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Discrimination In 'Red Scarf Girl'

435 Words2 Pages

Sarah Pham
Mrs. Rugon
Honors English 9
10/3/16
Discrimination During the Cultural Revolution
Everybody wants to fit in. In America, the media influences social norms, stereotypes, and acceptable behaviors. In Communist China, Chairman Mao and The Communist Party used propaganda to create ideology that destroyed Chinese culture and values. In the memoir, Red Scarf Girl, citizens of black class status endured severe acts of discrimination from The Cultural Revolution.
Jiang Ji-li and her family were forced to make difficult decisions due to the prejudice on their family name. Ji-li was not able to audition for a place in The Central Liberation Arts Academy because her family’s political background would not have passed the strict recruiting requirements. She was certain that she had a good chance of qualifying based on her skills, but she obeyed her father’s instructions to not compete. Ji-li felt that it was unfair for her to be judged by the position of her ancestors rather than her individual talent. In addition, the Jiang family also had to burn their old photos and paint over their trunks. …show more content…

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