China Angelou Chapter Summaries

The setting is in Muji, China during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. The leader of the communist party at the time is Chairman Mao and ruled based on a Marxist model by the story mentioning the concrete statue of him in the center of the square. The author states that “the Cultural Revolution was over already, and recently the Party has been propagating the idea that all citizens were

The Memoir Spider Eaters by Rae Yang is her personal account of her life during the Maoist revolution. In addition, she reminisces about her trials and tribulations during her active participation in the culture revolution and the great North Wilderness. Her family also had various misfortunes due to these changing ideological beliefs spread by the revolution. This memoir illustrates in great detail what Yang experienced under communist rule. Spider Eaters opened up a door to a young girl and her families struggle to be good Samaritans under communist rule and their final disillusionment of the revolution they whole heartedly believed in. Yang and her family struggled with the vast ideological changes during the Maoist Revolution, in turn,

The Cultural Revolution was a time of much confusion in china. The memoir Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang illustrates the chaos of that time. Ji-li’s experiences during this time period led to her point of view changing. Ji-li starts the Cultural Revolution full of progressive thoughts, but this quickly turns to confusion, and leads to an important choice, something that impacts the rest of her life.

According to the Online Dictionary, the “Chinese Cultural Revolution” is defined as “a movement in China, beginning in the year 1966 and led by Mao Zedong, to restore the vitality of communism in China.” To begin, the Chinese Cultural Revolution performed a significant role in establishing the setting and conflicts in the novel of “Red Scarf Girl”. The setting of the story took place in the city of Shanghai, specifically throughout the course of two and a half years from the year 1966 to 1969. The protagonist and narrator of the story, Ji Li Jiang, was a 12-year-old Chinese girl who lived as a wealthy resident in the brownstone apartments of Shanghai. As the story progressed, Ji Li developed alterations in her relationships with her peers at school, the perception of her goals and responsibilities in life, and knowledge of her family history in relation to her class-status in the community. Therefore, throughout the course of the story, it was evident that significant changes and development of the relationships, perceptions, and knowledge of Ji Li Jiang occurred as a result of the events that she experienced.

Even with her previous experiences at Beijing University and at Big Joy Farm, Wong still held some belief that the Chinese system wasn’t as bad as it was sometimes made out to be. This event proved to her that it was. “The enormity of the massacre hit home…Although it had been years since I was a Maoist, I still had harbored some small hope for China. Now even that was gone” (259). As a reporter Wong was able to view the progression of the protests in leading up to the massacre, and in viewing it understood that the Chinese people were much more independent than they had previously demonstrated over the past 50 years. She had continuously seen the Chinese people following what they were told between learning in school or with physical labor, yet this protest was one of the first large scale displays of the unacceptance of the regime by the people, and the government did not know what to do with it. But because of this, Wong was able to recognize that the people were not reliant on this way of life that they had previously been bound to, but truly could lead for themselves and take control. The massacre awakened Wong both to the reality that the government was not acting to benefit the people, and that the people were more than capable of acting for

This memoir of Ma Bo’s sent shock waves throughout China when it was published and was even first banned by the Communist Government. This passionate story paints a clear picture for what the Great Chinese Cultural Revolution was really like. Many Chinese living today can attest to similar if not identical ordeals as expressed in Ma Bo’s story. The toils of being a young Red Guard in inner China were experienced by many if not millions. The horrors and atrocities were wide spread throughout the country, not just in Inner Mongolia. The experiences illustrated in Blood Red Sunset uniquely belong to Ma Bo’s entire generation of mislead Chinese. As expressed in the books dedication the Cultural Revolution

The reason why the author might have chosen the case-study approach to writing this book is because of the numerous similarities between the living conditions and circumstances that Ye and Ma faced. Both Ye and Ma were born in Beijing in around same period, they had both lived through the revolution in 1958 in the city, they became Red Guards in their early youth, and they both were sent to the countryside, and allowed to return back order to study. Also, they both traveled to the United States for their higher studies. Ye and Ma are discussing each aspect their life trajectory paralleled to

In Jan Wong’s entrancing expose Red China Blues, she details her plight to take part in a system of “harmony and perfection” (12) that was Maoist China. Wong discloses her trials and tribulations over a course of three decades that sees her searching for her roots and her transformation of ideologies that span over two distinctive forms of Communist governments. This tale is so enticing in due part to the events the author encountered that radically changed her very existence and more importantly, her personal quest for self-discovery.

