Connection in Lulu by Chen

Lulu
The theme of connection is extremely powerful in the short story Lulu by Te-Ping Chen. Among other things, this short story is an argument for the strength of the interpersonal connection. Lulu and her "Big Brother", are deeply connected even though their relationship oscillates from time to time.
Since birth, Lulu and her brother had been posed against one another. She exited the womb quietly and calmly; he was "indignant and squalling" (Chen 1). Throughout the story, their relationship had been, in part, constructed by competition with one another. Chen writes a lot about how their parents "worshiped at her altar" (Chen 1). Lulu’s brother had always felt a certain amount of animosity and jealousy towards Lulu. However, once he matured and saw that his sister needed him more than anyone else, he stopped taking their connection for granted. 
Early in their lives, they were deeply connected. “Devotedly” playing games with one another and sharing a connection in the womb as twins (Chen 1). Lulu shows that she is indeed vulnerable when she confides in him about her pregnancy (Chen 4). Following this, he begins his transition to recognize the importance of their connection. He says, “This was the first time it had occurred to me that I was trustworthy, and it was a relief to hear that I had been evaluated and not found wanting” (Chen 4). 
Many things in the story are images of their connection. They are both given laptops with identical blue coverings that mirror their relationship as twins. These identical computers also serve as a way for them to connect through the internet. Through Lulu's blog, he is connected to the "real world".
The last words of the story come from Lulu’s brother remarking on his travels as a professional gamer: “I closed my eyes and thought of my sister. I prayed for victory, and hoped that she would be proud" (Chen 14). From their birth, they were connected and even though Lulu was arrested multiple times, and there was envy between them, they found themselves needing each other more than anything else. This is a suggestion from Chen to the audience that nothing is more important to our survival of this often cruel world than the personal connections we forge with each other. 

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