The author initially had a very discouraging view of arranged marriage as he declared: "The most un-American thing I could think of was the child of an arranged marriage. We know that the family is the cornerstone of society. In the Western world, where the author has his point of view, many couples meet, feel attracted to each other, decide to date exclusively, and decide to form a permanent relationship. Whereas, in Korean tradition, “marriage in Korea was more an act of family piety than of love.” The author is also able to let us know how he wants to view love: "love is supposed to be tragic and exciting, full of kicks and getting lost in each other's ways ».