Parental love
In this collection, we see that the attempts of parents to love and provide for their children often ironically make them suffer. For example, the expectations of Elaine's parents make her feel like a failure.
The necessity of deceit
Although deceit is seen as being morally wrong, these stories show how deceit is sometimes necessary.
The perfect applicant
Elaine is seemingly the perfect applicant for a university, with excellent grades and extra-curricular pursuits. However, she is ironically rejected by Stanford.
Kingsway's success
Kingsway is successful, but ironically spends much of his success worrying about when it will end.
Parental disappointment
Although Kingsway Lee has found success as a TV star, his parents are still disappointed in him.
Calvin's parents
Calvin's parents think that they are providing him with stability and acceptance. However, they are ironically causing him distress as he is afraid to be himself around them.
