Chanrithy Him, the memoir’s author, is a survivor. She perseveres through numerous losses and traumas, some of which kill her family members. Athy conceives of herself as made strong by her experiences, such as when she scolds the principal of one of the refugee camp schools who unfairly accuses her of cheating. However, while what Athy endures changes her, that fighting spirit was visible even before the war began.

For example, Athy tells how she begged Pa to send her to a private school when she was just eight years old. At first, her father refused, telling her she was too young. However, Athy was determined, and finally her father gave in and agreed to pay for her schooling. This tenacious spirit carries her through the worst of her suffering.

This spirit is based on her intellectual gifts; Athy is very smart. She manages to fend for herself much of the time, figuring out how to make a fish hook from a button and finding herbal remedies to heal her foot when it gets infected. The only time she falters is after Mak’s death. What almost breaks her spirit, however, is not the death itself but her own inability to keep her promise to Mak, to return and take care of her.