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Impact of the cultural revolution in china
Impact of the cultural revolution in china
Impact of the cultural revolution in china
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Ha Jin’s “Saboteur” is about Mr. Chiu, a man who’s traveling home with his bride from their honeymoon. While waiting for their train, the couple has tea dumped on their feet by a police officer. Mr. Chiu confronts the police officer and gets arrested. During his time at the station, Mr. Chiu is interrogated by the chief who insists he take blame for the incident. While Mr. Chiu is being interrogated, his bride sends over Fenjin to get him out of jail. Fenjin however, is immediately captured and tortured. Initially, Mr. Chiu refuses to take responsibility for causing the incident, however after witnessing Fenjin’s torture and his own mistreatment he accepts the blame in exchange for their release. Seeking revenge for his mistreatment, Mr. Chiu …show more content…
starts an epidemic by spreading his hepatitis through the local’s food. The central idea of this story is about the effects of an unjust system on members of society. The story’s main character is Mr. Chiu. We learn about and bear witness to his beliefs and fundamental change into a vindictive individual. In the beginning of the story, Mr. Chiu is a caring and honest man. Calmly seekings justice for the malicious action taken against him and his wife, Mr. Chiu confronts the policeman who threw tea on their feet. Mr. Chiu’s complaint leads him to be falsely accused of disrupting the peace and arrested. His belief that all citizens are equal before the law causes him not to worry and deal honestly with the police. Mr. Chiu’s confidence that the police wouldn’t hurt him leads to his refusal to sign any documents that claim he is at fault for the incident: “I won’t write a word, because I’m innocent” (663). Mr. Chiu becomes dynamic when he signs the document. This supplementary action was brought about after the beating of his rescuer, Funjin. Mr. Chiu’s dynamic characterization is also provoked by his change in beliefs. He no longer believes that all people are equal under the law, and thus seeks retribution from those who wronged him. This development is crucial in helping us perceive the shift in Mr. Chiu from a victim to a vengeful man targeting innocent people. Mr. Chiu’s change helps us understand the central idea through his transition into a malevolent individual a result of the impact of an unjust system. The bride and Funjin are both supporting characters in this story. However, Funjin’s role in Mr. Chiu’s life is crucial to his change into a dynamic character. Funjin is static because sufficient time is not given for him to experience a development in beliefs and actions like Mr. Chiu does. The actions taken against Funjin at the headquarters leads to Mr. Chiu’s realization that the Party’s idea, that all citizens are equal before the law, is not true. This realization causes a change in Mr. Chiu’s beliefs. Funjin helps us understand the central character through the way he supports Mr. Chiu’s change into a spiteful man. The struggle Mr. Chiu has in his decision to sign the document demonstrates the central conflict of man versus self. After being falsely accused by the chief of the bureau and witnesses of being a saboteur Mr. Chiu desire, to be honest, is at odds with his want to be released. In the beginning, Mr. Chiu is devoted to being honest. Continuously standing behind his belief of innocents, he claims, “I didn’t do anything. Your men are the saboteurs of our social order...you should criticize them, if not punish them” (662). “A voice started screaming in Mr. Chiu’s ears, ‘lie, lie!’ But he shook his head and forced the voice away” (666). This desire, to be honest, leads Mr. Chiu to “have a fever, shaking with a chill and sweating profusely...time and again he was overwhelmed by anger, cursing aloud ‘a bunch of thugs!’” (663-664). Mr. Chiu’s initial desire, contrast greatly with his final decision: “Mr. Chiu signed his name and put his thumbprint under his signature” (666). Mr. Chiu’s internal conflict is resolved when he signs the document, thus ensuring the release of him and Finjin. The supporting conflict is man versus society as seen through the struggle Mr. Chiu has when everyone believes he “...shouted in the square to attract attention...” (663). After Mr. Chiu’s arrest, he is taken to prison. During his stay, he meets the chief of the bureau who claims “your crime is sabotage…” (662). This allegation puts into motion the accusation from society that Mr. Chiu is in fact guilty. The eyewitnesses who claim Mr. Chiu “refused to obey the police…,” provoke his further imprisonment and the maltreatment of Funjin. This external conflict is resolved when Mr. Chiu and Funjin, after being released from jail, go from restaurant to restaurant near the police station ordering food. This rapid consumption of food by Mr. Chiu causes the spread of his hepatitis and resolves the central conflict through the start of an epidemic. The supporting conflict helps us understand the central character through the resolving actions of Mr. Chiu which show him as a vengeful man targeting innocent people, a stark contrast to his original personality. Jin uses third-person omniscient point of view. We become familiar with the setting and thoughts of the characters through this all-knowing perspective. Through this perspective we experience the thoughts of Mr. Chiu upon his first interrogation, “he felt it bizarre that in just a matter of hours