The Bonesetter’s Daughter Character Analysis

Ruth Young

The novel’s protagonist, Ruth is a ghostwriter who lives in San Francisco with her partner, Art. At the start of the novel, Ruth is dissatisfied with her life. She and Art have grown apart… read analysis of Ruth Young

LuLing Liu Young

LuLing Liu Young is an elderly Chinese American woman who struggles to move beyond her traumatic past. She feels especially guilty for playing a role in the suicide of her mother, Precious Auntie, who… read analysis of LuLing Liu Young

Precious Auntie

Precious Auntie is LuLing’s mother and Ruth’s grandmother. LuLing grew up thinking that Precious Auntie was her nursemaid, a ruse devised by the Liu family to conceal the scandal of LuLing’s illegitimate birth… read analysis of Precious Auntie

GaoLing Young

GaoLing is married to Ruth’s uncle, Edmund Young, so Ruth knows her as Auntie Gal. GaoLing and LuLing are roughly the same age and grew up thinking they were sisters, though they’re technically cousins… read analysis of GaoLing Young

Art Kamen

Art Kamen is Ruth’s partner. He’s a linguist who works at the Center on Deafness at the University of California, San Francisco. Ruth lives with Art at his flat in San Francisco, and Art’s… read analysis of Art Kamen

Dory

Dory is Art and Miriam’s 13-year-old daughter. She and her older sister, Fia, live with Art and Ruth part-time, and Ruth functions as their stepmother, though she and Art aren’t technically married. Although… read analysis of Dory

Fia

Fia is Art and Miriam’s 15-year-old year old daughter. She and her younger sister, Dory, live with Art and Ruth part-time, and Ruth functions as the girls’ stepmother, though she and Art aren’t… read analysis of Fia

Edwin Young

Edwin Young is LuLing’s second husband and Ruth’s father. He and his younger brother, Edmund, agree to marry GaoLing and LuLing, enabling LuLing to emigrate to the U.S. and helping both sisters… read analysis of Edwin Young

Edmund Young

Edmund Young is GaoLing’s second husband, LuLing’s brother-in-law, and Ruth’s uncle. He and his older brother, Edwin, agree to marry GaoLing and LuLing, allowing LuLing to emigrate to the U.S. and… read analysis of Edmund Young

Mother (Liu)

Mother is the woman LuLing grows up thinking is her mother. She’s married to Liu Jin Sen, the eldest Liu brother, whom LuLing grows up believing is her father. In reality, this couple is… read analysis of Mother (Liu)

Great-Granny

Great Granny is the matriarch of the Liu family. She is the mother of Liu Jin Sen, Big Uncle, Little Uncle, and Baby Uncle. She’s also the grandmother of LuLing and… read analysis of Great-Granny

Baby Uncle (Liu Hu Sen)

Baby Uncle is the youngest of the Liu sons. He is LuLing’s father (though she grows up believing that Liu Jin Sen is her father) and was Precious Auntie’s fiancé. He falls in… read analysis of Baby Uncle (Liu Hu Sen)

The Bonesetter

The Bonesetter is Precious Auntie’s father. He is a famous bonesetter and healer who runs a local shop. After the Bonesetter’s wife and sons die, Precious Auntie becomes his whole world. He funnels all… read analysis of The Bonesetter

Pan Kai Jing

Pan Kai Jing is LuLing’s first husband. She meets him while working as an assistant for his father, Teacher Pan, at the orphanage. Kai Jing is a geologist who works with other scientists… read analysis of Pan Kai Jing

Chang

Change is a wealthy, dishonest, and cruel coffin maker who lives in the same village as the Lius. Precious Auntie humiliates him when she accepts Baby Uncle’s marriage proposal over Chang’s. To retaliate, Chang… read analysis of Chang

Chang Fu Nan

Chang Fu Nan is Chang the coffin maker’s fourth son. The Chang family originally arranges for Fu Nan to marry LuLing. However, they rescind the offer after Precious Auntie’s suicide, fearing that her… read analysis of Chang Fu Nan

Liu Jin Sen (Father)

Liu Jin Sen is the eldest of the Liu sons. He is the man LuLing grows up referring to as Father, though Baby Uncle is her real father. Jin Sen is married to Mother, and… read analysis of Liu Jin Sen (Father)

Catcher of Ghosts

The Catcher of the Ghosts is a traveling priest the Liu family hires to cleanse their home of Precious Auntie’s spirit, which the Lius believe is responsible for starting the fire that destroyed the… read analysis of Catcher of Ghosts

Teacher Pan

Teacher Pan is a teacher at the orphanage where LuLing lives after Mother banishes her from the Liu home. LuLing works as his assistant and later becomes his daughter-in-law when she marries his son, Kai… read analysis of Teacher Pan

