community ties by starting anew in San Francisco. The birth of their child, Kuo Ming, and a new environment allow them to grow closer and mend previous wrongs. Ben Loy visits another Chinese herb specialist and decides to take the doctor's advice and "eat a bowl of tea" to treat his impotence. Whether it is the herbs or the increase in Ben Loy's independence, his masculinity is finally restored in all senses of the word. Major characters In order of prevalence and importance: Central Characters Wang Ben Loy Ben Loy is the husband of Mei Oi and the son of Wah Gay and Lau Shee. The novel begins when Ben Loy is in his 20s and occupying himself by serving at a restaurant in Stanton and making frequent trips to New York to sleep with various prostitutes. After he marries Mei Oi, he finds himself impotent. This, combined with the humiliation and pain he feels at the discovery of his wife's affair, burdens him with shame and self-doubt. Forgiving, caring, and loving, the text consistently portrays Ben Loy as the "good guy" who is merely plagued by the mistakes of his youth. Lee Mei Oi Mei Oi is the stunningly beautiful wife of Ben Loy and the daughter of Lee Gong and Jung Shee, still living in Sunwei, China, Others admire Mei Oi for her comely appearance and her level of education, as schooling for women was rare in her circumstances. Frustrated and hurt by Ben Loy's impotence, Mei Oi disregards the pressures and standards of family and society in order to express herself sexually through her lover, Ah Song. Although Mei Oi transforms negatively throughout the course of the novel – from a sweet, innocent rural girl to a selfish seductress – she reverts to her pleasant characteristics at the conclusion of the novel. Wang Wah Gay Wah Gay is Ben Loy's elderly father and Lau Shee's husband. Unable to bring his wife over due to immigration laws, Wah Gay spends his days maintaining his clubhouse, the "Money Come," which serves as the mahjong headquarters for the neighborhood men. Although he cares deeply for Ben Loy, the pressure and control he places upon him only drive him away. Wah Gay and his closest companion, Lee Gong, represent the older generation of Chinese immigrants who continue to idealize traditional values and customs while residing in contemporary America. Lee Gong Lee