Although Rose benefits from her mother's guidance and the freedom of an American woman, she only finds her voice after enduring a long journey of self-loss even. Rose learns to understand that she has the right to be bold. “It was China. That's what people did back then. They had no choice. They couldn't speak. They couldn't escape. It was their destiny. But now they can do something else. Now they no longer have to swallow their own tears or suffer... (241) » The freedom to defend oneself was once fought for.