The Rent Collector

by

Camron Wright

Ki Lim is Sang Ly’s husband and Nisay’s father. Ki Lim provides a meager living for his family by picking through rubbish at the dump to find recyclable materials to sell to a scrap vendor. Although he is a loving and supportive husband, Ki does not understand why Sang Ly suddenly considers reading so important, and initially fears that through education, Sang Ly may outgrow him or no longer need him—though this fear turns out to be unfounded. Early in the story, gang members rob and nearly kill Ki, leaving him with a bad head wound and taking his hard-earned money. Wanting the power to defend himself, Ki buys himself a knife and tries to encourage the other residents of Stung Meanchey to stand up for themselves as well. However, after a young boy named Lucky Fat is beaten by gang members and people chase down one of the attackers and beat him to death, Ki realizes that although he had wanted to fight injustice, the killing of the gang member, who is only a teenage boy, does not feel heroic or just. This experience suggests to Ki and the reader that having the power to fight back is not the same thing as being a hero. As Ki begins to see the hope that literature and stories give Sang Ly, he grows more trusting of her lessons with Sopeap and starts to share her hope. This is evidenced by his willingness to travel to her home province to seek out the Healer based only on her dream, as well as his support of her as she races all over Phnom Penh trying to find Sopeap before she dies. After Sang Ly sits with Sopeap at her deathbed, she sees her husband waiting for her and reflects that, in his steadfast support of her hopes and dreams, Ki truly is a hero.

Ki Lim Quotes in The Rent Collector

The The Rent Collector quotes below are all either spoken by Ki Lim or refer to Ki Lim. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Power of Literature Theme Icon
).
Chapter Four Quotes

I told Ki I wanted to hang the clock on our wall because I liked its flowered face—but that’s not exactly true. There is more. It helps me to remember that even though something is broken, it can still serve a purpose. […] Sometimes broken things deserve to be repaired.

Related Characters: Sang Ly (speaker), Sopeap Sin / Soriyan, Ki Lim
Related Symbols: The Clock
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seven Quotes

“I hope it changes many things,” I answered softly. “I hope it will somehow get out of the dump—and if not us, that it provides a path out for Nisay. Don’t you want those things too?”

It is a long time before [Ki] replies. “I know that we don’t have a lot here,” he says cautiously. “But at least we know where we stand.”

Related Characters: Sang Ly (speaker), Ki Lim (speaker), Nisay
Page Number: 50
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eleven Quotes

“There’s a time and place for defending yourself,” he says calmly, “whether it be with words—or with a knife. Keep reading; your stories will teach you that.”

Related Characters: Ki Lim (speaker), Sang Ly
Related Symbols: The Knife
Page Number: 92
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Sixteen Quotes

“Most teachers will agree that the true mark of a hero, what sets him apart from everyone else, is sacrifice. A hero gives something up, sometimes even his own life, for the good of others.”

Related Characters: Sopeap Sin / Soriyan (speaker), Sang Ly, Ki Lim, Lucky Fat, Maly
Page Number: 133
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eighteen Quotes

It was just days ago I wanted to kill the criminals myself. But my desire was for revenge on crooks, thugs—dark images of evil that gathered in my head when I pictured the men who beat my husband and Lucky Fat—not boys, especially this boy.

Related Characters: Sang Ly (speaker), Sopeap Sin / Soriyan, Ki Lim, Lucky Fat, Maly
Related Symbols: The Knife
Page Number: 146
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twenty-Four Quotes

“I should go to work,” [Ki] says, “but I have no boots, no picker, nothing.” Of course, he is right, we have nothing. And yet, if Nisay is truly better, we have everything.

Related Characters: Sang Ly (speaker), Ki Lim (speaker), Nisay, Lena / Mother
Page Number: 207
Explanation and Analysis:
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Ki Lim Quotes in The Rent Collector

The The Rent Collector quotes below are all either spoken by Ki Lim or refer to Ki Lim. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Power of Literature Theme Icon
).
Chapter Four Quotes

I told Ki I wanted to hang the clock on our wall because I liked its flowered face—but that’s not exactly true. There is more. It helps me to remember that even though something is broken, it can still serve a purpose. […] Sometimes broken things deserve to be repaired.

Related Characters: Sang Ly (speaker), Sopeap Sin / Soriyan, Ki Lim
Related Symbols: The Clock
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seven Quotes

“I hope it changes many things,” I answered softly. “I hope it will somehow get out of the dump—and if not us, that it provides a path out for Nisay. Don’t you want those things too?”

It is a long time before [Ki] replies. “I know that we don’t have a lot here,” he says cautiously. “But at least we know where we stand.”

Related Characters: Sang Ly (speaker), Ki Lim (speaker), Nisay
Page Number: 50
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eleven Quotes

“There’s a time and place for defending yourself,” he says calmly, “whether it be with words—or with a knife. Keep reading; your stories will teach you that.”

Related Characters: Ki Lim (speaker), Sang Ly
Related Symbols: The Knife
Page Number: 92
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Sixteen Quotes

“Most teachers will agree that the true mark of a hero, what sets him apart from everyone else, is sacrifice. A hero gives something up, sometimes even his own life, for the good of others.”

Related Characters: Sopeap Sin / Soriyan (speaker), Sang Ly, Ki Lim, Lucky Fat, Maly
Page Number: 133
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eighteen Quotes

It was just days ago I wanted to kill the criminals myself. But my desire was for revenge on crooks, thugs—dark images of evil that gathered in my head when I pictured the men who beat my husband and Lucky Fat—not boys, especially this boy.

Related Characters: Sang Ly (speaker), Sopeap Sin / Soriyan, Ki Lim, Lucky Fat, Maly
Related Symbols: The Knife
Page Number: 146
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twenty-Four Quotes

“I should go to work,” [Ki] says, “but I have no boots, no picker, nothing.” Of course, he is right, we have nothing. And yet, if Nisay is truly better, we have everything.

Related Characters: Sang Ly (speaker), Ki Lim (speaker), Nisay, Lena / Mother
Page Number: 207
Explanation and Analysis: