Unpolished Gem

by

Alice Pung

Melanie Character Analysis

Alice’s cousin and Frank’s daughter. Melanie marries a white man and the whole Pung family calls him the “Round Red-Haired Demon” to Melanie’s face, except for Frank, who loves his son-in-law like his own. Of course, Kien disapproves of Melanie’s marriage, and Alice isn’t allowed to go to the ceremony; Kien fears that Alice will also one day marry a “white ghost,” which explains why she so deeply disapproves of Michael.
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Melanie Character Timeline in Unpolished Gem

The timeline below shows where the character Melanie appears in Unpolished Gem. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 5
Culture and Assimilation  Theme Icon
In the meantime, Alice’s cousin, Melanie, marries a white man, and most of their family calls him “the Round Red-haired Demon,”... (full context)
Culture and Assimilation  Theme Icon
Melanie’s father loves her new husband. “The white skin did the trick” because Uncle Frank “can... (full context)