Memoir Essay: Red Scarf Girl
Out with the old and in the New! Red Scarf Girl is about a girl named Ji-Li Jiang and her experience during the Cultural Revolution. In 1966, she was twelve years old and in the sixth grade. That was the year the Cultural Revolution started. Chairman Mao led the revolution and went with the model of get rid of the “Four Olds”: old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. Ji-Li Jiang illustrates how the Cultural Revolution caused wide spread fear leading to many torn families and the desire of a young girl to fit in. Fear of the Cultural Revolution caused not only Ji-Li’s family to break but many others as well. During one cold afternoon Ji-Li sees Aunt Xi-wen sweeping the street but she trips over the broom …show more content…
But, “Shan-shan had walked right past his mother! She was lying there, injured, and he had not stopped to help her. He couldn’t possibly missed her, He must not have wants to expose himself to criticism by helping someone from a black category,” (142). Seen here, fear has caused a son not to help his own mother. Shan-shan cannot show any feelings towards his mother or he also would be put into the black category. The only thing he can do is to sever his relationship with his mother, to protect himself and his status. Later Ji-Li is approached by the Liberation Amy officers many times seeing if she will cut ties with her family. During one of her visit to see her father the officers says, “‘You are different from your parents. You were born and raised in New China. You are a child of Chairman Mao. You can choose your own destiny: You can follow your …show more content…
After Ji-Li finds out that her grandfather was a landlord, her father talks to her, “‘Yes. Your classmates may talk, and our neighbors may talk. We can’t help that. You may not be able to join the Red Successors. We can’t do anything about that, either. But you don’t have to be ashamed, because it isn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. Do you see that’…… ‘It’s not my fault,’ I repeated to myself. ‘It’s not my fault,’” (63). Ji-Li is trying to convince herself that it’s not her fault, that her grandfather being a landlord has no relation to her. She is trying hard to break free from her past and be accepted as a part of the revolution. Fear of her past is fueling her desire to fit in. Later, when she starts high school she is excited by the fact that no one knows about her past. “My heart was pounding. I looked around the class. There was no one I knew. I scanned the seating chart again. None of my former classmates were in this class. No one in this class knew about my class status! I could make a new start and just be a person like everyone else,” (158). Ji-Li is intrigued by how she can start over; a clean slate. No one knows about her grandfather, so she is able to do what she wants to do. She is able to fit in and not fear that she is contained by her past. Fear of being different leads one to desire to
Out with the old and in the New! Red Scarf Girl is about a girl named Ji-Li Jiang and her experience during the Cultural Revolution. In 1966, she was twelve years old and in the sixth grade. That was the year the Cultural Revolution started. Chairman Mao led the revolution and went with the model of get rid of the “Four Olds”: old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. Ji-Li Jiang illustrates how the Cultural Revolution caused wide spread fear leading to many torn families and the desire of a young girl to fit in. Fear of the Cultural Revolution caused not only Ji-Li’s family to break but many others as well. During one cold afternoon Ji-Li sees Aunt Xi-wen sweeping the street but she trips over the broom …show more content…
But, “Shan-shan had walked right past his mother! She was lying there, injured, and he had not stopped to help her. He couldn’t possibly missed her, He must not have wants to expose himself to criticism by helping someone from a black category,” (142). Seen here, fear has caused a son not to help his own mother. Shan-shan cannot show any feelings towards his mother or he also would be put into the black category. The only thing he can do is to sever his relationship with his mother, to protect himself and his status. Later Ji-Li is approached by the Liberation Amy officers many times seeing if she will cut ties with her family. During one of her visit to see her father the officers says, “‘You are different from your parents. You were born and raised in New China. You are a child of Chairman Mao. You can choose your own destiny: You can follow your …show more content…
After Ji-Li finds out that her grandfather was a landlord, her father talks to her, “‘Yes. Your classmates may talk, and our neighbors may talk. We can’t help that. You may not be able to join the Red Successors. We can’t do anything about that, either. But you don’t have to be ashamed, because it isn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. Do you see that’…… ‘It’s not my fault,’ I repeated to myself. ‘It’s not my fault,’” (63). Ji-Li is trying to convince herself that it’s not her fault, that her grandfather being a landlord has no relation to her. She is trying hard to break free from her past and be accepted as a part of the revolution. Fear of her past is fueling her desire to fit in. Later, when she starts high school she is excited by the fact that no one knows about her past. “My heart was pounding. I looked around the class. There was no one I knew. I scanned the seating chart again. None of my former classmates were in this class. No one in this class knew about my class status! I could make a new start and just be a person like everyone else,” (158). Ji-Li is intrigued by how she can start over; a clean slate. No one knows about her grandfather, so she is able to do what she wants to do. She is able to fit in and not fear that she is contained by her past. Fear of being different leads one to desire to