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“‘Well, they (Lee Family) still behave like Mainlanders, as this ridiculous reception proves. Forty million-I just don’t see where all the money went” (Kwan 300). One of the most recurring types of conflicts in the Crazy Rich Asians is Man vs. Society (Learn more about conflict here). Although the central conflict is the most obvious example, many of the smaller conflicts are quite conspicuous as well.
Rachel Chu is the main character of the trilogy. In Crazy Rich Asians, meeting the prosperous society in Asia, and trying to hold her place, was a hard challenge for her. Most of these conflicts were Man vs. Society. For example, “Her bag was filled with a large fish that had been badly mutilated, blood seeping out from its gills. Violently scrawled on the vanity mirror above the chair in fish blood were the words ‘CATCH THIS, YOU GOLD DIGGING C(**)T!'” (Kwan 218). Rachel was shocked after this event took place, and since she was on a private island, she knew it was a group of girls from the bachelorette party. She solved this conflict by not letting this get to her head, Sophie (Astrid’s Cousin) also convinced her not to call the police, because that would be letting the girls that pranked her win; they took the high road by doing nothing, showing that Rachel was “‘stronger than they think you are. Not to mention a lot classier. Think about it'” (Kwan 224).
The fish was not the only conflict that thrown in front of Rachel, in the rising action of the story, Rachel and Nick are seen by Radio One Asia, a rumor spread that she was either a gold digger or a Taiwan Plastic Chu, “And Victoria says, ‘Are you sure? Taiwanese? Good grief, did he fall for some gold digger?’ And then Cassandra says something like, ‘Well, it might not be as bad as you think. I have it on good authority that she’s one of the Chu girls. You know, of the Taipei Plastics Chus. Not exactly old money, but at least they are one of the most solid families in Taiwan'” (Kwan 51). Although she did not know that this was going on at the time, when she found out, she was utterly confused.
Not only has Rachel been put in these dilemmas, but many of the other characters were also. Kitty Pong, is an actor and was engaged to Alistair in the book, but Alistair’s family broke off the engagement because “‘My youngest grandson is not going to marry some actress, especially one of questionable lineage,’ Su Yi said simply. Turning to Alexandra, she said, ‘You will tell him to break off the engagement immediately'” (Kwan 310). Oliver was sent to break off the engagement and succeeded, but the only reason for the pain that they caused Alistair was just because Kitty was of “questionable lineage.”
Man vs. society was a type of conflict that Kevin Kwan (Get to Know Kevin Kwan) used an abundance of, to push the plot forward and make the story even richer in detail. It developed more character of the society members and the main characters. And it shed more light on the wrongs of society.