Soka is the mother of Ravy and Pon, the wife of Naro, and the aunt of Sundara. She is very strict and traditional with her strong belief in Cambodian customs. For example, she believes that Sundara should only be married to another Khmer of her own choosing. Also, she is strongly opposed to the Americanization of her children. Soko seems to be self-centered and unaffectionate as she demands that Grandmother be sent to a nursing home despite Naro's objections and regards Sundara as a mere "responsibility" (Crew 173) rather than a true member of the family. However, towards the end of the book, Soko begins to see the error of her ways and decides to let go some of her traditional beliefs by becoming more accepting of other people's beliefs.