Characters
Coping Strategies
Gender Roles
Balzac
Miscellaneous
100
Why was Luo the only character whose name was mentioned?
This makes him more relatable than the other characters, ensuring that the reader will view him as a second protagonist.This also established the significance of the connection that the narrator feels with him, because in the end Luo and the narrator end up alone again, as they were in the beginning.
100
What is one way Luo and the narrator cope with re-education?
Any of the following answers will work: Humor, Balzac, The Little Seamstress, Manipulation of time, etc.
100
Was Luo really taking advantage of Little Seamstress when he had sex with her the first time? Why or why not?
I don’t think he was taking advantage of her because he actually took the same care he did in wrapping those tocabbo leaves to wrap her blood stained gingko leaves. This only goes to show how precious that act of sex seemed to him. Maybe this can’t prove that he truly loves her but it proves that he is deprived on the mountains and she is one of his only dependable sources of relief and respite.
100
Why were the villagers so intrigued by music and storytelling as Luo and the narrator enter the novel? What did Dai Sijie mean by this?
The villagers had never been exposed to this form of ‘sophisticated’ art form, as the boys express this art it creates a new form of entertainment not yet known by their culture. This being the exact opposite result Mao had hoped to achieve by having communist authorities trying to instill a new lifestyle and values to the upper class. We see Dai Sijie making fun of Mao’s attempts to change Chinese culture, showing that the arts and literature are needed within any culture.
100
The color red repeats itself in many places (the blood spots, the “sanitary-napkin” scarf, the gingko leaves, the red-beaked ravens, etc.). Does the meaning of red stay consistent or does it vary? What does it mean?
The meaning of red does vary. Traditionally, red is a color especially important to Chinese culture as it is the color of the new year and the color of celebration and joy. However, in Dai Sijie’s work, red takes a sinister turn as the watchful eye of the headman and the red headscarf of the communist party. The meaning of red in these instances is foreboding and antagonizes the joyous red in “old” China. Later, as red appears in the gingko leaves, the color shows a bond and a forbidden joy. In the ravens, red reveals itself to be once again ominous, almost as a reminder to the reader that the narrator and Luo forgot the sinister side of red and went against the red of the communist revolution.
200
What is accomplished by having two protagonists instead of one?
This enriches the characterization and structure of the novel. Luo and the narrator have contrasting personalities, which heightens the story's drama. Because we observe Luo’s often impulsive actions through the eyes of the thoughtful, subdued narrator we have a chance to ponder the narrator's deeper thoughts while also seeing the consequences of Luo's choices. Also, it appeals to two different styles of art, the narrators thought process and writing as well as Luo’s knack for performance. Furthermore, the dynamic of the narrator and Luo's relationship changes over the course of the novel. At its beginning, the narrator seems to consider himself inferior to Luo, however, by the end of the novel he develops self-confidence.
200
How do Luo and the Narrator use their alarm clock and the manipulation of time as a way of coping with the undesirable work they have to do on Phoenix Mountain?
By manipulating time, they are able to choose when to start their day, depending on how they’re feeling.
200
What was the power of women in this era?
Men are very attracted to women and in their minds, girls don’t pose a threat whereas men pose a threat to other men. Especially when it comes to the competition of women. So the women have an advantage by getting in and out of situations easily. Ex: In the beginning of the novel, there is a young woman in a red scarf that covers her head which could be the overall symbol of woman; they have a hidden strength that is highly underestimated
200
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, what themes isolated Western Literature within Chinese culture?
In most Western literature, Balzac especially, analysed principles not accepted by the Chinese Communist Party. Such as, the contrasts between the metropolitan area to the countryside, manners and customs, arts and literature, politics and government, love and romance, and/or social relations.
200
Was Re-education a success in terms of the outcome of the Little Seamstress?
No, the departure of the Little Seamstress shows the reversal of Mao’s initial plan of educating the bourgeois class into the transformation of the peasant class. Through this ironic relationship, Dai Sijie subtly shows his own view on the effectiveness of Re-education.
300
What is the significance of the little seamstress leaving at the end of the novel?
The Little Seamstress says that she leaves because “a woman’s beauty is a treasure beyond price.” As a rural victim of Mao's policies, she had little opportunity to develop a self-worth and individual identity. Instead, the villagers were forced to work under a communal model, unable to question the rules enforced from above. These rules put those under them into situations such as her lack of options when she becomes pregnant. Ultimately, when she realizes the extent of her repression, the Little Seamstress decides to declare her identity by leaving for the city. Her escape is a declaration of individualism.
300
How do Luo and the narrator use humor as a coping strategy?
They make fun of the headmaster when he is trying to figure out what their violin is, doing so in a way that only Luo and the narrator can understand. Humor lightens the mood in difficult situations. Also using humor reveals Dai Sijie’s take on the serious political tensions in China in a lighter, funnier manner.
300
Why does Luo feel the need to protect the Little Seamstress? Why is it such an important decision to entrust this job to the Narrator?
