Ties That Bond, Ties That Break (plot)

The author told a story that occurred in 1911 Nanjing, China. The Tao's, a respectable Chinese family, had 2 daughters and a son. At the time, there was a Chinese tradition that all girls had to have their feet bound before they got married because people thought small feet were beautiful.

When Ailin, the youngest daughter of the Tao's was 6 years old, her parents started to prepare to have her feet bound. Ailin, however, was an adventurous girl who really enjoyed running.
Ailin knew from her older sister that having her feet bound was very painful and wouldn't let her run anymore. When her parents were trying to bind her feet, she tried to walk. Doing that caused her legs and feet to hurt immensely. From then on, she bit the maids and refused to have her feet bound. Unfortunately, in 1911, China had very few options for a strong-willed girl with unbound feet. Ailin's family would no longer support her, since she couldn't be married off. It seemed that Ailin's uncle didn't think she was worthy of the title, "Daughter of the Tao family" anymore. Luckily, her father was an open minded man. He eventually supported Ailin to attend a public school run by Christian missionaries. This was her happy time.

Tensions between Ailin and her family grew after her father died of tuberculosis. After her father's death, her uncle became the head of the family and acted strongly against Ailin's pursuit of freedom with unbound feet. He stopped paying for Ailin's tuition. She could not go to the school anymore. Ailin continued to hold to her ambitions of getting a job as a woman with unbound feet. Fortunately, Mrs Gilbertson, who taught Ailin in the school, was very sympathetic to her. She continued to teach Ailin at her home where Ailin met the Warner's one day. The Warner's were an American missionary family working in Nanjing that were in need of an amah (nanny). Ailin was more than happy to take this opportunity. This year she was thirteen years old. The Warner's family and kids really liked her. When the Warners' family went back to America, they asked Ailin to come with them, and to help with the children. Again, Ailin bravely took the opportunity because she believed that America might have more possibilities for an unmarried woman.

When her uncle found out about this, he actually gave her some money, so that Ailin could get some "accommodations suitable for a daughter of the Tao family" on the boat going to America. Ailin's uncle had seen her work hard and was proud of her. It appeared that Ailin's family had forgiven her in the hope that she could stay in China. Unfortunately, it was already too late, since Ailin had made up her mind to go to America: a new world, and hopefully, a new life. On the boat, she met James Chew, a kind, young man who helped his father run a restaurant. The two enjoyed each other's company immensely.

Once it is time for the Warner's to return to China, Ailin decided to stay in San Francisco and marry James Chew. Together, they started a restaurant. Even though she worked very hard (harder than any woman would have worked in China), she was very proud that she was able to fulfill her dream: to get a job and marry without a bound feet. At the end when Ailin talked with an old friend who had also come to America, she realized her dream had finally come true.

I really enjoyed this book, since it is a book about determination, ambition, and working hard to make your dreams come true.