“Our attention was immediately drawn to the contortions of his stomach, the sight of which was so extraordinary as to obliterate his voice, the tune and everything else from our consciousness” (73)
“When he began to sing the wrinkles billowed out, forming little waves that rippled across his tanned and gleaming body” (73)
Sijie uses the symbol of the Old Storyteller’s stomach to illustrate the hope of the two boys. The storyteller’s stomach captivated the attention of the boys so that they were engaged in the ripples and nothing else. The Storyteller’s stomach would seem like a trivial detail to most people, but to the boys, they held on to that detail and focused on it, nothing else seemed important to pay attention to. That idea of holding on to an idea or detail and focusing on it seems to be similar to what people do when they have hope, they hold on to it and let it consume their thoughts. The sight of the ripples in the stomach seemed to be almost magical and surreal to the boys, as hope can often be when one lets it engross them. The Old Storyteller’s stomach can connect to the hope the boys have of getting more books from Four-Eyes, and of the new ideas and stories to come for them in the future. Since they were promised more of the forbidden books by Balzac in return for collecting authentic mountain songs from the miller, once the Old Storyteller started singing, the ripples and undulation of his stomach represented that they were one step closer to obtaining those books. The boys seemed obsessed with the extraordinary rippling and how it seemed magical, like how they were almost obsessed with the thought of new stories for them to imbibe.
How does this hope drive them to continue pursuing the forbidden books in Four-Eyes' suitcase and does the Old Storyteller's stomach impact that?
ReplyDeleteThe connection between the Old Storyteller's rippling stomach to hope creates a fun correlation between the enticing stomach of the Old Storyteller and the hope that results.
Love your thoughts! Another way to think of that scene is humor and joy... in this bleak situation, they are able to find a moment of laughter and connection with this Old Miller.
ReplyDeleteThis could also represent loss because as the two boys listen and watch to the old mountain songs, they are seeing the kind of culture that they would have to lose due to the cultural revolution. As they listen to the old songs that are banned in China by their leader Mao, they are listening to the Old China and the songs and customs that were one banned.
ReplyDeleteThis could also represent loss because as the two boys listen and watch to the old mountain songs, they are seeing the kind of culture that they would have to lose due to the cultural revolution. As they listen to the old songs that are banned in China by their leader Mao, they are listening to the Old China and the songs and customs that were one banned.
ReplyDeleteHow do the characters do the character use the hope they get from the old miller to do greater things?
ReplyDeleteI think this can also connect to coming of age. In the face of their seemingly hopeless situation, they are able to grow up and find joy in the little things. Unlike little kids, they do not continue to only wallow and mourn for what they are no longer able to do, but move on and set new goals and aspirations.
First of all great job to everyone that contributed to this post, it is a well-developed paragraph with interesting ideas. I would never connect the stomach of the storyteller to hope, but you guys did a good job of connecting them so it actually make sense. The analysis of this process is also well-done that it is pretty persuasive. But on the other hand I think the argument that the author uses the symbol of the Old Storyteller's stomach to illustrate the hope of the two boys is not very strong even though you support it well. There are no direct evidence and the quote you chose is not really related to your argument either.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that watching the Old Storyteller's stomach as he sang gave Luo and the narrator hope that they could provide Four-Eyes with a song for his collection and be rewarded with a book?
ReplyDeleteThe connection between the Old Storyteller's stomach and hope is clearly shown in this post.
I can see somewhat how the man himself can be a symbol of hope for the boys since he's their chance to get more books. However, I still don't understand why it's his stomach and not his person that is a symbol of hope. Why would the stomach be the symbol of hope and not the old man himself?
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that stood out to me was how you connected the quotes to hope. It's an odd concept, but I like how you interpret it.
ReplyDelete