老人的肚子
“Being so thin, he didn’t actually have a stomach at all, just wrinkled skin forming innumerable tiny folds on his abdomen. When he began to sing the wrinkles billowed out, forming little waves that rippled across his tanned and gleaming. The band of plaited straw that served as his belt began to undulate too. Every now and then, it disappeared into a roll of skin, but just as seemed lost forever in the tidal flow it re-emerged, dignified and pristine. A magical waistband.” (73)
“The old miller smiled too, and went on singing while the skin eddied across his stomach. Luo and I rolled over the ground in a paroxysm of hilarity.” (74)
Thesis: Sijie uses the symbol of the old miller’s stomach to emphasize the point that part of growing up includes letting go of vanity and other hardships. The old man is wrinkled, small, thin, and he sucks on pebbles and sings crude songs in his spare time, but he is one of the happiest people in the story. Therefore, he has fulfilled his life and made the most of it, which is part of growing up. One cannot truly be an adult until they are free from life’s hardships and desires, which is exactly what the stomach represents.
By Sarah, Izzy, Carissa, Lauren
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ReplyDeleteGreat observation on how he is one of the happiest characters - strong analysis!
ReplyDeleteI see that the stomach represents how when you grow up you lose your sense of vanity and other hardships, as you have discussed in the thesis. Throughout the book, however, the characters undergo many hardships and one of the major themes is coming of age, so are the troubles they go through not part of growing up?
ReplyDeleteI loved your connection to "coming of age", it was really interesting! I never would of thought of it myself, but I can understand it now. My one question is Is anyone really ever free from life's hardships?
ReplyDeleteI really like how you said he is one of the happiest people in the story, despite the poverty he is in. I never thought it that way! So does this mean that Luo and the narrator will find happiness in their life soon, since they have gone through many hardships?
ReplyDeleteCould the old man be an idea of the narrator or Luo in the future? The old man seemed to be comfortable with the unfortunate situation he was in, and seems like he would accept the fact that this was the way that he would end his life.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think the old miller is so content with life, considering his situation? I really like the analysis you made about his happiness, because I had never thought about it from that angle before. This does show coming of age, and acceptance of getting older as well.
ReplyDeleteI really love the connection you guys made between these two! This does show the coming of age between the characters and how it influences them throughout. How can you be free from hardships?
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