Podcast
Questions and Answers
What does the headman mean when he describes the violin as 'a bourgeois toy'?
What does the headman mean when he describes the violin as 'a bourgeois toy'?
A silly, rich kid toy.
What effect does the music have on the peasants?
What effect does the music have on the peasants?
It calms and relaxes them.
What is the irony in their re-education?
What is the irony in their re-education?
They aren't actually learning; they are becoming less smart.
How do Luo and the narrator know each other, and why do they believe their re-education will be permanent?
How do Luo and the narrator know each other, and why do they believe their re-education will be permanent?
Why does Luo punch the narrator?
Why does Luo punch the narrator?
Describe the 'Phoenix of the Sky.'
Describe the 'Phoenix of the Sky.'
What temporary job do the two boys obtain that is far better than carrying 'buckets of s**t'?
What temporary job do the two boys obtain that is far better than carrying 'buckets of s**t'?
What literary term is illustrated in the first paragraph of page 15?
What literary term is illustrated in the first paragraph of page 15?
How would you characterize Luo at this point?
How would you characterize Luo at this point?
How would you characterize the narrator?
How would you characterize the narrator?
What details suggest that the Chinese Seamstress is different from other people on the mountain?
What details suggest that the Chinese Seamstress is different from other people on the mountain?
When the narrator asks Luo whether he has fallen in love with the Chinese Seamstress, what does Luo's response reveal about him?
When the narrator asks Luo whether he has fallen in love with the Chinese Seamstress, what does Luo's response reveal about him?
How is the time the boys spent in the copper mines symbolic of their re-education?
How is the time the boys spent in the copper mines symbolic of their re-education?
Why is the narrator convinced that it is Luo crying in the tunnel?
Why is the narrator convinced that it is Luo crying in the tunnel?
When Luo falls sick with malaria, how does the Little Seamstress help him?
When Luo falls sick with malaria, how does the Little Seamstress help him?
Describe Four-Eyes.
Describe Four-Eyes.
What happened to all of the Western literature in China at the advent of the Cultural Revolution?
What happened to all of the Western literature in China at the advent of the Cultural Revolution?
How is the breaking of Four-Eyes' glasses symbolic of his state of being on the mountain?
How is the breaking of Four-Eyes' glasses symbolic of his state of being on the mountain?
What is the symbolism of the glasses and the water buffalo?
What is the symbolism of the glasses and the water buffalo?
What is the impact of Ursula Mirouet?
What is the impact of Ursula Mirouet?
Why does the narrator feel pangs of jealousy when Luo goes to tell the Little Seamstress the Balzac story?
Why does the narrator feel pangs of jealousy when Luo goes to tell the Little Seamstress the Balzac story?
Where does the narrator copy passages from Balzac's book?
Where does the narrator copy passages from Balzac's book?
What occurs at the end of the chapter between Luo and the Seamstress?
What occurs at the end of the chapter between Luo and the Seamstress?
In your own words, describe the effect of the story on the narrator.
In your own words, describe the effect of the story on the narrator.
Why does Luo want to tell the Little Seamstress about Ursule Mirouet?
Why does Luo want to tell the Little Seamstress about Ursule Mirouet?
Why does the narrator write passages from the story on his jacket?
Why does the narrator write passages from the story on his jacket?
What does Luo hope to accomplish by continuing to read to the Little Seamstress?
What does Luo hope to accomplish by continuing to read to the Little Seamstress?
What is the intent of the metaphor, 'your coat was resting on the flat of her hands, the way a sacred object lies in the palms of the pious.'?
What is the intent of the metaphor, 'your coat was resting on the flat of her hands, the way a sacred object lies in the palms of the pious.'?
What is the ironic outcome of Luo's and the narrator's story gathering trip?
What is the ironic outcome of Luo's and the narrator's story gathering trip?
Who does the narrator meet on the way back from the city?
Who does the narrator meet on the way back from the city?
What does the Little Seamstress' suggestion at the end of page 89 reveal about her?
What does the Little Seamstress' suggestion at the end of page 89 reveal about her?
Why is the narrator alarmed by seeing Four-Eyes' mother in his dream?
Why is the narrator alarmed by seeing Four-Eyes' mother in his dream?
How does the preparation of the stew reflect communist ideals?
How does the preparation of the stew reflect communist ideals?
How do the villagers get away with slaughtering the buffalo?
How do the villagers get away with slaughtering the buffalo?
What do Luo and the narrator feel when they open the suitcase?
