Unpolished Gem

by

Alice Pung

Ah BuKien Character Analysis

A friend of Kien and Kuan Pung. Ah BuKien gets rich selling rice-noodles, and she wants Alice to marry her son. Ah BuKien is an unlikable woman who brags about her money and calls her son a “retard” when he fails to get into medical school. She eventually stops trying to fix up Alice and her son after he starts working in her noodle factory and Alice is accepted into law school.
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Ah BuKien Character Timeline in Unpolished Gem

The timeline below shows where the character Ah BuKien appears in Unpolished Gem. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 5
Culture and Assimilation  Theme Icon
Gender and Inequality Theme Icon
Family, Love, and Marriage Theme Icon
Later, Kien tells Kuan that Ah BuKien , a family friend, “wants to discuss Agheare for her son.” Kuan laughs. “That crazy... (full context)
Culture and Assimilation  Theme Icon
Once, Alice remembers, Ah BuKien gave the Pungs a tour of her house and took great care describing every piece... (full context)
Culture and Assimilation  Theme Icon
Alice has never met Ah BuKien ’s son. He is always busy with tutors and studying. Still, Ah BuKien tells Kien... (full context)
Gender and Inequality Theme Icon
One day, Ah BuKien comes into the shop. She doesn’t seem interested in buying anything, and she casually asks... (full context)
Gender and Inequality Theme Icon
Alice suspects that Kien wants her to marry Ah BuKien ’s son, and she feels like the women are “conspiring against her liberty.” Kien wants... (full context)
Gender and Inequality Theme Icon
One day, Ah BuKien again comes into the shop and tells Kien that her son is no longer going... (full context)