The Sun of the Revolution by Liang Heng, is intriguing and vivid, and gives us a complex and compelling perspective on Chines culture during a confusing time period. We get the opportunity to learn the story of a young man with a promising future, but an unpleasant childhood. Liang Heng was exposed to every aspect of the Cultural Revolution in China, and shares his experiences with us, since the book is written from Liang perspective, we do not have a biased opinion from an elite member in the Chinese society nor the poor we get an honest opinion from the People’s Republic of China. Liang only had the fortunate opportunity of expressing these events due his relationship with his wife, An American woman whom helps him write the book. When

“It was not easy to live in Shanghai” (Anyi 137). This line, echoed throughout Wang Anyi 's short piece “The Destination” is the glowing heartbeat of the story. A refrain filled with both longing and sadness, it hints at the many struggles faced by thousands upon thousands trying to get by in the city of Shanghai. One of these lost souls, the protagonist, Chen Xin, was one of the many youths taken from his family and sent to live the in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. Ten years after the fact, Chen Xin views the repercussions of the Cultural Revolution internally and externally as he processes the changes that both he, and his hometown have over-gone in the past ten years. Devastatingly, he comes to the conclusion that there is no going back to the time of his childhood, and his fond memories of Shanghai exist solely in memory. This is in large part is due to the changes brought on by the Cultural Revolution. These effects of the Cultural Revolution are a central theme to the story; with repercussions seen on a cultural level, as well as a personal one.

During the Cultural Revolution, China was under the rule of Communist Party leader Mao Zendong, who a majority of China, especially its youth, began to think of more closely to a God than a ruler. Although, because much of China has grown great affection over Mao, they are oblivious to what he is actually doing, and what is happening to the rest of China and the people around them. In both Red Scarf Girl and Someone Named Eva by Joan Wolf, the book is about a ruler who because so many people have begun to greatly admire and look up too, as both a ruler and role model, has forced people to become unconscious to what is actually happening to the world and people around them. In both books because of the people’s great admiration towards their leaders, they have also begun to not only adapt their leader’s thoughts, ideas, and perspectives, but have put them into action. In Red Scarf Girl, Ji-Li Jiang says “But Grandma, we have to get rid of those old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits.

Throughout Angelou's autobiography, I was particularly struck by two scenes. The first, is when Reverend Thomas is visiting Angelou's church, and as their minister is preaching, Sister Monroe, a woman "couldn't get to church every Sunday, so she made up for her absences by shouting so hard," storms the altar and attacks the minister after she is overcome by his sermon (39). The second moment that struck me occurs when Angelou and her family are attending the revival meeting, and a similar event occurs when Mrs. Duncan, who was charged with beginning the sermon, is so moved by words of God that she was "[nearly shrieking]" the song she was singing in the makeshift church (124). As someone who is not particularly religious and never attended

In the novel, Man’s Fate by Andre Malraux, there is turmoil and war against two different forces trying to conquer over the government in Shanghai, China. Andre Malraux on purpose narratives the novel from the perspective of Ch’en and Kyo who are both extremist and terrorist for the communist party. Malraux is showing the point of view of the revolution through the eyes of the powerful leaders compare to normal peasant. To allow readers to experience the politics and controversial ideas from a leaders point of view that any civilization goes through. In connection with the name of the novel, Man’s Fate, it shows the irony and karma that no man can control their fate, which is death.

2. The first person narrator is a minor character. The first person is a minor character is a minor character because the major character is the minor character's mom. For example: "My mother had a fondness for such; she liked to say them, and see other dogs look surprised and envious, as wondering how she got so much education" so from the start the narrator started talked about his mother and things she did. Another example is after that sentence(the one above) the narrator said " But, indeed, it was not real education; it was only show: she got the words by listening in the dining-room and drawing room when there was company, and by going with the children to Sunday-school and listening there; and

Love will always be there and will be able to set us free from all the hatred in this world. This is true in the Maya Angelou poem "Touched by an angel". In this poem she describes love as if it was leaving its holy temple to come to our sight and to liberate us into life. She has also given as clue in life that if we are bold and brave "love strikes away the claim of fear from our soul". Maya's idea or theme love can come in all shapes and size, even in the darkest moment in our life, love will always be there to set us free.