Finally, with utter despair and horror, she seemed to accept Bing's death. She even threw her own mother's blue sapphire ring into the ocean as a sacrifice. With her Bible in hand, she implored God to return Bing. Hsu returned to the beach with Rose to find Bing. Momentarily distracted, Rose's eyes left Bing and he fell into the ocean and drowned.Įveryone took the blame for the tragedy. The three elder boys could amuse themselves, but Bing was only four years old and difficult to amuse. Rose was assigned the care of her four brothers - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Bing. One day many years ago, the entire family - parents and seven children - had gone for a day at the beach. She recalls when her own mother lost her faith. Rose lost all faith in Ted's love for her. He called late at night and demanded a divorce. The marital break came while he was attending a medical convention in Los Angeles. The marriage was steady until Ted lost a malpractice suit afterward, he began to press Rose to make some of her own decisions. Ted made all the decisions in their lives - from what to eat to where to vacation. After his graduation, they bought a home, and Rose set up a freelance graphic arts business. Later, they reconciled and were married a month before Ted started medical school. Jordan's racism, Rose broke up with Ted that evening. Jordan took Rose aside and confided that Ted's future did not include a wife who was a member of a minority race. Jordan, was displeased because Rose was not American - she was Chinese. Hsu, was displeased about the budding relationship because Ted was not Chinese, and Ted's mother, Mrs. Initially, she was drawn to his brash, self-assured nature he was very different from the Chinese boys whom she dated. Rose met Ted Jordan seventeen years ago at the University of California at Berkeley. Tonight, Rose has come to tell her mother that she and her husband, Ted, are getting a divorce. The Bible has remained under the table leg for twenty years. When she lost her faith, she used the Bible to steady the short leg of the kitchen table.

The joy luck club book