"It… it… it’s so unfair. I have never gotten one point, not a single point, that I didn’t deserve. And I spent so much time helping Yin Lan-lan and the others with their arithmetic, and now they go and insult me like this. It’s disgusting." Page 81
I think this quote is important because it shows how one belief can change your opinion. In Red Scarf Girl, the main character, Jiang Ji-Li, happens to have higher grades than other people in her class. She used to help a girl called Yin Lan-lan, who was not very bright, but when the news that teachers are trying to make kids revisionists, some kids, including Yin Lan-lan, write a da-zi-bao about a relationship between a teacher and Ji-li. Ji-li was mad at the da-zi-bao not only because it said that she had a relationship with a teacher, but due to the fact that she used to help Yin with math a lot. I believe that Yin wrote the da-zi-bao about Ji-li as a result of her jealousy of Ji-li's good grades.
I chose this image because I think it represents how Ji-li was feeling after she read the da-zi-bao about herself and teacher Ke.
"I was numb. Landlord! One of the bloodsuckers who exploited the farmers! The number-one enemies, the worst of the 'Five Black Categories,' even worse than criminals or counterrevolutionaries! My grandfather? And Dad, a rightist? One of the reactionary intellectuals who attacked the Parry and socialism? No, I could not believe it." Page 91-92
I think this quote is meaningful because in the book having any family members that are part of one of the Five Black Categories can ruin your life. For example, Ji-li had two great opportunities to be a red succesor or a red guard. However, due to her family's past she was advised not to audition to be a red guard and wasn't nominated to become a red succersor.
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I chose this image because I think it represents how everyone in Ji-li's family is happy but she isn't and whishes she was born in another family, with different parents, which makes her want to be outside her family tree.
I also agree with you and chose similar quotes with similar meanings. For example in the first one how people that were once her friends are spreading lies about her. I think that before the cultural revolution it was a normal school with a no tolerance to bullying probably. But now that they have the freedom to write awful things about teachers and students they really don't care who are their friends. I am guessing that they are just happy that they get to insult and spread rumors about someone openly, without getting in trouble. I mean how is that helping anyone. All it is doing is making someone feel more insecure and have less confidence in themselves. Also why do they need to write the da-zi-bao about teachers? Yes even teachers make mistakes and they learn from it. Just like they are teaching their students to do. Don't get me wrong I bet everyone really wants to write a da-zi-bao about a teacher they really dislike but they are not trying to pick on you on purpose. Also with your second quote same thing. It is not Ji-li's fault that her grandfather was a landlord. So why do people that were once her friends need to torment her with that. Also making fun of her aunt in front of her was very unnecessary. Because I bet her aunt did nothing really wrong to those kids and they just wanted to punish her for being cranky and probably tired. So I completely agree with your two quotes since they were similar to the message I was also trying to say in my post.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the first quote. I was really surprised how her friends just suddenly changed just because of a few comments on a wall. But I kind of understand whats happening though.One of my family members are really religious. When she remembers that you need to be kind to the one next to you she completely changes. So culture and religion are something that kind of shape you. I kind of see Ji-li s friends point. They are just going with what they think is right.
ReplyDeleteIsabel,
DeleteI liked the comment you made in my post, and when you talked about culture and religion shaping you I thought about Ji-li's situation once more. Your comment made me notice these things you said on your comment, but they also made me realize that she is a kid that believes in everything, just like you mentioned on your previous comment. I also think that it helped me notice that the culture didn't only affect Ji-li in her beliefs but also in 95% of her thinking. If the cultural revolution hadn't changed people's minds they wouldn't care about being Red successors or Red guards. Anyways, I liked your comment because it made me reflect more and notice things I didn't the first time I read the chapters for week #2.