Characters
This memoir’s narrator and author who grows up during the Cultural Revolution and fights his way toward education and hope.
Who is Da Chen?
The memoir opens during this major political movement that shapes Da Chen’s village life.
What is the Cultural Revolution?
Early in the memoir, villagers repeat political slogans supporting this ruling ideology that controls daily life.
What is Communism?
This theme appears early when Da’s family is judged for being from a “landlord” background.
What is discrimination?
In the opening chapters, Da describes the simple dirt paths and small homes of his childhood, revealing the setting.
What is a small mountain village? (Chinese Village)
This character, who at first seems to compete with Da for school popularity, ends up befriending him and even inviting him to his home.
Who is Mr Buckle’s Son?
In the opening pages, Da Chen recalls watching groups of these government affiliated teenagers marching with armbands and shouting slogans.
What are Red Guards?
Communist officials in the village enforce loyalty by gathering people for loud, mandatory political meetings.
What are political rallies?
Villagers whisper at home but shout slogans in public, showing this theme about this emotion.
What is fear?
The year’s where this memoir takes place, also the years where Mao Zedong's Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution began.
What were the 1960s?
This parent is introduced as a former “landlord”—a label that causes the entire family to face discrimination.
Who is Baba (Da Chen’s father)?
Early in the story, Da Chen notices villagers fear this type of sudden visit, which could lead to punishment or confiscation of property.
What is a political inspection/raid?
Villagers avoid saying anything critical of the government because communist authorities punish those accused of this.
What is speaking against the party?
Suppressing what people can say and do, showing this theme about power over everyday life in communism.
What is government control?
Da says that even everyday objects—like posters or loudspeakers—are used to spread political messages.
What are propaganda tools?
This high-ranking village organizer leads political meetings that Da Chen describes.
Who is the village Party secretary?
Da Chen describes adults whispering about the past, especially this dangerous label attached to his family.
What is a landlord family?
Da notices that almost every building in the village displays posters and slogans praising this political leader.
Da Chen’s relationship with his parents reveals this important value.
What is respect/obedience?
Da realizes that even teachers judge students based on their class labels, showing that this place is also affected by politics.
What is the school?
This relative is mentioned early as someone whose past and political label affect Da Chen’s whole family even after many years.
Who is Da Chen’s grandfather the “landlord”?
Early in the book, villagers speak in hushed voices whenever they mention old memories or anything that might get them in trouble.
What is communism censorship?
Da learns that one’s fate under the communist government is determined not by personal actions but by this inherited political label.
What is “class background”?
In both To Live, and Colors of the mountain, characters must keep going despite fear, loss, and unfair treatment, showing this major theme about surviving difficult times with determination.
What is perseverance?
This common household item was sold so the Chen family wasn’t so poor.
What are doorknobs?