What did An-Mei's grandmother mean when she told her her mother was a ghost?

An-mei's mother committed such a heinous act in the past that her own mother refuses to acknowledge her existence. What did it mean in An-mei's family to become a ghost? A ghost meant anything they "were forbidden to talk about," not that her mother was dead.

what is the purpose of the description in this passage from travels with charley?

to explain how he develops friendships with people

to show his fear of the man

to show that people in the bad lands are dangerous

to show the similarity between the man and the place

this question is not school related. refrain from asking non school or academic related questions in the future.