Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress Reading Questions(7)

p. 131-157
46. Why does the narrator say, “I had turned into a sadist—an out and out sadist”(134)? Do you agree with his label?
The narrator says that quotes because he feels pleasure by inflicting pain to the village headman. I agree with his label because he can feel that happiness through the pain of village headman who bothers him and Luo since they came to the village.
47. On p. 135-146, we are given 3 separate accounts of the same after noon. For each of the stories, analyze the significance of what they drew from that afternoon. The old Miller: What does he realize in seeing Luo and the Little seamstress by the lake? Luo: What does Luo see in the actions of the Little Seamstress and his own fate?
The old Miller felt ashamed because he was so keenly aware of being an old man whose body was limp where it was not bony. And Luo see that the Little Seamstress is the only person in the world who still believes that Luo would need his keys again some day when he releases from re-education. Luo and the Little Seamstress like to play the key ring game each time they when to the secluded mountain pool. According to the Little Seamstress she just love pleasing Luo, and that’s all there is to it. However, today the Little Seamstress could not find the keys because the snake bit her. Therefore, Luo has to return to his parents’ house without his keys and it is very ironic.
48. When Luo leaves to tend to his mother, he entrusts the narrator to take care of the Little Seamstress. How does the narrator conceive of his role of caretaker? Analyze how he becomes a character like the ones in the books he has been reading.
The narrator was surprised and flattered by his request, and promised to do as he instructed because the narrator thinks that the request is the evidence of his trust in the narrator. He tries to help the Little Seamstress and takes care of her as if he is an undercover agent bravely with a sense of responsibility.
49. What function does the narrator play in the Little Seamstress’ world? Why is he tormented by the local city youth? What is his response to their attack when he is alone and what part does the Little Seamstress play?The narrator was a story teller, cook, laundryman, and manicurist. He was tormented by the local city youth because they feel jealous of the narrator who is close to the Little Seamstress. When he is attacked by them he could not respond anything to them. However, the Little Seamstress could not even recognize that the narrator hurt his left ear because of the local city youth.