In The Leavers, by Lisa Ko, the main character, Deming or Daniel Guo, faces a lot of pressure and expectations of success. Deming in the beginning of the book faces a lot of pressure from his mother. His mother says that she wants him to finish school because she doesn't want him "to be like [her]" because she "didn't even finish eighth grade" (Ko 4). Deming feels the pressure and expectation for him to succeed but he feels like it will be hard to succeed especially since he is already struggling with fifth grade. This expectation to do well comes from his mother's migration and sacrifice for a better life for her kid. Polly, Deming's mom, came to this country with very little to provide for a better life for Deming so he could actually have a future. His mother, along with many other Asian parents or grandparents, come to America looking for a better life for their family. They often sacrifice a lot just to have the chance at a great future for thei...