Journey To Mao's Last Dancer

Li Cunxin’s autobiography, Mao’s Last Dancer and Margaret Attwood’s poem, Journey to the Interior involve journeys, in which the experiences faced by the author change them and their point of view on themselves and the world around them.

As individuals progress on their journeys, they are exposed to new things outside of themselves which change them and challenge their views of the world. This idea is manifested in Mao’s Last Dancer, in which Li, being born a peasant boy and possessing a very limited knowledge, constantly encounters unfamiliar things which alter him. When Li starts going to school he learns about politics and is exposed to propaganda, such as the Little Red Book, songs dedicated to Chairman Mao and an absence of understanding of the West, shaping Li’s view of China and the world. A major change in his outlook on China occurs during his first

In Mao’s Last Dancer, Li knew from a young age that his destination in life was to farm and labour. He even claimed “It was the commune fields for me” and felt “trapped in a well”. However, Li was chosen for Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy, and his journey and its destination completely transformed. In actuality, Li’s destination was constantly changing. He moved from China to America and then to Australia, each time thinking that was where he was going to settle. Li’s opinions also changed. As he started learning ballet, he loathed it, but under Teacher Xiao’s “gentle encouragement” and exposure to videos of Western ballet dancers, Li’s attitude towards ballet turned around, and he began loving ballet. Furthermore, Li’s original desire was to glorify China, becoming a puppet of the communist cause. Despite the constant psychological manipulation, allowing Li the opportunity to visit America caused him to escape the chains of his brainwashing and pushed him to pursue his own