Waiting By Ha Jin Analysis

Timid in Waiting One of the main components that makes us different from animals is that we use logical thinking. When we make decisions, we often consider the advantages and the harms of each choice. But most of the time, our emotion overtakes our logical, and this is when we take risk s instead of following our logic. In the novel, Waiting by Ha Jin, the main character Lin is constantly making choices such as dealing with the unhappily arranged marriage to Shuyu, the unexpected affair with Manna, and the mixed feelings with the newborns. Lin fails to take control of his own life. Although Lin and Manna both the opportunities to make decisions following their hearts, due to the lack of courage, they chooses to compromise rather than risk. …show more content…
On the one hand, It is Shuyu who constantly rejects the divorce proposal, on the other hand, Lin is worried about the damages that the divorce will cause to Shuyu, and Hua. So he hesitants about executing the divorce proposal. Due to Lin’s profession, he has little time to spend in Goose Village each year. Comparing to the life in Muji City, he finds Goose Village is more suitable for him, wether it is the food, the people, or the environment. In Muji city, he carries huge stresses; not only does he have to keep the relationship with Manna in private, but also he is suffering from the strict job regulations that he has to follow. During his time in Goose Village, he is able to escape from all of that. Although Shuyu knows Lin does not love her in a romantic way, she still cares for him. She would cook special food for him, take care of him, and even willing to have a son with him in case when he gets old, there is someone to take care of him. In a such relaxing environment, Lin wants to stay here forever, because he does not want to destroy his exceptional peace, “ The morning snooze was the sweetest to him. He had been home four days already. If only he could stay for a whole month.” (Ha 88) Shuyu represents certainty and security in Lin’s life and when he finally divorces her, he lost that …show more content…
The rape of Manna serves as a turning point in the story, which cues the fading love between Shuyu and Lin. The reason for Lin to marry Manna, at first, he wishes to marry her because he loves her, but now, he has to marry her, otherwise she will be single for the rest of her life. Simultaneously, Manna realizes Lin’s inability to protect her. Lin is never around her when he is most needed. After the rape, all Lin ends up doing are to regret that he introduced Geng Yang to Manna at the first place, but this cannot change the fact that it already happened, “ Her words widened his eyes, riveted on her face. His chin kept shaking, his lips were quivering, and his complexion was dead pale. Beads of sweat appeared on his nose. ‘ beast! such a beast!’”( Chapter 11 part 2, 191) Rather than face the problem, Lin always tend to regret what he has done, and has not done. The passiveness of him causes him to changes his mind about what he wants frequently. Later in the novel, Manna gives births to a twin, but rather than be happy, Lin regrets that he did not force Manna to have abortion at the early stages. The reason for him to think about the abortion is because he likes to avoid any confrontation at all costs. First of all, he is not sure wether he would like to have more children since the relationship between him and Manna is not stable. Second, he is concerned of Manna’s heart condition and