Portrait of a Thief

Though the Chinese concept of Yin and Yang is not mentioned by name, the characters’ experiences and views are often shaped by balance. Their efforts to unite their Chinese and American identities create conflict and develop the theme of Diaspora and Belonging. In attempting to resolve their identities, the characters find balance. For example, Daniel feels a greater connection to China than his friends. This is fitting as Daniel and China itself are characterized by the dichotomy of past and future: “China was always like this, the new and the old pressed up against each other” (56). When visiting the Old Summer Palace ruins, one can hear car horns and see people talking on cell phones. China’s stolen art is portrayed as a collective trauma, with repatriation being the only means to restore balance. Similarly, Daniel is unable to move on from past wounds. Repairing his relationship with his father helps restore balance within his psyche, letting him focus on the future.

Like Yin and Yang, opposing forces in the novel are not treated as distinct, but complementary, with both forces always in play. The characters’ external and internal conflicts begin with imbalance; resolution is achieved when opposing forces are brought into balance. For example, Daniel tells Lily, “You want to go and you want to stay and how can both those things exist at once?” (179). This duality mirrors Alex’s framing of her family as an anchor: They keep her moored to her sense of self, but also weigh her down. Moving back to New York to be near her family, but no longer having to worry about their financial needs, creates the balance she needs.