The Courtesan Ap Essay

Kaitlynn Loc Mrs. Gray ENG3U1-01 19 May, 2024 Unconscious Harm “Without reflection we go blindly on our way, causing more unintended consequences, and failing to do anything useful” - Margaret Wheatly. The novel The Courtesan: A Novel In Six Parts by author Alexandra Curry is a story which illustrates the profound impact of one's actions, the gravity of unintended consequences, and the profound impact they can have on others. Showing how by basing actions on blind desires and high expectations, one can be negatively affected. Demonstrating how pursuing personal aspirations often leads to unintended harm and can cause emotional turmoil for others around you. First of all, desires are often self-indulgent, which fuels one's aspirations but also

Suyin inadvertently gets raped by the Prince as a result of staying in the city and his hate of outsiders. With Suyin who tells Jinhua to “[g]o away[. ]’ (...) [after the prince was finished.] [Suyin] [r]age[s] at [Jinhua] who [was] never (...) wise to listen. Who did not see the snare. Who thought first of herself-” (Curry 341). This highlights how she has unconsciously decided to betray Suyin, causing her pain as a result of her pursuit of her desires. Furthermore, another instance is witnessed when Wenping decides to reconnect with his former lover from a past life, leading him to take Jinhua as a concubine. Disregarding his wife's sentiments, he lavishes Jinhua with unwavering affection, stoking jealousy and distrust in his spouse. Fearing that her place will be taken, she thinks that “[s]ometimes it is the courtesan who poisons the wife”(174). This growing distrust she has of others around her causes anxiety about her

Also emphasizes the need for consideration of the impact of one's actions on those around them. Secondly, the imposition of unrealistic expectations in relationships can burden others and strain emotional bonds. This is demonstrated by Wenping's rigid gender role expectations imposed on Jinhua which breed discomfort and ignite her yearning for freedom, ultimately leading her to form a romantic attachment with a count. This internal conflict is epitomized in Jinhua's dream with an image of Suyin proclaiming “ ‘Your baba is gone, and you have lost your way, and you are another man’s wife” (264). This demonstrates her unconscious guilt toward Wenping as she feels she has betrayed his expectations, causing internal conflict with her morals Similarly, Aiwen, a prostitute, harbours unrealistic expectations of love, as she relentlessly pursues an unattainable ideal. Suyin, her long-time roommate, begins to grow concerned over Aiwen's expectations as they grow to be more unrealistic. She decides to tell Aiwen “[while] her heart breaks. ‘No more crushed Taihu pearls, (...) [n]o more polishing.’ How thick and dark Aiwen’s hair still