Jonathan Gringauz
Blog Post #4
Red Scarf Girl
Risk Taking Researcher
November 2nd
What theme or themes does the author explore in the novel? Which passages in the text connect to theme?
I think that one of the themes that the author (Ji-Li Jiang) connects to is obedience. Because in this memoir, Ji li Jiang knows that bad things can happen if she does not obey her parents,because only her parents know the frowned upon things that their family has done in the past. But that is only one example of how important obedience is in this book. I think that one example of obedience that we can all come up with that is related to this book is obedience to the government. But of course, this theme does not only apply to the Chinese Revolution but still greatly applies to the world today. Even to democratic countries, if you disobey the government rules, you are sure to have consequences.
"This was our 5rst chance to watch the campaign to “Destroy the Four Olds” in action. Our beloved Chairman Mao had started the Cultural Revolution in May. Every day since then on the radio we heard about the need to end the evil and pernicious in2uences of the “Four Olds”: old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. Chairman Mao told us we would never succeed at building a strong socialist country until we destroyed the “Four Olds” and established the “Four News.” The names of many shops still stank of old culture, so the signs had to be smashed to make way for the coming of new ideas." (Red Scarf Girl, Destroy The Four Olds!)
Here, Ji-Li Jiang is doing what she has to do,in order to obey the people who will judge her (the new government) She obeys them to give them a good impression of what she could possibly be in the future.
Blog Post #4
Red Scarf Girl
Risk Taking Researcher
November 2nd
What theme or themes does the author explore in the novel? Which passages in the text connect to theme?
I think that one of the themes that the author (Ji-Li Jiang) connects to is obedience. Because in this memoir, Ji li Jiang knows that bad things can happen if she does not obey her parents,because only her parents know the frowned upon things that their family has done in the past. But that is only one example of how important obedience is in this book. I think that one example of obedience that we can all come up with that is related to this book is obedience to the government. But of course, this theme does not only apply to the Chinese Revolution but still greatly applies to the world today. Even to democratic countries, if you disobey the government rules, you are sure to have consequences.
"This was our 5rst chance to watch the campaign to “Destroy the Four Olds” in action. Our beloved Chairman Mao had started the Cultural Revolution in May. Every day since then on the radio we heard about the need to end the evil and pernicious in2uences of the “Four Olds”: old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. Chairman Mao told us we would never succeed at building a strong socialist country until we destroyed the “Four Olds” and established the “Four News.” The names of many shops still stank of old culture, so the signs had to be smashed to make way for the coming of new ideas." (Red Scarf Girl, Destroy The Four Olds!)
Here, Ji-Li Jiang is doing what she has to do,in order to obey the people who will judge her (the new government) She obeys them to give them a good impression of what she could possibly be in the future.
I think that this image is very powerful because it relates heavily to the book. Ji-li Jiang obeys the "government" to show that her and her family loves them and that they should be accepted.
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