The Sun is Also a Star: Chapter 11 Summary & Analysis

Daniel writes headline stating that he's trapped in a "vortex of expectation and disappointment." He notes that the one good thing about Charlie's overachieving nature was that he never had to be particularly good at anything. Now, his parents are putting pressure on Daniel. Daniel recounts a conversation he's had many times with Min Soo since summer started, in which she asks him about his grades, and tells him he's not a little boy anymore when he explains his grades are still mediocre.

Later, Daniel has an interview with a Yale alumnus. Yale is only the second best school according to his parents, but Daniel refused to apply to Harvard. Min Soo is making mandu dumplings for him as a special treat, and Daniel sits at the kitchen table, writing a poem about heartbreak. He's struggling since he's never had his heart broken, but he thinks it's luxurious to write at the table: Dae Hyun doesn't approve of poetry. Daniel keeps up his side of the conversation but is surprised when his mom says in Korean to not be like Charlie.

Charlie walks into the kitchen in time to hear Min Soo say this. Min Soo blushes in shame and embarrassment. She offers Charlie mandu, even though he refuses to eat Korean food and pretends to not understand Korean. Daniel knows that Charlie heard and understood. When Charlie is gone, Daniel asks his mom to give Charlie a break. He knows that it must be awful for Charlie, working all day with Dae Hyun at their black hair care store, as their father surely berates Charlie when there are no customers around.

Min Soo opens up the mandu basket, and Daniel watches her clean her steamy glasses. She asks why Charlie failed, and Daniel thinks she looks prettier and younger without her glasses. He thinks that Charlie probably has never thought that their mom is pretty, especially since all his girlfriends have been chubby blondes. Daniel thinks that maybe nothing caused Charlie to fail. He thinks that maybe Charlie doesn't actually want to be a doctor, but the Bae children aren't allowed to change their minds.

Min Soo insists that her sons have it too easy in America but turns her attention back to Daniel. As she serves him a plate of mandu, she reminds him to cut his ponytail before his interview. Daniel decides to leave early so he's not stuck having more uncomfortable conversations, and his mom gives him Dae Hyun's money pouch to take to the store.

Daniel goes upstairs to get dressed and stops in the doorway of the spare bedroom to admire Min Soo's paintings. He explains that three years ago, Dae Hyun surprised her by hiring help for the store and buying her an oil painting set. She's been painting ever since. Daniel wonders if his mom might've been an artist if she'd never left Korea or had him and Charlie. Once Daniel is dressed in his suit, he kisses his mom goodbye and decides to pretend that he can be whatever he wants.