In Western Literature, it is the stereotypical job for a man to protect a woman. Luo, being educated is familiar with this concept and feels the need to guard her. It could also be merely out of jealousy and fear that because she is the prettiest girl on the mountain, there will be other suitors after her. It’s significant that he gave this job to the narrator because the narrator is also in love with the Little Seamstress and feels he could seize the opportunity to win over her love in return.
300
With the Little Chinese Seamstresses ‘education’, how did Balzac and Western Literature stirr her interest in promoting a “woman’s beauty” within herself?
Mao’s communist policies of a communal body, repressed women’s rights to the extent of no longer having control of their own bodies. Balzac writes the opposite, stating a woman’s individual beauty and her self worth.
300
What does the narrator’s dream of the Little Seamstress foreshadow?
While the dream may simply foreshadow the departure of the Little Seamstress, the symbolic “death” may also allude to the death of the “peasant” within her as she runs ahead of Luo and the narrator into the ravine where the ravens, as silent as fate, watch her fall.
400
Why does the Old Miller not reveal his knowledge about Luo and the Little Seamstress?
He has no desire to be involved in the revolution in any way. Also, he sympathizes with Luo and the seamstress and appears to long for his own youth, or a better one, upon seeing them enjoying theirs.
400
In what way do the books by Balzac help Luo and the narrator cope?
They allow the boys to use their knowledge from the cities and to continue learning, while the stories also provide an escape from their current situation and let them experience a different life through the story. They can also change their environment by spreading the literature to those around them and by doing this, changing the way people around them think.
400
What is the extent of gender inequality in the novel? How so?
Both men and women alike were send to be re-educated on the mountain. There is no specific mention of “inequality” but Dai Sijie writes the novel in a way that the male characters have the harsher jobs on the mountain. Ex: “the little coal mine” where the boys had to work underground naked. This is the opposite of what is believed in the West. I don’t know if that’s exactly “opposite” of the West, since men work in the fields and women take care of the homes… But the rest of your answer makes sense.
400
Why did Dai Sijie heavily utilize Balzac in influencing his characters?
Balzac wrote a lot of his stories on women’s beauty along with philosophical insight into the Western world, an insane dream for Communist China. Showing that the ideas and values of Western Literature can be applied anywhere.
400
Name 2 ironies at the end of the novel.
There are many ironic elements at the end of the book. 1. The beginning of the Little Seamstress’s journey is at the end of the story (does this mean that her future is hopeless?); 2. The “only” thing Balzac taught the Little Seamstress was not what Luo and the narrator thought she would learn; 3. The narrator and Luo burned their books, got drunk, and didn’t care about being reported even though they were initially so worked up about keeping everything a secret. 4. the two boys ended up exactly how they started, alone and still one in three thousand.
500
What is the significance of Four Eyes, specifically his bad eyesight?
It represents that he is weak in both the body and the mind. First, he is physically weak, because he has trouble carrying rice up the mountain and can not perform other jobs efficiently. Second, his bad eyesight symbolizes his closed-mindedness. All Four Eyes cares about is his escape from re-education. He is too near-sighted and closed-minded to see all of the many opportunities that the narrator and Luo see in the mountain and the books.
500
How does the Little Seamstress help Luo and the narrator cope?
She provides romance and friendship. Luo can escape through his romance with her, and the narrator, who is in love with her, can enjoy her company even if he can’t be with her. They both cope by sharing the stories with her and passing their knowledge on to her.
500
Surrounded by men, how does the Little Seamstress express her femininity?
Despite wanting to please Luo, there is a real significance when she gives him a handkerchief and lets him take the ginko leaves with her dried blood. It shows that he was not the only one in control of the situation. Also, when the Little Seamstress transforms herself into a city girl. She cuts her hair and makes her own clothes and breaks free of her father, Luo and Chairman Mao even though that was not was expected of her.
500
Through Balzac and other Western literature featured in the novel, what knowledge do Luo and the narrator acquire about the cultures around them?
They acquire superficial knowledge in the way that they didn’t experience in the actual culture the books came from. They were introduced to the romanticised ideals of Western culture that would not be attainable within their own society. Gaining the ideals did not mean obtaining a fruitful ending especially in light of the Little Seamstress’s decision.
500
Did torturing the headman change the narrator in any way? If so, how?
After acknowledging the inner sadist within himself, the narrator became more mature. Throughout the novel, the narrator never experienced any deep hatred or grudge towards any of the other characters (although he disliked Four Eyes a bit). But after releasing his bottled up emotions, the narrator then “interviewed” the Old Miller, the Little Seamstress, and Luo. This not only gives us a more holistic view of the story, but also reveals the narrator’s change in heart. Although he feels strongly for the Little Seamstress and wants to offer himself as a potential husband to the news of her pregnancy, his actions followed a different path. He matured in his thinking about others and by keeping his distance when needed.
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