Sunday, September 7, 2014

Line Illuminator

Red Scarf Girl
Ji-Li Jiang
Chapters 6-9

Funeral Procession in Beijing, 1900. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Aug. 2014. Web. 7 Sept. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral>.

      I decided on this image, because it is a funeral in China in the 1900s. which is around the same period as the book I am reading, Red Scarf Girl. Throughout the chapters I read today, at least three people died, and Ji-Li went to one of the funerals. I felt depressed along with the rest of the characters at the suicide of An Yi's grandmother.The book is getting very intense, but at the same time, I feel like I am in Ji-Li's shoes going through the same events as her.
      The first quote I chose is... ""Anyone who sees Chairman Mao is the happiest person in the world," the saying went. That was my secret dream." (107) I selected this quote, because I don't think that this is Ji-Li's secret dream anymore. This is because, she has seen all the things that the revolution he started is doing to innocent people.
      The second quote I picked is... "No one knew what would happen tomorrow." Most children idolized Chairman Mao, and the revolution he started. However, now that so many unexpected, horrible events are happening, I am starting to think that the number of people who idolize him is quickly declining. He is always coming up with different solution to get rid of the "Four Olds" that citizens have to throw away and even burn countless possessions. 

Yi, Anne. College Students in Harbin Re-enact a Typical Scene during the Cultural Revolution. Digital image. China. South China Morning Post Publishers, 20 June 2014. Web. 7 Sept. 2014. <http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1537089/outcry-chinese-students-recreate-red-guard-persecution-yearbook-photos>.

      I settled upon this image, because it represents how they treated innocent people. They would bind their hands and hang "da zi bao" around their neck for people to recognize what they have done and criticize them.

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2 comments:

  1. I agree and disagree with you. About your first quote I also think that the book is getting intense and a little bit sad. With all the deaths and especially An- Yi's grandmothers suicide is really bringing a new side to the book. Since the grandmothers death was a suicide they could not have the proper funeral that they wanted to because Chairman Mao thinks that suicide is a selfish way to die, I also think that to. But either way the family should have a traditional funeral. Also with that old man being tortured she is probably starting to think that Chairman Mao maybe does not want the best for China. I thought she was thinking that when some mean kids wrote a da-zi-bao about her and the red successors being mean to her. But then she saw that red successor telling her story about meeting Chairman Mao and how that was a dream come true. It is now Ji-Li's dream as well. Even with all the deaths and torture she is still oblivious to what he is actually trying to do. So maybe something very drastic will happen to her family and she will go against the revolution but for now she really admires Chairman Mao. Your second quote is pretty much saying the same thing, but that all the other children in China admire him. They probably admire him so much because their parents are teaching them to admire him so much. I think that the parents of those children are teaching them that Chairman Mao is a good person is because, they are scared of what he might do to them. So that they their child will never get tortured or killed because they went against the revolution.

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  2. Mary,

    Your quotes are great. So does your pictures. Your first picture really well describes the real feeling you have while reading this book. I also liked how you said, "I felt depressed along with the rest of the characters at the suicide of An Yi's grandmother.The book is getting very intense, but at the same time, I feel like I am in Ji-Li's shoes going through the same events as her."
    It really shows the emotion you're having.

    For the first quote, I think that people are brainwashed and Chairman Mao is hiding the bad actions and tries to show the good side of him to convince citizens. Well after all, this is dictatorship.

    The second quote really caught my attention while reading your post and when I was reading. It shows me that Ji-Li suffered from a bad day and foreshadows into the future. Great job!

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