ipl-logo

Power Of Literature In The Novel Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress

728 Words3 Pages

The novel ‘Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress’ explores the transformative power of literature as a central theme. The power of literature is most evident in the character, the little Chinese seamstress.

In the first part of the novel, the seamstress hasn’t been exposed to any books in her life. Therefore, her actions and appearances are not influenced by literature. This novel highlights her attitude towards her own education level. When telling Luo about her limited reading ability, she is described as being “unabashed”. Despite that she cannot read, she is unashamed and is still confident with her skills. This shows that she is satisfied with herself and her life in the mountains. She also seems to believe that her education level …show more content…

The Seamstress has started to be interested in the novels that Luo read for her and showed how she was changed through the new knowledge she has acquired. Luo believed that he could “transform” the “little mountain girl” by reading different kinds of novels. The evidence of this transform began in the change of her attitude towards education. At the beginning of the novel, the seamstress wasn’t really attentive towards education. However when Luo started to read her books hoping to “make her more refined and cultured”, Luo shares the magic of literature with the Seamstress. She began to yearn for more knowledge. Her approach towards books also changes drastically which can be observed in the part where she was listening to Luo reading the book, and “the coat was resting on the flat of her hands, the way a sacred object lies in the palms of the pious.” This quote highlights the passion of the seamstress towards the words written on the coat. The coat is a symbol of education, and it was described to be sacred which shows that she is appreciating literature so much that it almost is like a religious person reverting god. This is linked to the influence of

Show More
Related

Marie Linnette Scott Case Study

1115 Words | 5 Pages

Marie enjoyed learning, she looked up to her father who was a very smart man. Her father always said, “When you’re smart they can’t take that away, they can take your money, put you in jail and throw away a key, but they can’t take your education”. This quote she too lived by. Marie knew her only way out of poverty was to remain sharp on her education skills because this would take her far. Her father being a smart working man had more opportunity’s to learn rather than her

Read More

My Family's Heritage Poem Analysis

783 Words | 4 Pages

For many, people hold objects within their lives as sentiments of greater value than price. Whether it be pictures, necklaces, or a father’s watch; there lies an emotional connection beyond the object’s materialistic presence in which people hold dear. Themes of reminiscence as well reverence are displayed throughout the poem by the use of imagery to further convey the character’s hope that the quilt will represent her family’s heritage just as her grandmothers did, alongside an ethos application of symbolism that further portrays as well connects the emotional links of generations, diversity, and values. The first theme of reminiscence is displayed by tone as well diction in which the author portrays that the quilt allows the woman to create a feeling of connection to her family 's past as well her own. The quilt allowed the woman to feel as though she could potentially “have good dreams for a hundred years,” as mentioned throughout lines twenty and twenty-one just as her Meema.

Read More

Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress Essay

1203 Words | 5 Pages

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, written by Dai Sijie, is set in 1971 during the China’s Cultural Revolution. The book starts with two boys, unnamed narrator and his friend Luo being sent from their hometown Chengdu to a small village in Phoenix Mountain to be “re-educated”. The book continues with them skillfully living through the harsh village life with their talent of storytelling and their western knowledge gained from books. Throughout the novel Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Dai Sijie illustrates different types of literature and how it transforms the character’s life, action and their personalities in both good and bad way. This book is one unique novel about two boys and one little girl’s transformation by the magical

Read More

Of James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man

781 Words | 4 Pages

In addition, she address the planation logic and forms of education that are present within it. However, this point is most effective in demonstrating how this affects the narrator’s view and function within the society of the

Read More

Summary Of Caramelo By Sandra Cisneros

1046 Words | 5 Pages

The novel peeks interest of many audience as the novel indulge a wide rage of reader to empathized with the struggles of trying to maintain a control over an identity within a high standard society as well as connecting to the readers by consolidating with the difficulties of going against an enforced ideals of love and family that critics against one’s own construction of a healthy relationship. The devised beautiful fictional tale, centers around a young girl named Celaya, recounting a collection of anecdotes accumulated by her eyes and ears. By embedding human characteristics, such as the attachment of love, the desire to find oneself, and the grasping on one’s culture, the development of a fiction character can strongly resembles any willed non-fictional character (living

Read More

Compare And Contrast Tan And Hurston

1409 Words | 6 Pages

Tan expresses the life experiences of Chinese immigrants to the United States and attempts to depict the relationship of a mother and daughter through her significant piece of writing ‘The Joy Club’. Therefore, all these authors somehow portrayed their early struggles and their view point towards life from their literary

