Summary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress

Whether it be the re-education or just coming of age, the Narrator in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie develops monumentally. In this passage, The Narrator was caught retelling the tailor a story he had read. However, the headman put forth a proposition. If Luo (the Narrator’s friend) can fix his tooth, he will not report the Narrator to the Security Office. The headman is both respected and feared yet in reality, he is quite vulnerable. This is proven during his tooth procedure performed by Luo. The Narrator’s reaction to the surgery reveals his desire to get revenge on the headman. The passage starts out with an in-depth description of the headman’s extracted tooth. The fragile state of his tooth is espied along†¦show more content†¦There are no coral reefs in this secluded, mountainous region nor in the Chinese city he grew up in. He must have learned this from somewhere, like a forbidden book from Four-Eyes. This is a double hit at the headman. Not only is he making fun of his ‘fang†, but he is also using the knowledge he learned from books to do so. All of these details prove that the headman does have the body of an admirable leader. Who would want to listen to someone with â€Å"tobacco-stained teeth?†. Medical diction and jargon such as â€Å"scientific aid†, â€Å"diagnosis†, â€Å"syphilis†, â€Å"extracted†, and â€Å"decayed† are included to declare that Luo is more knowledgeable than the headman. Both Luo and the Narrator were sent to re education in the first place because their parents were in the medical field. Now, Luo’s medical familiarity is greatly needed. How ironic. This is not to say that dental hygiene makes or breaks a good leader, but, generally those in charge are treated well because of their power. The Narrators realization that the headman is not physically fit adds to the fuel of wanting revenge. Because the Narrator is so focused on the poor condition of the headmans teeth, it is revealed to the reader that he feels some pleasure in seeing the headman suffer. He focuses on the the gore and discomfort of the tooth rather than expressing any sort of sympathy. As far as the procedure goes, a sewing machine is utilized to perform the operation. When theShow MoreRelatedSummary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress972 Words   |  4 Pagesinstalled a communist government led by Mao in the mid 20th century. As part of their new regime, China instituted a process of re-education, where citizens would be educated in the ways of communist principles. The book Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress details two young Chinese men, the narrator and his friend Luo, in the early 1970’s who have been forced to undergo this process of Re-education. They have been sent to a small village in rural China, far from the life of the large city in whichRead MoreSummary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Sea mstress901 Words   |  4 PagesIn Dai Sijie’s 2001 novel, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, the narrator is constantly evolving, and adapting to his new life. The passage being looked at here details one of his final ‘major’ changes. The narrator, Luo, and the tailor have teamed up in effort to help the Headman with a bad tooth that has been bothering him. Throughout this passage, as previously mentioned, the narrator undergoes a change. What makes it notable, however, is that it’s not necessarily a change that he’s veryRead MoreSummary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress756 Words   |  4 PagesDai Sijie’s book â€Å"Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress† is a novel about the life story and adventures of a boy (Narrator) and his friend Luo. They are being re-educated in a mountain village in China. Once in awhile, when they would have a day off of working in the fields/mines, they would leave their village to vi sit either the Little Seamstress (Luo’s girlfriend) or their friend Four Eyes. One day, Narrator and Luo went to Four Eyes’s house and discovered that he had a mysterious suitcase