s money, though, is by having a fortune of her own, so in that regard, she is out of luck.)
Themes
