Sophia Takahashi - Literary Analysis

Sophia Takahashi - Literary Analysis

Sophia Takahashi - Literary Analysis
Red Scarf Girl - Chapter 10, 11 and 12
Ji-Li Jiang
Rotation #4 (Literary Analysis)

How does the protagonist change from the beginning to the end of the novel?  What does this character learn about himself (or herself) and about how the world works?

Due to the fact that Ji-Li Jiang was born during/before the Cultural Revolution, she was ‘brainwashed’ by Chairman Mao’s intentions. Ji-Li’s character clearly change throughout Red Scarf Girl, and learns about the consequences that the Cultural Revolution brings. There is great change in Ji-Li, and you can clearly see her character development between the ages of twelve and fourteen. By having Ji-Li Jiang 'brainwashed' by Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution, she does not know about the 'other side'. Into the book, she learns about other opinions.

 

Ji-Li Jiang 

At the beginning of the book, "Chairman Mao, our beloved leader, smiled down at us from his place above the blackboard" (Jiang 3). As shown from the quote, Ji-Li Jiang protrays Chairman Mao as their 'beloved leader'. This quote was written at the beginning of the book. During this period, Ji-Li still didn't know about her families' past etc. Furthermore, "I knew this had something to do with the Cultural Revolution. I wish she would just say so. We were too old to be fooled like little children"(Jiang 123). You can clearly see a difference between the quote from the beginning of the book (Page 3) and the last quote (Page 123). By these two quotes, you can see the change of Ji-Li's mind set and how she has changed her mind about the Cultural Revolution; she wants to know about whats happening but she doesn't know.

In China, around 1966, the Cultural Revolution, Ji-Li did not know about the 'outside world' (west), and was completely oblivious to everything except for everything happening in China. She did not know about anything except for what Chairman Mao was talking about and convincing the population to believe. Throughout the novel, Ji-Li Jiang starts learning about the consequences that the Cultural Revolution brings. This becomes worse throughout the book, and she starts experiencing controversy due to the fact that she comes from a black family. By having this inequality, she becomes aware of the problems of the Cultural Revolution.

Red Scarf Girl Cover