Throughout the novel ‘Dragonkeeper’ Ping experiences several developments that shape her as a character and give meaning to the novel. Over the course of the novel Ping develops from a dependant slave girl who thinks nothing of herself into a strong and independent young woman. Furthermore, these developments form meaning within the novel. In the novel, Ping, a slave girl from ancient China is required to embark on a long and perilous journey with Danzi and the dragon stone to the Ocean. This journey ultimately develops Ping as both a character and a person. This information can be seen in the following quote where Danzi states the philosophy, “The straight path must sometimes be crooked” (page 128). This quote uses a metaphor to describe how
