Realizing that there is an actual reason for her mother’s anger, Marty becomes relieved that she isn’t always doing something wrong and doesn’t have to try so hard. The culture being the way it is kept her mother from seeking the help she needed and no one reached out to her. Marty ended up being on the receiving end of her mother lashing out and because of this lack of communication it caused her years of torment.
Not a Self-Help Book: The Misadventures of Marty Wu illustrates the difference in American and Taiwanese culture through Marty’s life and the people around her. It’s great to respect one’s elders and the general closeness of Taiwanese culture but it can also cause lots of misunderstanding between family members as it has with Marty’s family. In the end Marty is able to forgive her mother although her mother’s change comes very slowly, it is still a positive