Our three supporters in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress are sent to re-education in a distant mountain ; there they are greeted by humdrum. The find of a concealed hoarded wealth thorax of out foreign books enriches their lives with the value of mind. literature. autonomy. love. friendly relationship and desires. It is an heroic narrative of the coming of age of two male childs and a miss through single growing.
Coming of age
The coming of age is a cardinal subject throughout Balzac and the small Chinese Seamstress as the three teenager’s trueness. love. autonomy. dreams and aspirations are put to the trial. Although the coming of age plays a outstanding function in the novel. other subjects such as passions and autonomy are inextricably interwoven and lend to the coming of age of our three supporters. One of the most blazing illustrations of an interior struggle is that of the storytellers. His lecherousness for his best friend’s girlfriend finally is tested for his trueness and the value the storyteller topographic points on friendly relationship.
The strength of this experience for the Narrator and Luo is affecting and enrapturing as it highlights a first-time “sex and love” [ p. 93. ] For many people liberty is an ideal and privilege many of us have forgotten to appreciate and be grateful for. In the place of the small Chinese dressmaker. through reading western literature her imaginativeness is stimulated. This has generated “awakening desires” [ p. 57 ] and dreams. this is apparent because in the terminal of the book she ‘vanished without of trace’ [ p. 167 ] to prosecute her of all time hankering thirst for freedom and true feminism by go forthing to the metropolis. The writer captures three vernal soul’s find of the pureness of love through single adulthood. meanwhile intensified with subjects of green-eyed monster. endurance and venturesomeness.
Impact of Cultural revolution
The impact of the Cultural Revolution penetrates deep into the novel. from the successful purging of foreign influence to the re-education strategies. This impact has. unarguably. affected the life styles of China’s people. China’s economic system and Chinese cultural beliefs. for better or for worse. At the beginning of the novel. the small town headsman brands the narrator’s fiddle as a ‘bourgeois plaything. ’ [ p. 2 ] The enunciation of the word ‘bourgeois’ connotes negatively. as they were considered reactionist and out. The noun ‘toy’ represents that in the Headman’s perspective the fiddle is child-like and holds no value. It besides conveys to the audience that the Headman does non appreciate art. music. literature and linguistic communication because of his deficiency of clip. Our two male childs: Luo and the storyteller. are ‘city youths’ [ p. 3 ] and ‘reactionary. ’ [ p. 9 ] hence labeled as ‘enemies of Mao’s China’ [ p. 14 ] and are sent off to re-education. The impact of re-education and the Cultural Revolution can be approached on different facets ; physically and mentally.
On the physical degree. Luo’s wellness deteriorates badly and he catches Malaria. The traditional remedies of Malaria used by the provincials. inspired by the cultural revolution. is laughably unscientific and ranges from ‘beating Luo with Prunus persica tree branches’ [ p. 40 ] to ‘sorceresses maintaining ticker of Luo. ’ [ p. 44 ] This ignorance towards scientific logical thinking and the deficiency of intellect resembles the sarcasm of “re-education” from provincials. This light-minded behaviour of the Cultural Revolution has obviously given China reverses in scientific promotion and the betterment of quality of life.
On the mental degree. Lou and the narrator’s day-to-day lives are threaded with pessimism as they are both loath to believe in the hope and possibility of returning to the metropolis.
Lou communicates his ‘depression’ [ p. 50 ] by shouting under the span thought that he will decease. The narrator’s dubious position has led him to respond to state of affairss and undertakings more pragmatically to better their mundane life styles on Phoenix Mountain.
The Transformative Power of Literature
The three chief characters get a thorax of foreign books that bridge the clefts from the Cultural Revolution to a foreign universe of “awakening desires. passion. individuality and love. ” [ p. 57 ] The power of these great plants have deeply enlighten and foster the three chief characters’ heads. triping them with aspirations. passions and thoughts of Sweet freedom and independency. The find of Western Literature suddenly swing open the doors to new thoughts and their cravings for the wisdom contained within each page grows stronger book by book and page by page. When the Little Chinese Seamstress is introduced into the novel. Lou decides to ship on the operation to sublimate her from her primitive. uneducated and unworldly roots. Luo’s desire to “re-educate” the Seamstress is the fuel that motivates him to obtain more books for them. in order to supply her with civilization and educate her.
The storyteller and the Seamstress are clearly transformed by the power of Balzac. Dickens and Romain Rolland’s chef-d’oeuvres. First. the storyteller communicates to the audience that without Jean-Christophe he would ne’er hold “understood the luster of taking free and independent action as an person. ” [ P. ? ] Our storyteller learns how to believe for himself and move as an person as it does non intend selfishness. This knew beginning of information offer him an flight from the rough worlds on Phoenix Mountain.
The consequence of the success of transforming the dressmaker from an “unsophisticated mountain girl” [ p. 167 ] into a adult female booming with civilization is dry. The Seamstress is clearly transformed by the experience and decides to go forth the mountain and get down a new life in the metropolis. Luo has succeeded in transforming her ; nevertheless. the picks she will do from so on are beyond his control as now she can take ‘independent actions. ’ In my sentiment. a new life in the metropolis offers her namelessness about her gestation whilst being single. every bit good as to fulfill her desires on feminism and freedom.
