“Mom has said the words I love you exactly two times in my life. Once for the 1400, and another time when she called after her mother’s funeral in Korea when I was ten.”

This quote emphasizes the infrequency of hearing “I love you” from Frank’s parents, revealing the initial emotional distance between them. The quote also highlights cultural influences, as Korean norms prioritize nonverbal gestures over verbal expressions of love. Overall, it portrays the complex dynamics of love within Frank’s family and the impact of cultural expectations on their emotional connections.

“Included among these totems of success are the children themselves, especially us older kids. We were all born pretty much at the same time. We’re all in the same year in school. We are talked and talked about, like minor celebrities.”

This quote highlights the pressure and expectations placed on the older children in Frank’s Korean American community. The phrase “totems of success” suggests that the community sees the children as symbols of achievement and prosperity. Being constantly talked about positions them as minor celebrities, indicating the high level of attention and scrutiny they face.

“We are Aps, or Apeys for short. We do not go to keggers or ragers. Instead of parties, we find empty parking structures and hold midnight table reads of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”

This quote challenges the typical party scene associated with teenagers. Rather than attending parties, the Apeys engage in intellectually stimulating activities. Their preference for these activities reveals their inclination toward intellectual pursuits. The quote highlights the theme of identity and the ways in which Frank and his friends carve out their own path, distinct from mainstream teenage culture.