Crazy Rich Asians

“To Eleanor, every single person occupied a specific space in the elaborately constructed social universe in her mind.”

Eleanor believes in a strict social hierarchy based on class. This is an important trait that provides the reader with information about her characterization. It also reveals a lot about traditional Chinese families and society. Eleanor’s elaborate universe of judgment becomes a maze that Rachel must navigate.

“Old-money Chinese absolutely loathe wasting money on long-distance telephone calls, almost as much as they hate wasting money on fluffy towels, bottled water, hotel rooms, expensive Western food, taking taxis, tipping waiters, and flying anything other than economy class.”

Here, Kwan takes a satirical look at the ironic behaviors of the wealthy. He points out that people born into this class are often more frugal than people who aren’t as financially privileged. On one hand, this frugality comes from a belief that it is in bad taste to flaunt one’s wealth; on the other hand, it comes from a practical mindset.

“Astrid wondered for the millionth time why all her relatives constantly tried to outdo each other in proclaiming their poverty.”

Like many of her younger peers, Astrid finds it difficult to understand why the older generation of her family downplays how much money they actually have. This is mentioned, in the book, as part of their culture. Wealthy Chinese families often never share their true net worth. In their minds, only the newly wealthy care to expose how wealthy they are, and the old-money families find this behavior vulgar.

“The fish was really tugging at the line now. Maybe it was a barramundi. He could ask his chef to grill it for lunch. Philip just wanted to get off of the phone.”

Philip and Eleanor Young do not share the same beliefs or feelings regarding who is suitable for marriage. Philip’s indifference to his wife’s concerns illustrates the differing pressures placed on men and women in their society. For Philip, it doesn’t much matter who his son marries, but Eleanor worries that Nick’s choices will reflect poorly on her.

“‘Welcome to Singapore, Rachel— where arguing about food is like the national pastime,’ Araminta declared. ‘This is probably the only country in the world where grown men can get into fistfights over which specific food stall in some godforsaken shopping center has the best rendition of some obscure fried noodle dish. It’s like a pissing contest!’”

This quote not only establishes the setting, but it highlights an aspect of Singaporean culture that is also important in the book. Food is an important way that the characters communicate with each other, whether it serves to welcome them, impress them, or express love.

“‘Ming Dynasty jade like you’ve never seen before, jewels from the czars that Shang Loong Ma cunningly bought from the grand duchesses fleeing into Shanghai during the Bolshevik Revolution. Wait till the old lady dies—your friend Astrid is the favorite granddaughter, and she’s going to inherit some of the most unparalleled pieces in the world.’”

Said to jeweler Stephen by art historian Huang Peng Fan, this quote provides important characterization for Astrid Leong. As a granddaughter of Shang Su Yi, her access to opulence has informed her taste. The quote also emphasizes the importance of generational wealth: Astrid will not have to buy these pieces for herself and inheriting them is even more privileged than being able to buy them. At the same time, she is used to extravagance and high fashion and sees no problem buying the rarest, most expensive items.

“Michael is as handsome as Clark Gable. And now he’ll have Gable’s cuff links. And he will love them. They weren’t too expensive. He won’t get mad. He will love me. He still loves me.”

Afraid that Michael will leave her, Astrid tries to assuage her fears by buying his love. Interestingly, Clark Gable had several marriages, and Kwan’s choice to mention Gable could foreshadow what is to come in Astrid and Michael’s marriage.

“‘Um, what are Henwees?’ Rachel asked. ‘Oh, sorry, I forgot you’re not up on the lingo. HNWI stands for “High Net Worth Individuals.” We Singaporeans love to abbreviate everything.’ ‘Yeah, I’ve noticed that.’”

The acronym HNWI is an example of how Kevin Kwan uses language to highlight the cultural specificities of Singapore. Said by Goh Peik Lin, this is also an example of how money-obsessed this particular subset of Singaporean culture can be.

“Aiyoooooh, finish everything on your plate, girls! Don’t you know there are children starving in America?”

This joke is a critique of the common belief in America that people in “developing nations” are all starving. It is a play on the quote “There are starving children in Africa” or other so-called developing regions, which is a favorite phrase among Western parents who are trying to get children who are fussy eaters to finish their food.

“Many of the wealthiest people here make an effort not to stand out, and most of the time, you would never know you were standing next to a billionaire.”

Peik Lin informs Rachel about this aspect of Singaporean culture after Rachel learns that Nick’s friend Colin is rich. This exact sentiment is proven true later in Chapter 18, when Rachel and Peik Lin arrive at Tyersall Park and realize that Nick, too, is very wealthy.

“As Astrid sifted through the racks, it suddenly, rather comically, occurred to her that the money she had spent on the couture outfits in this room alone could have paid for a house three times the size of this one. She wondered what Michael might think if he knew actually how many properties she already owned.”

The wealth disparity between Astrid and Michael is quite large, although Astrid tries her best not to let Michael feel it. This moment foreshadows how her extreme wealth weighs on Michael and ultimately ends their relationship.

