When You Trap a Tiger

“But Halmoni was always doing weird things without explaining any of it. She’s full of secrets. This house is full of secrets.”

With this quote, Lily discovers that she and Sam have very different recollections of the years they lived with Halmoni just after their father’s death. Lily remembers those years as magical and comforting; now she sees that Sam’s suspicions and sadness convolute any happy memories she did have. Sam thinking Halmoni’s attention to spirits is “weird” comes as a shock to Lily, who accepts the older woman’s beliefs without question. This quote provides some backstory and characterization for Sam.

“Lily, crazy not a good word. Not a thinking word. You seeing truth because you are a special one, and that not make you crazy, okay?”

Halmoni rejects Lily’s concern that she’s “crazy” for seeing a tiger in the road. She attributes to Lily special qualities that make her a candidate for seeing things beyond what others can. At this point of the book, Lily doesn’t credit herself with this quality; in fact, she doesn’t mention many positive traits in regards to herself at all.

“If the basement never flooded, why would Halmoni move all her things? And why would she lie?”

Though it is the middle of the night, Lily goes to the basement which she recalls as a fun and magical place to play. But as of now, Halmoni moved all the chests and boxes upstairs. Lily is confused as to why she moved the items; this marks one of the few times in which Lily questions Halmoni’s motives with something approaching suspicion.

“I steal the stars, I lock them away.”

Halmoni reveals to Lily the reason why tigers are hunting her: She stole stories from them. When Halmoni reveals the details of this conflict, she tells them like a story, with herself as the central character. Lily listens intently, but it’s not clear how much of the story is real and how much is symbolic.

“You can’t trust a tiger.”

Lily says this intuitively during her first encounter with Ricky (a discussion on tigers); he finds the line so catchy, he repeats it. Ricky’s reaction to the quote and his respect for Lily’s thinking show the propensity for friendship between the two. This quote also foreshadows Lily’s later dealings with the tigress in her basement; ironically, Lily will feel she has no choice but to trust her.

“Is that why sad stories are dangerous, Halmoni? Because they make people bad?”

Lily asks Halmoni this as they return from the grocery store, just before the latter sees a tiger in the road. Lily wants insight on Halmoni’s theft of sad stories and why she locked them up. The connection she makes contributes to the theme of “The Perception and Importance of Stories.”

“Lily Bean, if you return those stories to me, your halmoni will feel better. If they stay locked away, they make her sick. They will […] eat her up.”

The tigress who visits Lily as everyone else sleeps offers a deal. Not only does the tigress express the conditions in straightforward terms, but she also intentionally shows her teeth in a threatening way at the mention of eating. This quote indirectly characterizes the creature as sly and powerful while making the details of her bargain clear.

“Actually, say I don’t have steel and lasers. Do you think I could build a trap with normal stuff?”

Lily realizes that Ricky’s idea to build a trap for her tigress might just work. This quote comprises the moment she accepts Ricky’s idea instead of despairing and rejecting possibilities—and the moment Ricky sees Lily is serious about constructing a trap. He proves an enthusiastic ally in her endeavor.

“Halmoni said breaking something was the worst thing, so at least I can avoid that.”

This quote strongly foreshadows that Lily will break something. In this case, she smashes the box that holds the star jars (though the jars themselves do not break). This quote also reminds the reader of Halmoni’s beliefs and spiritualism—and emphasizes Lily’s respect for them.

“This time, I won’t be afraid. Halmoni faced tigers once, and now I will, too.” 

Lily prepares herself emotionally to meet the tigress for a second time; she refused its offer at their first meeting but now—as she sees Halmoni’s health rapidly declining—wants to accept the terms. This quote also draws a parallel between Lily and Halmoni, a central idea in their relationship; Halmoni refers to Lily as her “mini-me” and Lily often notes their special bond.

“It will get worse before it gets better, Little Egg.”

The tigress’s deal is too tempting for Lily to refuse: If Lily releases the stories in the star jars, and listens to them, Halmoni’s health will improve. But the tigress also says this cryptic quote to Lily, warning her that the road ahead may be difficult. The quote is especially significant in that later, Lily repeats this sentiment when she questions why hope often comes with conditions and side effects.

“Mom doesn’t see any other way. Sam doesn’t believe in anything. But I do.

And if they can’t help Halmoni, I will.”

Lily’s thoughts here reject both Mom and Sam as allies in her endeavor to save Halmoni. Mom makes it clear that while treatment options are available, she respects Halmoni’s refusal of them; as for Sam, she doesn’t ascribe to the magic and stories she and her sister once did when were younger. This quote establishes Lily going down her chosen path alone.