Sister Yu

Sister Yu is one of the teachers at the orphanage where LuLing lives after Mother banishes her from the Liu home. She is a small, bossy, and opinionated woman who has a habit of mocking… read analysis of Sister Yu

Ruth Grutoff

Ruth Grutoff is an American missionary who serves as the nurse and headmistress of the orphanage LuLing works at after Precious Auntie’s death. She is a brave, compassionate woman who puts her life on… read analysis of Ruth Grutoff

Mr. Tang

Mr. Tang is the elderly Chinese American scholar Ruth hires to translate LuLing’s manuscript. He falls in love with LuLing after reading her story. Understanding the hardships LuLing has endured allows Mr. Tang to… read analysis of Mr. Tang

Lance Rogers

Lance Rogers is the young man who owns the bungalow that LuLing rents when Ruth is 11. Although outwardly friendly, he is emotionally manipulative and frequently cheats on his wife, Dottie Rogers. Ruth has… read analysis of Lance Rogers

Dottie Rogers

Dottie Rogers is married to Lance Rogers, who rents a bungalow to LuLing when Ruth is 11. Dottie supports Ruth after Ruth mistakenly (but innocently) insinuates that Lance has raped and impregnated her. However… read analysis of Dottie Rogers

Wendy

Wendy is Ruth’s best friend since childhood. In many respects, Wendy is Ruth’s opposite: she is extroverted, loud, confident, and self-assured, and she isn’t shy about confronting her husband, Joe, about things that… read analysis of Wendy

Ted

Ted is one of Ruth’s clients. He hires her to write a book about “internet spirituality” and unreasonably expects Ruth to set aside all her other projects to focus on his book. Ruth gives… read analysis of Ted

Agapi Agnos

Agapi Agnos is one of Ruth’s clients. She is a psychiatrist for whom Ruth is writing a book called Righting the Wronged Child, which explores how parents (sometimes unwittingly) impart beliefs and traits… read analysis of Agapi Agnos

Miriam

Miriam is Art’s ex-wife and mother to Dory and Fia. She is the opposite of Ruth: outspoken, confident, and flashy. Ruth thinks she might have liked Miriam, had they met under different… read analysis of Miriam

Arlene and Marty Kamen

Arlene and Marty Kamen are Art’s parents. They love Art’s ex-wife, Miriam, and have never quite warmed up to Ruth, even though she has been in a committed relationship with Art for… read analysis of Arlene and Marty Kamen

Edward Patel

Edward Patel is an employee who works at Mira Mar Manor, the assisted living facility where LuLing eventually goes to live. He gives Ruth and Art a tour of the facility before Ruth sends LuLing… read analysis of Edward Patel

Minor Characters

Big Uncle

Big Uncle is one of Baby Uncle’s brothers and LuLing’s uncle. He works at the family’s prosperous ink business.

Little Uncle

Little Uncle is one of Baby Uncle’s brothers and LuLing’s uncle. He works at the family’s prosperous ink business.

Old Widow Lau

Old Widow Lau is a relative of the Liu family who lives in Peking. She is frequently involved in arranging marriages and contacts Mother to inform her of the Changs’ interest in securing LuLing as a daughter-in-law.

Gideon

Gideon is Ruth’s agent. He likes Ruth but thinks she’s a pushover who allows her clients to take advantage of her.

Francine

Francine rents the lower-level duplex of LuLing’s building. She is impatient with LuLing’s erratic behavior (much of which, in retrospect, can be explained by LuLing’s dementia) and failure to make repairs to the building.

Miss Towler

Miss Towler is an American missionary, and the director of the orphanage LuLing works at after Precious Auntie’s death. She dies during World War Two.

Dong

Dong is one of Kai Jing’s colleagues. The Japanese execute Dong, Chau, and Kai Jing during World War Two.

Chau

Chau is one of Kai Jing’s colleagues. The Japanese execute Chau, Dong, and Kai Jing during World War Two.

The Flowers Family

The Flowers family is a wealthy English family living in Hong Kong. LuLing works for them as a maid to save up money while she waits for the opportunity to join GaoLing in America.

Dr. Huey

Dr. Huey is the doctor who diagnoses LuLing with dementia.

Sally

Sally is GaoLing and Edmund’s daughter, and Ruth’s cousin.

Billy

Billy is GaoLing and Edmund’s son, and Ruth’s cousin.

Joe

Joe is Wendy’s husband.

Teacher Wang

Teacher Wang is one of the teachers at the orphanage.

Mr. Wei

Mr. Wei is a delivery man who transports medicine and supplies around Peking and its surrounding villages.