Repression within the characters 

Lydia Lee

Lydia Lee is the main protagonist of this story. We learn how she was unable to communicate with her family about the intense discontent she felt, instead internalizing her parent's extreme expectations. In an attempt to fulfill her parents incomplete dreams, she represses her own identity and well-being in order to please her parents. This is what later leads her to her death.

James Lee

 James Lee is Lydia's father. We watch as his repressed struggles with his experience as an Asian American builds, and inevitably manifest in very harmful ways, creating a very toxic relationship with each of the other characters. He projects his expectations onto Lydia, acts abusively towards his eldest son Nath out of self hatred, neglects his youngest daughter Hannah, and cheats on his wife.

Marylin

Marylin Lee is Lydia's mother. We see throughout the story that she is unable to communicate her discontent with her life and unfulfilled dreams, fueling her to push her dreams onto Lydia to an extreme. This is a reflection of the pressure her mother forced onto her, and the effect of the repression of her dreams.