What do Luo and the narrator feel when they open the suitcase?
Why do they see being uninvited to Four-Eyes' going away party as a positive turn of events?
Why do they see being uninvited to Four-Eyes' going away party as a positive turn of events?
What do the boys intend to do with the stolen books?
What do the boys intend to do with the stolen books?
What is ironic about Four-Eyes drinking the buffalo's blood?
What is ironic about Four-Eyes drinking the buffalo's blood?
What is the significance of the buffalo tail and the glasses?
What is the significance of the buffalo tail and the glasses?
How does Jean-Christophe affect the narrator?
How does Jean-Christophe affect the narrator?
In what way does Luo represent the typical 'knight' of a fairytale?
In what way does Luo represent the typical 'knight' of a fairytale?
What is the significance of the raven?
What is the significance of the raven?
In what way does the narrator grow as both a storyteller and a reader during his retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo?
In what way does the narrator grow as both a storyteller and a reader during his retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo?
What does the headman do when he overhears the boys telling the story of The Count of Monte Cristo?
What does the headman do when he overhears the boys telling the story of The Count of Monte Cristo?
Describe the Old Miller's Story.
Describe the Old Miller's Story.
Describe Luo's Story.
Describe Luo's Story.
Describe The Little Seamstress' Story.
Describe The Little Seamstress' Story.
What is the reality of the Little Seamstress' situation?
What is the reality of the Little Seamstress' situation?
Consider the narrator's payment to the doctor who helps the Little Seamstress. What is the symbolic meaning of this payment?
Consider the narrator's payment to the doctor who helps the Little Seamstress. What is the symbolic meaning of this payment?
What type of imagery is used about the burning books?
What type of imagery is used about the burning books?
How has the Little Chinese Seamstress changed?
How has the Little Chinese Seamstress changed?
What does the final line of the book mean?
What does the final line of the book mean?
How can this book be read as a coming-of-age novel?
How can this book be read as a coming-of-age novel?
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Study Notes
Key Themes and Concepts
- Bourgeois Toy: Violin symbolically represents wealth and frivolity, highlighting class distinctions.
- Music's Influence: Provides emotional relief and tranquility, contrasting the harsh realities faced by the peasants.
- Irony of Re-education: Intended educational reform leads to ignorance rather than knowledge, focusing on farming skills instead of broader subjects.
- Friendship: Luo and the narrator's bond from middle school illustrates shared experiences and beliefs about permanence in education.
Character Development
- Luo: Depicted as animated and clever, struggles with emotional turmoil resulting in violent outbursts.
- Narrator: Characterized as shy and hopeless, contrasting Luo’s dynamic personality.
- Four-Eyes: Nerdy and cautious individual from a literary background, symbolizing intellectual curiosity and caution.
- Little Chinese Seamstress: Represents hope, love, and the complexities of personal growth influenced by literature and external expectations.
Symbolism
- Phoenix of the Sky: The mountain symbolizes isolation yet also serves as a place for personal discovery.
- Glasses and Water Buffalo: Glasses symbolize wisdom and vision; the buffalo represents a loss of intelligence through oppressive systems.
- Buffalo Slaughter: Highlights tactics used by villagers to survive under oppressive regimes, reflecting universal themes of survival and deception.
Impact of Literature
- Secret Western Literature: Represents forbidden knowledge that excites Luo and the narrator, adding layers of mystery and allure.
- Extended Effects of Storytelling: Such as the impact of “Ursule Mirouet” on the narrator’s understanding of love and relationships, revealing emotional awakening through literary engagement.
- Danger of Literature: Explores the double-edged nature of stories, which can inspire but also incite danger in contexts of societal constraints.
Emotional Growth and Realizations
- Awakening Hope: Narrator’s actions, such as writing on his jacket, symbolize a yearning for change and connection to literature.
- Coming of Age: Highlights transformative experiences that change the narrator and Luo, fostering maturation and self-identity.
- Complex Relationships: The evolving dynamic with the Little Seamstress encapsulates themes of desire, societal expectations, and personal autonomy.
Final Insights
- Reality of the Little Seamstress: Pregnancy underlines harsh realities that contrast the romanticized view of love and freedom.
- Symbolic Payment to the Doctor: Reflects the sacrifices made for personal connections and highlights the value of literature in mitigating harsh realities.
- Significance of the Ending: The final lines celebrate self-discovery and growth, embodying a blend of pride and awareness spurred by literature.
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