From her father being sent to work in a labor camp, or witnessing her deputy headmaster being denounced by his young daughter, Moying Li had a harsh and unforgiving life, like many during the Cultural Revolution in China. Despite these harsh circumstances, Moying remains strong and gets through the hardships of everyday life. No matter how many challenges Moying Li faced, she never gave up, but instead became a stronger person and made a better life for herself. When Moying was sent away to the Foreign Language School, it was an enjoyable experience at first. She got to witness the birth of a foal, made new friends, and learned, something she had always loved. But when Red Guards slowly start to take over the school, chaos erupts, and her once-orderly life …show more content…
When she sees her beloved grandmother’s face on a poster that accuses her of being “the wife of a filthy capitalist” and “an enemy of the people,” she becomes outraged. After her home being deemed an unsafe place to live in, she goes to live with DiDi at her father’s movie studio, but discovers that some of the violence shown at her old school was apparent there too. After someone reported Baba’s innocent comment, Moying’s life and family was torn apart yet again. Suddenly, Moying’s life had meaning again, as she finds sanctuary in education. “Mark Twain offered me my own passport for adventure—the adventure of the mind, separating the world of reality from the world of the imagination. In this world, I felt safe and happy.” (p.103) This became her escape from the harsh world she lived in, where she was alone. In this world of literature, she, as a young girl, was able to not focus on growing up and having to fend for herself, but enjoy herself, and focus on her education. Moying used reading as a force to overcome obstacles, and she knew that knowledge is