“‘Chez toi ou chez moi?’ Oliver naughtily arched an eyebrow as he sauntered out of the room”

A sassy retort from Oliver after Jacqueline says “F**k you.” This moment characterizes Oliver, who expertly plays both sides.

“Last night had been magical, and yet she couldn’t help but feel a burgeoning sense of unease. It was as if she had stumbled into a secret chamber and discovered that her boyfriend had been living a double life.”

Nick’s failure to prepare Rachel for his family’s lifestyle in Singapore causes culture shock for Rachel. Using simile, she compares it to stumbling into a secret chamber. More secrets will unravel between Rachel and Nick as the novel progresses.

“‘I was just sitting next to that Rachel Chu girl, and guess what? She isn’t related to the Taipei Chus! She hasn’t even heard of them!’”

Rumors contribute to the way that people Rachel meets in Singapore receive her. Highlighting her lack of family pedigree directly leads to the bullying that she experiences at the hands of the rich socialites at Araminta’s bachelorette weekend.

“Wye Mun, as usual, had steered him towards the stories about money, and he had missed the chance to tell them the real story, about a man whose greatness had nothing to do with wealth or power.”

Dr. Gu’s reminiscence about his experience with Dr. James Young is full of reverence and respect. He laments the fact that Goh Wye Mun has no interest in anything except how Dr. Young earned his fortune.

“I know how those families can be, and you don’t want to give them the impression that you are after Nick’s money. From now on, you need to be extra-careful how you present yourself.”

Rachel’s mother, Kerry, warns Rachel about what is to come with Nick’s family. Kerry speaks from her cultural experience growing up in China, and this statement also functions as foreshadowing.

“‘Yes, I agree. You know, when you’re just a tourist, you need to learn to respect the environment you’re in,’ Francesca said, glaring at Rachel for a split second before shifting her gaze to Astrid.”

Francesca exhibits cruelty towards Rachel, blatantly telling her that she does not belong in their world. She likens Rachel to a tourist, impressing on her that her time with Nick is short.

“‘You see, my father believed he had a gift. He felt that he was able to ascertain a person’s entire future based on their faces… the way they looked… and he chose to keep only the children he felt would go on to please him. He chose my husband for me this way as well, did you know that? He said “This man has a good face. He will never make any money, but he will never hurt you.” He was right on both counts.’ Nick’s grandmother leaned in closer to Rachel and stared straight into her eyes. ‘I see your face,’ she said in a hushed tone.”

An ominous warning. Shang Su Yi makes it clear to Rachel that she will only get to be with Nick if Su Yi approves. This is the first clue that Su Yi, like Eleanor, will not approve of Rachel.

“Although the crème de la crème guest list has been more closely guarded than North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, don’t be surprised to see royalty, heads of state, and celebrities such as Tony Leung, Gong Li, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Yue-Sai Kan, Rain, Fan BingBing, and Zhang Ziyi in attendance. It’s rumored that one of Asia’s biggest pop divas will perform, and bookies are taking bets on who designed Araminta’s bridal gown.”

A news report about Colin and Araminta’s wedding highlights just how big of an event it will be. Kwan uses real, Asian celebrity names to help the reader understand the scope of the event, comparing it to real-world, star-studded events.

“‘They can give this resort some fancy new name, but I know for a fact that the island used to be called Pulau Hantu—“Ghost Island.” It was where the Japanese soldiers took all the young able-bodied Chinese men and had them shot during World War II. This island is haunted with ghosts of the war dead,’ Daisy Foo whispered.”

While this statement might be true, it is also used to show how judgmental the old-money wedding guests are towards the showy displays of wealth used by Araminta’s new-money family. The island was purchased by her mother to house their new resort.

“Stop it, Mum. I’m so fed up with this ridiculous snobbery you and your friends have toward the Mainland Chinese. We are all Chinese. Just because some people actually work for their money doesn’t mean they are beneath you.”

Finally standing up to his mother, Nick defends Rachel against Eleanor’s discrimination. Unfortunately, his words only present a challenge for Eleanor. Eleanor proves in Part 3, Chapter 13 that she has not overcome her judgments about Rachel, and in fact, she is planning to drive a permanent wedge between the couple.

“You don’t have a clue what it’s like being married to Astrid Leong. Not you, Astrid, but everyone’s idea of you. I could never live up to it.”

Michael’s insecurity leads him to sabotage his relationship with Astrid. This is the moment that represents the difficulty of being a regular person who tries to marry into this world. The difference between Astrid and people’s public perception of her shows how important and defining appearances are in the old-money world.

“I’ve had enough of being around all these crazy rich Asians, all these people whose lives revolve around making money, spending money, flaunting money, comparing money, hiding money, controlling others with money, and ruining their lives with money. And if I marry you, there will be no escaping it, even if we live on the other side of the world.”

This is the quote that features the name of the book, Crazy Rich Asians. Rachel tells Nick that despite their love for each other, she can’t deal with the vindictive and cruel people in his world. It highlights all the ways in which Nick’s circle allows money to control every aspect of their lives. Rachel has learned that there is much more to being rich than having a lot of money; there is a complex set of behaviors and beliefs around money that reveal people’s standing within that society.