they had accumulated a small pile of writing about him… he began to wonder whether they had kept a file on him all the time” (661-662). The use of third-person point of view helps us be more understanding regarding Mr. Chiu’s “fear that his hepatitis might get worse,” seemingly providing the reasons for his desire to remain calm (664). Through the third-person point of view we are able to experience Mr. Chiu’s change from believing that “as long as he remained coolheaded and reasoned with them, they probably wouldn't harm him” to his desire to “raze the entire police station” (661-666). The use of third-person omniscient point of view helps us understand the thoughts and concerns of Mr. Chiu, thus providing absolute credibility regarding his feelings. Jin also uses third-person dramatic point of view in the “Saboteur,” which is “narrated from the point of view of Fenjin, Mr. Chiu’s former student” (Summary). This point of view provides us with realism regarding the perspective of the supporting characters. Through this point of view, we are able to understand Fenjin’s thoughts and feelings regarding his torture and the police: “it doesn’t matter. They are savages” (667). Jin’s use of third-person omniscient and dramatic provides an expansive analysis of the thoughts and feelings of the characters. The settings in “Saboteur” is an integral part of the story.
The story takes in Muji where Mr. Chiu and his bride were on their honeymoon as stated by the narrator, “Mr. Chiu and his bride were having lunch in the square before Muji Train Station… he was glad the honeymoon was over” (660). The mention of a time after the Cultural Revolution also suggests a period when society was transitioning into a new cultural system. This setting is important because it provides a basis for the struggle Mr. Chiu faces. While the Cultural Revolution was over, propagation of the idea that all citizens are equal before the law had not disseminated in this area. Although Mr. Chiu is in a region that hasn’t fully accepted this ideology, he still expects to be treated equal, as shown when the narrator says, “he wasn’t afraid… as long as he remained coolheaded and reasoned with them, they probably wouldn’t harm him” (661). However, because “Mr. Chiu was suspected as part of the already condemned military group The Red Guards” his placement in the post-Cultural Revolution proves to be a problem (The Importance). Also, through the setting, we experience the passage of time, as shown when the narrator says “Mr. Chiu and his bride were having lunch,” “late in the afternoon he was taken to the Interrogation Bureau,” and “when he woke up on Monday morning” (660-664). This passage of time gives significance to the story through its emphasis on the fact that although it’s been a short while, a lot of things has
happened. The element of language used most in the story is situational irony. The account, in this case also an element of dialog, is essential because through these aspects of language the narrator demonstrates the reprehensible authoritative governing body that is present during Mr. Chiu’s visit to Muji. Because situational irony is the most prevalent form of language in this story, it is seen throughout “Saboteur.” Mr. Chiu’s arrest is ironic because he has not committed a crime. The declaration from the chief that Mr. Chiu’s statement is groundless when in fact his assertion lacks accurate evidence is paradoxical. “Mr.Chiu’s intent to infect the citizens of Muji with hepatitis is also ironic because by doing so he has become like his captors, a person who inflicts punishment on the innocent simply because he can” (Style). These comparisons help the read to understand the degree to which nefariousness has seized the Muji government. “Ha Jin's short story "Saboteur" is filled with ever increasing irony from beginning to end that finally climaxes in the main character, Mr. Chiu, becoming that which he was falsely accused of being,” a saboteur (The Irony). Another important kind of language used in the story is dialog. It is also through the dialog that we learn about the unjust system Mr. Chiu is dealing with. When Mr. Chiu is speaking with the chief about his crime, he reveals how inequitable the police are by saying “I didn’t do anything. Your men are the saboteurs of our social order. They threw hot tea on my feet and on my wife’s feet (662). This dialog also misinforms the reader on the character of Mr. Chiu because it alludes to the honest nature of Mr. Chiu as his central quality. The language in “Saboteur” is essential because it helps us be able to fully understand and interpret the story.
The Cultural Revolution in China was led by Mao Zedong, due to this Liang and many others faced overwhelming obstacles in many aspects of their life such as work, family and everyday encounters, if affected everyone’s families life and education, Liang lets us experience his everyday struggles during this era, where the government determined almost every aspect of life. The beginning of the book starts out with Liang’s typical life, which seems normal, he has a family which consists of three children, two older sisters and him the youngest, his two sister’s reside in Changsha 1. his father has an everyday occupation working as a journalist at a local newspaper. Things start to take a turn early in life for Liang Heng, his family politics were always questioned, the mistake made by one of his family members would impact his entire family and it would be something they would have to suffer through, it was impossible for them to live down such a sin.... ...
