Disagreements Turn Into Agreements
People disagree often when it comes to politics. We are all entitled to our own opinions. Some of us choose to voice our opinions, while others keep their opinions to themselves. The relationship between Zhu Yanda (Zhu) and Gao in “The Man from a Peddler’s family,” shows a very typical disagreement on politics.
Not only is this story about politics, there are also hidden themes throughout that are not easily discernable by some. One of those hidden themes is friendship and effects the relationship has on the process of changing one party’s original opinion. Both Gao and Zhu see the world differently, yet despite their differences they still remain friends. One follows all the rules of the government, and the other walks to the beat of his own drum when it comes to politics. It is the difference of opinions we have that keeps the world running smoothly. Our difference of opinions is what makes us grow, and sometimes we change our opinions for the better. When we disagree and argue we make one another better people making one another see outside their box. These two characters grow and change by the end of the story by showing each other a different view on government. They both end up understanding the other person’s point of view. This story displays political themes and themes about friendship, disagreements, and changing of friend’s opinions.
The Man from a Peddler’s Family,” is about capitalism versus socialism/Communism. This short
While there she learned that the communist party was unfair full of a bunch of power hungry, lying politicians. Her first encounter with disillusionment was when her friend Huar who told her that during the famine many people in her village died of starvation. The claim completely threw Yang into disbelieve as she recalled the official newspaper stated that no one had died. Secondly, the attempted assassination of Mao left her to question the nature of the cultural revolution. Thirdly, Yang found out that not everyone volunteered to go to the Great North Wilderness. A girl who worked on the pig farm told Yang that she was forced to go because her father was told that a nationwide policy had been issued where all eldest children had to go to the countryside. Yang expressed that she seen the cruelty and propaganda that came out of the party. Finally, the biggest factor in Yang’s disillusionment was when she fell in love with Zhou. Zhou’s father fought for the nationalists in 1949. Therefore, Zhou and his whole family was seen as nationalist. She felt that the party was unfair in classing everyone by their “historical problems” which led them to have little opportunities and no future. These are prime examples what lead to Yang’s disillusion view of the communist party.
When Jan Wong first arrived in China, she was filled with the complete belief that China’s totalitarianism way of government was the best way of governing, and that no other way would do. While natives smiled behind false expressions, she failed to realize the true extent of the miserable lives under the Maoist regime until she herself experienced the injustices faced by the Chinese citizens. In Red China Blues, author Jan Wong writes of her experiences during her life in China and after, and how her whole journey led to the realization of the harsh reality that Maoism really was. As Wong learned more and more about the truth behind the totalitarian government, her own experiences helped her to transform
Originally, Liang’s “parents were deeply involved in all the excitement of working to transform China into a great Socialist country” (4). Over a serious of unfortunate events, though, he became the child of a “Rightist’s cap” mother and a “Reactionary Capitalist stinking intellectuals” father (9, 51). Impacted by the shattering of his family and horrific bloodshed created by fighting, Liang Heng began to question the Cultural Revolution. He claimed that his “family had scarified so much… but it had given [them] nothing in return” (148). Liang Heng presents his shift in ideology to demonstrate that most Chinese were no longer in support of a Communist nation. His “troubles were common enough and anyone could see there was a discrepancy between the glorious words of the newspapers and [their] painful reality (232). Even Liang Heng’s father, after many years of devotion, found that he could no longer defend the Party’s policies after he experienced the ill-treatment of the peasants in the country
Prior to Communism in China, it was known to be a chaotic country on the brink of self-destruction. With the emergence of the party leader Mao Zedong, came a new hope, which filled its inhabitants with the belief that China would return to its former historical greatness. American and Chinese relations before 1971 were in simple terms described as “uneasy”, due to the American, Soviet Cold War. It was not until President Richard Nixon visited China and realized the high value of having China as a ally that relations between the two powers began to become positive. Unknown at the time, it is assumed in the book Chinese Lessons written by John Pomfret, that the relationships he formed with the people he met in China would change his outlook on life and Communist China forever.
