Huang writes this book about his family and it is centered around a coffin that his father had made for his grandmother. I enjoyed this book because it provided a glimpse of what it was like to grow up in the 70s and 80s in Communist China.
Huang notes that in communist China burial was illegal and every one was cremated. His grandmother made his father promise that he would bury her. This caused considerable strain in his marriage as he agreed to do so. Huang notes “I was often vexed by her adherence to the old ways” when speaking of his grandmother.
His father tried for years to gain admission into the communist party and he was finally admitted. Huang notes “Party membership rekindled his hope in life.” It was about the same time that grandmother asked for a coffin. Huang’s father often feared what owning a coffin would do to his standing in the party.
At school Huang was being taught “Only Chairman Mao and the communist party are your closest relatives, said our teacher. If your parents or relatives engage in any counterrevolutionary activities you should not hesitate in reporting them or publicly denouncing them it is a true test of your revolutionary will.” Huang wondered about the coffin but his father taught him to never betray your family.
As Huang read outside of the classroom he noted “I had learned a different set of values. Friendship could transcend ideologies. Friends protected and made sacrifices for each other.”
When his father died Huang reflected “For all his loyalty to the party, when China was freed from the radical ideological control of chairman Mao and began slowly to prosper he and millions of workers, the vanguard of the proletariat, who underwrote communist China were left behind confused and disillusioned. He died because his lungs had been scarred by years of exposure to industrial pollutants. His heart broken by the unrealized 6.5 yuan promotion and the depth of corruption that had twisted the ideals of the party he supported.”
Overall this was a quick read that presented many ideas to think about. I give it 4 out of 5 stars
Great literature should do more than entertain us. It should provide a roadmap to improving our lives.
In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens introduced readers to Sydney Carton, one of literature's most compelling and deeply flawed characters. Dickens also gives him an unusual title: the Jackal.
His struggles raise questions that remain relevant today.
Are we defined by our past mistakes? Can we overcome our weaknesses? What separates the people we are from the people we could become?
Lessons From the Jackal is a 25-day character study exploring these questions through Sydney Carton’s life, decisions, relationships, and personal development.
This is not a traditional course on A Tale of Two Cities. Our reading assignments will focus specifically on Carton, with sufficient background provided to understand his story. No previous knowledge of the novel is necessary.
Each day will feature selected readings, historical comparisons, reflection questions, discussions, and practical challenges ...
“Don’t be afraid to hear me. Don’t shrink from anything I say. I am like one who died young. All my life might have been.
No Mr. Carton. I am sure the best part of it might still be; I am sure that you might be much, much worthier of yourself.”
A Tale of Two Cities
Book II
Chapter 13 beginning where yesterday’s assignment ended through the end of the chapter.
Contextual Background:
Lucie Manette was raised in England believing that both of her parents were dead. Her mother had died when Lucie was very young, and her father, Dr. Alexandre Manette, had disappeared before she could know him. In reality, Dr. Manette had been secretly imprisoned in the Bastille for eighteen years. His imprisonment profoundly damaged his physical and psychological well-being. When he was released, he had become so accustomed to making shoes in his prison cell that he continued the activity after regaining his freedom.
When Lucie first encounters her father in Paris, she discovers a man who has nearly lost his sense of identity. He struggles to recognize his surroundings and has difficulty recalling the life he once lived.
Yet Lucie does not regard her father's condition as permanent. She approaches him with compassion, patience, and the conviction that his ...
