Dai Sijie uses the symbol of the buffalo to demonstrate Four-Eyes’ coming of age. The symbol, buffalo, is an animal. Earlier in the book, Four-Eyes is portrayed to be below the status of the buffalo. Even though Four-Eyes is supposed to be the master of the buffalo, the buffalo seemed “determined to splatter its timid, inexperienced master with as much filth as possible…. One split second of inattention was enough for Four Eyes to receive a blow to the face from the buffalo’s tail, which sent his spectacles hurtling through the air… The creature halted, then heaved from side to side, trampling the muddy bed with vigor, as though intent upon crushing the submerged spectacle with its hooves…” (47). Four-Eyes, as described in the quote is “timid” and “inexperienced.” He lets the buffalo tread over him, unable to control his charge. At the same time, the buffalo is a symbol of everything going wrong in Four-Eyes life. He makes working in the fields hard for Four-Eyes and breaks a large part of his identity, his glasses, a symbol for his intellect.Later in the book, Four-Eyes kills the buffalo, a symbol representing weaknesses and vulnerability. To prove his growth and coming of age, “the event, which would be attended by all the villagers, called for the slaughter of a buffalo.” Four-Eyes moved past his struggles of re-education and returned to society by destroying what was holding him back. He slaughtered the buffalo and drank its blood as a symbol of a restart and reentrance into society.
Overall how did 4-eyes grow as a person?
ReplyDeleteThis blog shows how 4-eyes overcomes and becomes the bigger person, he is much wiser and stronger he has grown a lot.
How does he feel about his reeducation? I see that you forgot to cite the second quote, hench Four-Eyes has never seen himself as an intellectual. He has always complain or lied about his intentions. Like the way he makes friends with Luo to help his mother in the long run, and how he becomes sick when consuming the congeal blood of the bull. His reeducation is shown unsuccessful because of the way he reacts to the traditions and customs from Phoenix Valley.
ReplyDeleteWhat other motivations or influences caused Four Eyes to kill the buffalo? Do you think his mother and his journal position has to do something with these choices?
ReplyDeleteFour Eyes's mother was seen walking and talking with her son during/after his celebration, so this makes me believe she played a role in his decisions to drink the blood of the buffalo before the celebration.
Is there any other reason why Four-Eyes killed the Buffalo or was it simply out of revenge for destroying his glasses. This passage relates to coming of age as in "New China", drinking the blood of a buffalo is a symbol of courage and traveling into manhood. So, by doing this, Four-Eyes's has culturally matured.
ReplyDeleteBut later on in the book we are able to see how he matures and becomes less timid, that is portrayed through the scene where he drinks the Buffalo's blood.
ReplyDeleteBut if he is coming to age, Why does he let his mother almost have all control over him like telling him what to do?
Did Four-Eyes really conquer the buffalo or was it an easy way out since he did not actually slaughter it himself? This analysis describes coming of age because the character was forced to work his way from the bottom of society.
ReplyDeleteBut it wasn't Four-Eyes himself that slaughtered the buffalo. In fact, I'd argue that the buffalo still held an ironic power over him when he (probably unwillingly) ate its congealed blood.
ReplyDeleteCould there be another possible reason for killing to buffalo? Perhaps Four-Eyes was just out for vengeance? This passage relates to the topic of coming of age through the life of Four-Eyes as he begins as a timid boy who is controlled by the buffalo. It is then after his coming of age, that he then can control the buffalo. The drinking of his blood ends his re-education along with his coming of age.
ReplyDeleteHow did Four-Eyes's reaction to the narrator and Luo's transcription of the old miller's songs hint at his more vindictive side, as shown in the quote where he drinks the buffalo's blood? Are these two actions representative of Four-Eyes and show his true nature to the reader?
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting interpretation; what are some examples of how Four-Eyes grows as character and what was a possible reason for him killing the buffalo.
ReplyDeleteI see the connection to coming of age. I also think that since the buffalo blood gave him stomach ache Four-Eyes was never in control of anything except for the buffalo's death.
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