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 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 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
A third narrative thread is created by stringing together the stories of young Chinese students, both men and women. Their optimistic visions of the future contrast poignantly with the stories of Chen Mengjia and Polat, who expose more of the dark side of China especially the Cultural Revolution. Chen Mengjia committed suicide during the Cultural Revolution. Hessler (2006) interviews an old man about the issue of personal responsibility and political activism and reveals the deeply conflicted nature
The book is a written as conversational memoir between two women, Ye Weili and Ma Xiaodong about their experience during the first three decades of Mao’s era. The two women had gone through almost similar position and situations in their life, faced equivalent hardships, their approach or attitude towards those experiences in a completely different manner. This book is meticulous in its historical detail, making it a standout among similar memoirs of twentieth-century China. It also tries to add another dimension of the general perspective of historic events. The events are described in a chronological sequence and with the right amount of proper relevant information so the reader can understand the conversation.
Primarily, Tan establishes the theme of the story through characterization. The protagonist, Jing-mei, finds it difficult to live up to the high expectations her mother has set for her. After seeing so much disappointment in her mother’s face, Jine-mei “look[s] in the mirror above the bathroom sink and when [she] saw only [her] face staring back – and that it would always be this ordinary face – she began to cry” (Tan 2). This bring Jing-mei and her mother into conflict with Jing-mei eventually screaming at her mother that “‘[she] wish[ed] she were dead. Like them’” (Tan 8). As she matures, Jing-mei becomes a little more level-headed; she then understands her mother only wants the best for her. Through diction and language, the author creates a character that is
Mesoamerica have been connected the North and South America culturally and geographically throughout the history. Mesoamerican culture and aspects heavily influenced southwestern United States, being the frontier borderline between North America and Mesoamerica. It is very important to study the relationship between the Mesoamerica and American Southwest because American Southwest contains various elements of Mesoamerican culture and this provides fundamental information about human behaviors, history, interactions, and tradition in America. Our group has selected Agriculture, Architecture, Religion, and Trade as our categories to analyze the relationship between American southwest and Mesoamerica. Fair trade, we will focus on scarlet macaws and how it got traded from Mesoamerica in the American southwest and its significance. For architecture, we will compare the ball courts of Hohokam and that of Mesoamerica. Significance of ball courts and how it got introduced into the American southwest from Mesoamerica will be discussed as well. Religion will be analyzed by focusing on the cosmological beliefs of both groups and the similarities and differences between Mesoamerican cosmology and American southwest cosmology.
Then, there were some points that I felt were not well supported in this article. Wen wrote about Zhuang Zi philosophy that I felt really did not add to the article and could have been left out. She wrote only three lines that were valid to me. She wrote “Zhuang Zi was adamant in declining an offer, and would rather be an orphaned piglet, saying, “I would rather play in a muddy ditch and be happy than be fettered by the state” (Yao-yu, 1991, p. 79). That means he would prefer never to have anything to do
Two individuals may seem similar in appearance and outward self but it’s the inner character and diverse qualities of a person that distinguishes between two people. Many have the notion to think that since two people have the same outward identity then both will get along and be the best of friends, however, this is where the dilemma arises. George Orwell, an author of Animal Farm writes a tale about two pigs by the name of Snowball and Napoleon and how their bond destroys through disagreements and jealously towards each other which later on builds an eruption on the farm. Animal Farm is an allegory of the Russian Revolution that occurred between 1905 and lasted up to 1917 due to the controversies that occurred between the Bolsheviks
For the majority of the story, the characters remain static and flat. There is no growth of the characters as they remain locked in their "battle of wills." This type of characterization makes the reader focus more on the theme rather than on the individuals themselves. The only growth exhibited by any character is at the end. Jing Mei realizes that it was only a mother’s love which drove her to make Jing Mei succeed. She understands that her mother only had good intentions for her at heart, although the outcome was not the desired effect.
The story is around an American-conceived Chinese lady, Jing-mei, who goes to China to meet her twin stepsisters that her mom was compelled to relinquish numerous prior years. Since her mom had passed away just a couple of months prior, the meeting is full of vulnerability and bitterness. Jing-mei battles with self-character issues and what it truly intends to be Chinese. En route, she takes in reality about the reasons her mom deserted her sisters and the significance behind their names. At last, she at last associates with her sisters and makes the passionate association with her Chinese legacy.