Balzac And The Chinese Seamstress

974 Words2 Pages

Balzac and The Little Chinese Seamstress

What is the ironic result in his success in making the Little Seamstress more Sophisticated?

What does this suggest about attempting to change others to ones beliefs or desires?

Communism came to power in China in the year 1949 and was dictated by Mao Zedong, who later ordered for all educated men and women of China to be reeducated in the countryside. Lou and the narrator were just two of many thousands to be sent off to be reeducated. Lou and the narrator then meet the Little Chinese Seamstress, and Lou, as well as the narrator to an extend fall in love with her.

The result of Lou's actions to re-educate the Little Seamstress to be more sophisticated and cultured, may be viewed by many as ironic as it leads to her leaving the village. The Seamstress's imagination was opened and she planned to discover herself in the large cities of China. By reeducating The Little Seamstress Lou is defying communism and this is shown through a number of symbolic items throughout the book. These defiant acts lead to what Mao Zedong had feared which was an up rise, which Lou had triggered unknowingly, sparking this defiance.

Through Lou's loss of The Little Seamstress, the novel shows that you can't change people to be what you want.

And through this chain of events it shows how Communism doesn't work

The idea that resulted in the Little Seamstress leaving the mountain maybe viewed as ironic by the reader. The ideas of being different and individual, that Lou held and put to practice were what communist Leader Chair man Mao Zedong originally feared. This was why the texts were originally banned in the first place, and viewed as revolutionary trash. As it was thought that they may result in an u...

... middle of paper ...

...o described him as pale and complaint, and his confusion and frustration is clearly stated in when Lou says "she wants to go to the city" on. From that point on Lou is quite unsure what to do, his life seems to lose meaning. As he come to terms with his loss

In conclusion the ironic result achieved by Lou is that through his selfish views, and little consideration to The Little Seamstress, he lost her by opening her eyes to the world of individualism painted in her mind by the words of Balzac. Lou had achieved exactly what Chairman Mao feared in the first place (an uprising of individuals) and that was why books were banned. Through out this novel it shows that the human imagination cannot be confined in the small box known as communism, and that is why it doesn't work. People are always going to find a way out, change the rules, to escape, and live as individuals.

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