“Even if things aren’t perfect, they can still be good.”

Ricky serves as a reliable ally to Lily as they make rice cakes in his kitchen. Lily despairs that the cakes are not like Halmoni’s, and therefore aren’t good enough (as they’re needed to feed the tigress at their meeting that night). Ricky calms and encourages her to follow through with the baking and accept that slight changes are not necessarily a bad thing. She bakes the cakes and agrees they will suffice; but Lily continues to struggle with change as the novel progresses.

“Tiger blood made her too wild, so she ran away for her halmoni, and then both of them were sad. What kind of story is that?”

Lily is upset and irritated after hearing the second star story. The stories draw parallels to her family that are unsettling as she recognizes them as symbolic of everyone’s struggles, sadness, and separation from loved ones. The tigress has no sympathy and simply agrees that the story is “dangerous.”

“Who is Halmoni without her memories? And who am I without Halmoni?”

On the morning after the tigress’s second visit, Halmoni has another episode of confusion. This time, she sees a tiger in Lily, then doesn’t recognize her at all. This quote shows how Lily questions the connection between identity and memory; she also questions how much of our relationships make up who we are as individuals.

“But remember that water gives us life. It connects continents. It connects people. And in quiet moments, when the water’s still, sometimes we can see our own reflection.”

Joe the librarian agrees with Lily that one’s perception of stories and their importance may change over time—but here, he tries to encourage her acceptance of the fact. He compares stories to water—not something you can hold easily in your hands, but crucial for real and metaphorical connections to other places, cultures, individuals, and the self.

“I’ve changed. Maybe the star stories really have changed me, or maybe I’ve changed myself. Somehow, that’s both thrilling and terrifying.”

Mom tells Lily that she’s not acting like herself after the muddy pudding incident, but the latter refutes this: Her action represents exactly who she is in the moment, because she is different now. At times, Lily feels a “full” sensation as if she’s ready to burst with emotion. Both her insistence that she changed and this “bursting” are evidence that Lily is ready to step out of her “invisible” role.

“Well, I know that sometimes people feel trapped in their own skin, and they have to leave. It’s part of them, and I guess you can’t control that.”

These are Lily’s words to Ricky when he tells her that his mother left a year ago. The roles of the tiger-mother and tiger-daughter in their star stories exemplify an uncontrollable need to leave—but Lily also thinks of her own family. Halmoni left home to find her mother (who also left for unexplained reasons), and Mom left Sunbeam when she married; Sam often speaks of feeling trapped and needing to get out of the house. Lily’s empathy in this quote demonstrates her growth in maturity.

“There has to be a happy ending…”

Halmoni delivers the heartbreaking news that her star jars are nothing more than cheap containers she bought at a flea market and that no one—not even Lily—can do anything to save her. Lily doesn’t want to accept her words as she isn’t ready to give up hope. This quote is also significant in that it serves as an extended metaphor for life as a story one tells.

“Our family is broken.”

Sam says this in the silent house after paramedics take Halmoni to the hospital. This quote acts as an admission, a release of emotion, from Sam: She feels guilty for saying she wished for Halmoni’s end to come soon. It’s revealed Sam scattered rice at night with Jensen on Halmoni’s behalf (for protection). She later overcomes her fear of driving in order to go to Halmoni’s side. These changes show Sam’s dynamic characterization.

“Stories don’t belong to anybody […] They’re meant to be told.”

Sam can’t find the courage to drive in the rain as it reminds her of Dad’s death. She tells Lily she tried to keep his memory alive by reciting a list of his traits, like a private story to herself. Lily tells Sam that stories can’t be kept like secrets, a lesson the tigress taught her in regards to Halmoni’s stolen stories. This quote contributes to the theme of “The Perception and Importance of Stories.”

“We’ll be okay […] Sometimes, believing is the bravest thing of all. Now drive.”

Sam can’t see the tigress (bar her rain-free circle), but decides to put her faith in Lily anyway. Lily now understands that Sam wanted to be a part of Halmoni’s magic and traditions—but was held back by fear. Stepping into a mentor role for her sister, Lily bolsters Sam’s confidence with this quote, and Sam is able to drive to the hospital.

“When Halmoni finally does go, I know she’s ready. She has always been so brave.”

Lily feels many emotions as Halmoni passes away: grief, fear, understanding, love. She also has a defined sense of calm and certainty that although she, Mom, and Sam are fearful to lose Halmoni, Halmoni herself is not afraid to die. This quote shows Lily’s respect for Halmoni’s courage.