The Bonesetter’s Daughter

by

Amy Tan

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 in to Ted’s demands and finishes the book ahead of schedule, only to have Ted fire her when he is dissatisfied with her work. Ruth’s unhealthy relationship with Ted illustrates her tendency to bend to meet others’ needs while neglecting her own.
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Ted Character Timeline in The Bonesetter’s Daughter

The timeline below shows where the character Ted appears in The Bonesetter’s Daughter. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part One: Chapter Two
Secrecy and Misunderstanding  Theme Icon
Memory, Culture, and the Past  Theme Icon
Storytelling  Theme Icon
...returns home and settles down in her office to work. She calls her newest client, Ted, for whom she’s writing a book called Internet Spirituality. Ted badgers her about publishing the... (full context)
Secrecy and Misunderstanding  Theme Icon
Memory, Culture, and the Past  Theme Icon
Women’s Solidarity  Theme Icon
Ruth works some more and then calls her agent, Gideon, to complain about Ted. She predicts Ted will fire her soon, but Gideon claims this will never happen, since... (full context)