Steven Alper’s life started out completely normal. Steven starts out as your average teenage middle school boy; skinny, wears glasses, has braces, and last but not least, invisible to the hottest girl in 8th grade, Renee Albert. Besides being a complete geek, Steven excels at playing the drums; even making into the All-City Jazz Band. But after troubling times come after attempting to make “moatmeal” for his younger brother Jeffery, Steven’s world gets turned completely upside down; changing and challenging the rest of his 8th grade year.
The plot of this novel is set in the city of Chengdu in the providence of Sichuan, located in central China. The book itself was written in 1931 and by this time, the Chinese communist party was well established and fighting battles with the Japanese and Chiang Kai-shek and spreading influence in south and central China. (Chin, 1931) This story is about the rich, aristocratic Kao Family, who live in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan. The story has some very interesting characters but for the most part, mainly focuses on the three brothers and their very interesting and downright depressing lives.
The family's personal encounters with the destructive nature of the traditional family have forced them to think in modern ways so they will not follow the same destructive path that they've seen so many before they get lost. In this new age struggle for happiness within the Kao family, a cultural barrier is constructed between the modern youth and the traditional adults, with Chueh-hsin teeter tottering on the edge, lost between them both. While the traditional family seems to be cracking and falling apart much like an iceberg in warm ocean waters, the bond between Chueh-min, Chueh-hui, Chin and their friends becomes as strong as the ocean itself. While traditional Confucianism plays a large role in the problems faced by the Kao family, it is the combination of both Confucianism and modernization that brings the family to its knees. Chueh-hsin is a huge factor in the novel for many reasons.
Chapter one, The Observers, in the Death of Woman Wang demonstrates the accuracy of the local historian; Feng K'o-ts'an, who compiled The Local History of T'an-ch'eng in 1673. The descriptive context of the Local History helps the reader to understand and literally penetrate into people's lives. The use of records of the earthquake of 1668, the White Lotus rising of 1622 and rebels rising vividly described by Feng the extent of suffering the people of T'an-ch'eng went through. Jonathan Spence stresses on how miserable the two-quarter of the seventeen-century were to the diminishing population of the county. The earthquake claimed the lives of nine thousand people, many others died in the White lotus rising, hunger, sickness and banditry. P'u Sung-ling's stories convey that after the loss of the wheat crops there were cases of cannibalism. On top of all of this came the slaughtering of the entire family lines by the bandits. The incredible records of women like Yao and Sun in the Local History present the reader the magnitude of savagery the bandits possessed. All of these factors led to the rise of suicides. The clarity of events Spence given to the reader is overwhelming.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasty, under the circumstance of which the absolute monarchy reached its peak progressively, two trends of thoughts appeared in China:
The novel begins by “Abena, my mother, was raped by an English Sailor on the deck of Christ the King one day in the year 16** while the ship was sailing for Barbados. I was born from this act of aggression. From this act of hatred and contempt,” (Condé 1). Her mother Abena was a slave and Tituba was born into slavery. Tituba was concemption is due to a white sailor raping her mother, an example of a white man dominating a black woman. The hierarchy is clearly established between the black people like Abena and Tituba, and the white slave owners. The policing of this hierarchy causes Tituba to see the very dramatic deaths of her mother Abena and a father like figure in Yao. Tituba’s early life experiences is only the beginning of despicable acts done to her and the people she cares
The lack of communication between two cultures explains the lack of understanding and knowledge one has of another culture. When Marguerite first arrives at the house, “it [takes] [her] a week to learn the difference between a salad plate, a bread plate and a dessert plate”. In white culture, this would not have even been a question, but merely common knowledge. However, because Marguerite comes from a different background, the life she lived before working at the house suggests she had a life of simplicity at home. By learning the differences between each type of plate, Marguerite “gains entrance into the assumptive world of another culture”. Dean Barnlund suggests people remain outsiders if they do not become open-minded toward another culture. If there were no communication at all between Marguerite and Mrs. Cullinan, Marguerite would not have been able to learn about white culture, and each type of plate. Miss Glory, who represents a more traditional side of a slave having worked for Mrs. Cullinan for 20 years, has a lot of previous knowledge and does not let Marguerite “say a thing against her mistress”. In this case, Miss Glory knows to keep quiet and not talk about anyone who is white, a more superior race than her own. Miss Glory believes it is okay to order Marguerite because she only has age superiority over her. However, they still come from the same cultural background, and thus, they are placed on the same level on the social pyramid. This is seen when Marguerite describes how her glass “[sits] with Miss Glory’s on a separate shelf from the others”. Angelou suggests that people with opposite backgrounds are inferior of each other, and the traditional Miss Glory feels that she has power over the “new girl” Marguerite. Marguerite also knows to “[think] privately” about her opinion towards Mrs.
