She thinks they would rather have a son: "If only I were a son, broad-shouldered / like the sunset slipping through the pines, / I would see the light in my mother’s / eyes, or the golden pride reflected / in my father’s dream” (Mirikitani 10-14). While some might be led to believe that a parent would be happy with their child regardless of gender, it is known that in Asian culture, men are placed on a higher platform than most women, so instead of all of this happening in the speaker's head, there is a high probability that there is some truth to the speaker's thoughts. Not only do the parents wish they had a son rather than a daughter according to the poem, but the speaker also makes it seem like the parents are putting a lot of pressure on her to get good grades. This is another part of Asian culture that most know is very important to them. The speaker apologizes multiple times to her parents for not working hard enough in college, even though she was trying very hard.