River Town Summary

In River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze Peter Hessler chronicles his two-year stay in the Chinese city of Fuling, Sichuan province, as a Peace Corps volunteer, from 1996 to 1998. Fuling has stood on the banks of the Yangtze River for thousands of years, surrounded by mountains, in the center of Sichuan province. Hessler’s arrival in this place of continuity, however, coincides with a period of dramatic change. The construction of the Three Gorges Dam will flood parts of the city and drastically change life in Sichuan. While working as a teacher of English literature at Fuling Teachers College, Hessler witnesses how a group of students raised on the dogma of the Chinese Communist Party reacts to his American style of teaching and interprets Western classics such as Beowulf and the plays of William Shakespeare. Hessler, meanwhile, learns from his students about China and its customs. He describes with passion these walks through the city and his …show more content…
Its only downside is that there are certain sections of the novel that are overwritten, resulting in an overly mellifluous style. This style, along with chapters where the pace is excessively leisurely can end up detracting from the momentum Hessler carefully crafts elsewhere. However, from start to finish, River Town is an extremely passionate and informing account of Hessler’s stay in Fuling. He truly possesses an ability to examine his surroundings objectively. Hessler’s descriptions of the landscapes and people are filled with vivid details and his smooth, interesting prose brings alive his anecdotes and the intricacies of the Chinese laobaixing (commoners). Not only does Hessler’s account show the value of travel as a source of knowledge and truth, but he accomplishes an achievement by venturing into one of the most isolated areas of China and leaving with a unique understanding of the people and