Mulan is a young girl in China, who is trying to honor her family and ancestors by finding a husband. She was expects to be delicate, quiet, obedient, graceful, polite, and poised, none of which Mulan displayed. She showed up late to the meeting with the woman, “The Match Maker”, who picked whom Mulan would one day marry. Although they expect women in China to have a tiny waist, too small of a waist, which Mulan had, was no good. She would not be great at baring children. Mulan could not pour the tea right for the woman either. She missed the cup, spilling the tea on the table. She was not very graceful and upset “The Match Maker”, who believed Mulan would never honor her family. Mulan did not display the characteristics that the Chinese society expected a woman to have and was looked at as dishonorable to outsiders.
The story of the first brother, Chueh-hsin, is unquestionably the most upsetting and saddest in this novel. Cheuh-hsin has lived his entire life in reverence and constant conformity with his elders. Although he is an "enlightened" person and does not unconditionally agree with many of the Confucian values, which he follows, he feels that his position in the social hierarchy of the family leaves him no other choice. As the "first son of the first son" he is the head of his household. As a result, he is forced to take on responsibilities he does not want. For this very reason, his two younger brothers, Cheuh-min and Cheuh-hui, scorn him. Chueh-hsin has lived his entire life following a non-resistant strategy. At an early age, he was prohibited from his dreams, by being forced into an arranged marriage, although his heart belonged to another woman, Cousin Mei. Although he comes to l...
The fact that the fictional mothers and daughters of the story have unhappy marriages creates a common ground on which they can relate. However, marriage has different meanings for each generation in this book. In the mothers’ perspective, marriage is permanent and not always based on love. Especially with their marriages in China, which was a social necessity that they must secretly endure in order to be happ...
Zhu Ying was a member of the military’s theatre troupe, and about to be a member of the party, until she refused to sleep with party members. After that, they transferred and then imprisoned her. While her role in the military could have made Zhu Ying an androgynous figure, an emblem of communist gender equality, the party’s expectation that she have sex with party members makes her a sexual object, which is its own form of feminization. Zhu Ying is allowed to retain her femininity only if she consents to being a sexual object; when she does not, she is sent to be a laborer, and later imprisoned. Moreover, by being separated from her boyfriend, her chance at domestic happiness is taken away. After imprisonment, she has no opportunity to fill the traditional female role of marriage and children (which she may or may not have desired). Thus, the party halts the “natural” order of marriage and
However, the focus here will be on the lives of the courtesans. The Genji Monogatari provides us with an unrivalled look into the inner workings of Confucianism and court life in the Heian period. Song Geng, in his discourse on power and masculinity in China, claims that Confucianism gives rise to what he calls the “fragile scholar” or caizi() as it is referred to as in traditional Chinese literature.5 The so-called fragile scholar is a common character archetype seen throughout Chinese literature and, not surprisingly, also in the Genji Monogatari.... ... middle of paper ...
The early part of the novel shows women’s place in Chinese culture. Women had no say or position in society. They were viewed as objects, and were used as concubines and treated with disparagement in society. The status of women’s social rank in the 20th century in China is a definite positive change. As the development of Communism continued, women were allowed to be involved in not only protests, but attended universities and more opportunities outside “house” work. Communism established gender equality and legimated free marriage, instead of concunbinage. Mao’s slogan, “Women hold half of the sky”, became extremely popular. Women did almost any job a man performed. Women were victims by being compared to objects and treated as sex slaves. This was compared to the human acts right, because it was an issue of inhumane treatment.
Kingston uses the story of her aunt to show the gender roles in China. Women had to take and respect gender roles that they were given. Women roles they had to follow were getting married, obey men, be a mother, and provide food. Women had to get married. Kingston states, “When the family found a young man in the next village to be her husband…she would be the first wife, an advantage secure now” (623). This quote shows how women had to get married, which is a role women in China had to follow. Moreover, marriage is a very important step in women lives. The marriage of a couple in the village where Kingston’s aunt lived was very important because any thing an individual would do would affect the village and create social disorder. Men dominated women physically and mentally. In paragraph eighteen, “they both gav...