The irony of the American dream
America is depicted as a land of opportunities for all regardless of race, ethnicity and religion. Ironically, the life for the immigrants in the USA does not depict the positive attributes of the American dream. Immigrants live in poor environments where access to basics is often a challenge. Similarly, opportunities are limited to immigrants.
The satire of Bui’s father
Bui's father is a stay at home dad who is jobless. The irony is that fathers are the ones tasked with the responsibility of providing and protecting their families. However, Bui's father portrays a contrary character because besides being jobless and staying at home, he drinks alcohol and smokes. Therefore, he is not a good father to his children because he gives a bad example.
The irony of education
The satire of education is that Bui's mother's academic qualifications are thrashed in America because they are useless. Therefore, despite being an educated woman, Bui's mother's college degrees become useless when she arrives in America. She is only allowed to do manual jobs that do not require any specialization.
The irony of marriage
Marriage is a satirical institution. Bui's mother tolerates her husband's inability to support the family, and she decides to do everything to ensure sustainability in her home. Ironically, Bui's father starts an affair with another woman, and he kicks out Bui and her mother to the streets. Consequently, Bui's father betrays his family.
