The fall of Saigon was a desperate time for the people of South Vietnam. The first statement that shows this is, “ Mother wants to sell the amethyst ring father brought back… I have never seen her without this purple rock” (103 Lai). The author is telling us this is a desperate time by using the words never and purple rock. When Ha uses the phrase purple rock she is not just calling this a ring, she is calling it by a nickname which shows how important this ring is to her. Another reason that shows this is a desperate time is when Brother Quang says, “No! What's the point of new shirts and sandals if you lose the last tangible remnant of love?” (103-104 Lai). The words that brother Quang uses to show how desperate and crazy this plan is to