Read More

Estrella's Use Of Figurative Language Summary

636 Words | 3 Pages

When Estrella “realized words could become as excruciating as rusted nails piercing the heels of her bare feet”, she experienced some harsh judgements of her. However, such judgement and prejudice of her, makes her a stronger person and made her realize just how cruel society is. The simile that Estrella used, demonstrates how hurtful others’ commentaries were yet she shouldered on in her new environment and showed determination to learn new things and tries to become literates. When “she remembered how one teacher had a face of a crumpled Kleenex and a nose like a hook” she illustrates a negative connotation of her teacher which shows how the teacher must not have been the nicest towards her and probably was prejudiced towards her. These types of hardships made her realize the importance of acquiring knowledge because knowing things might put her on a level with those that are

Read More

Sympathization Of Hester Prynne In 'The Scarlet Letter'

972 Words | 4 Pages

Her daughter Pearl was not a ordinary child in any ways comparing to others, she has a tendency of asking question and ridicule her mother often. Pearl took some grass and imitated her mother as best she could on her own bosom the decoration of letter A which is as same like of her mother’s. In this same instance she keeps on questioning “What does the letter mean, mother? And why does you wear it?

Read More

Florence Kelley Child Labor

497 Words | 2 Pages

For example, she states, “They carry bundles of garments from the factories to the tenements… they may work for us”. In telling this impactful comparison of beasts of burden to children, Kelley creates a sense of

Read More

Analysis Of The Lesson By Miss Moore

752 Words | 4 Pages

Everyday, she excels in her job of caring for the children and making a difference in the community. Due to her kindness she would always bring thoughtful gifts for the children. She doesn 't have to do the classes with the children everyday but she continues to do it like Sylvia says “school supposed to let out in the summer I heard, but she dont never let up” (Bambara 96). The lessons learned while earning her degree has lead her to becoming a positive role model in the children 's lives; nonetheless, teaching them lessons that may never learn from others. She shows her passion in the story by saying “she said, it was only her right that she take responsibility for the young ones’ education.

Read More

Critical Lens In Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

1247 Words | 5 Pages

It might surprise readers to know that, by the use of this lens, traces of these subjects can be found in almost any work despite the original nature and intent of the tale. A prime example demonstrating the power of the Marxist lens can be seen when the lens is applied to Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of an Hour”. This short conte depicts the brief sentiment of freedom felt by the fictitious character Mrs. Mallard as she learns that her husband has been killed in a railroad accident. However, her blissful reverie is put to death by death itself when her husband, alive and well, walks through the doors of their home to meet her. On the surface, this would appear to be a tale void of social, political, or economic association; how could such logical themes develop in such an emotional tale?

Read More

Grace And Redemption In A Good Man Is Hard To Find

985 Words | 4 Pages

The Story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O'Connor uses symbols to depict one main idea. Flannery O'Connor uses the same theme in almost all of his stories which is grace and redemption. Grace and redemption is something the grandmother is working towards throughout the entire story. In the beginning, she's very shallow and only cares about how others see her. However as the story continues and different actions take place, her overall beliefs begin to change as she receives grace and redemption.

Read More

The Changeling Poem Analysis

944 Words | 4 Pages

The poem, in brief, is about the struggle the speaker faces as he prepares for war and attempts to explain to his lover how important honor is to him, surpassing even his feelings for her. It is written creatively, with a unique style. The poem is also personal and temporal, a trait of poems of this era. The poem is written in a conversational tone and is read as if by a male writer to a female lover. Lovelace weaves poetic techniques such as assonance, and metaphor together to create a good rhythm, and a theme based upon honor.

Read More

The Human Condition In Literature

1519 Words | 7 Pages

The Human condition is the root of what it means to be human, how we are all human, and in the same way, how we are individuals. Throughout this essay, you will perceive a better understanding of the human condition, and how it is reflected in select pieces of literature. The Human condition is an extremely paramount part of understanding literature. Who are we if we are not human?

Read More

The Necklace Marxist Analysis

1773 Words | 8 Pages

“The Diamond Necklace” by Maupassant teaches how this clash defines society’s interactions with each other. Understanding the desire of the proletariat class to overcome the oppression caused by those who have control over them, will give more understanding to the relationship between the Loisels. Through the characteristic flaws shown by Matilda, Marxist theory is upheld. With Marx’s idea of how Capitalism works, class conflict, manipulation, and repression are exemplified through the characteristic conflicts that build and destroy the husband and wife’s relationship within the story, while helping them become one with each

Read More

More about Power Of Literature In The Novel Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress

Related Topics

Open Document