Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism and bullying.

The new connections Magnolia makes throughout her New York City neighborhood give her a wider perspective on other people and her own life, fueling her growth. Her broadened understanding helps her see others’ strengths more clearly and profit from their wisdom. As a result, she sees the blessings and opportunities in her own life for what they are and stops focusing so much of her attention on the obstacles she faces. Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All argues that a wider perspective lays the groundwork for greater empathy, contentment, and happiness.

Miller uses the limited third-person point-of-view to establish Magnolia’s narrow perspective at the start of her arc. As the story opens, Magnolia spends most of her time in her parents’ laundromat bored and lonely. She thinks often about how much her parents work and feels neglected by them as a result. She gets irritated and embarrassed at their frugality—they light a regular candle on her birthday instead of buying special birthday candles, for example. They say there’s no money for a summer vacation, and they reuse scraps of things that others might consider garbage.