MLA: Compestine, Ying Chang. Revolution is not a dinner party: a novel. New York: H. Holt, 2007. Print.
Summary:
Ling, a nine year old girl was living in a normal house with a
normal family. She was living a happy life with her mom and dad who work as a
doctor. She was a happy girl living happy life until Comrade Li who is on of
Mao’s political officers, came to her house, and took a room that’s in her
house. When everyone was cheering for Chairman Mao, everything became rationed.
Everyone was calling her that she is a bourgeois family. Her neighbor Dr. Wong
was missing after Comrade Li had called him. On her birthday, her Mrs. Wong was
forced to cut her hair and sent to Labor Camp. Their son, Niu was making a plan
to swim in Han River, to go to Hong Kong. After Niu left, Ling’s family heard
that Niu was captured, and he drew class line between his parents and Ling’s
family. When Ling’s father saved antirevolutionary writer, the Red Guards and
Comrade Wong, which is Niu, arrested Ling’s father. After her dad was gone,
Ling and her mom, left there couldn’t afford many things. They had to live less
than usual. When Ling went to school, everyone was calling her a bourgeois, and
she needs to die. Everyone was teasing her, and even her best friend had left
her. Her mom had lost her doctor job and worked as a nurse. In school, Gao, who
is the son of Mao’s political officers were saying that she have to cut her
hair or else she’s going to die. Ling got so mad and said bad words who were
agreeing with Gao and to Gao. Gao got mad so he spat on Ling’s face and saying
that she is a bourgeois family. After that happened, her mom and Ling heard
that his father was doing a surgery to Gao’s dad. When Ling heard that, she
went to see his dad in the hospital and hid in one of the places that no one
would see. When she was caught by Comrade Li, she was forced to put in the
place that no one will go in. Luckily, she went out by help of Gardner Zong………
Historical Setting
There wasn’t any difference between a historical fiction book that I’ve
read and the research. Only difference was that their perspectives were
different, because in the research, they said that Mao Zedong had lead China to
a great success. But in the book, which is Ling’s perspective, it was almost a
lecture. They always had to have a book that is about Mao Zedong, a red scarf,
and if they didn’t had this stuff, they were sent to labor camp or police. Otherwise
than that, everything was same. There were the red guards, and how they’re
dressed with red scarf and red hat.
Setting effect
It effected a
character a lot, because in 1973 till 1976, they couldn’t go out of the
country, everything is rationed; they would lose their jobs or get killed if
they don’t follow the rules. For example, in page 232, Ling had to go up to the
stage and apologize to Gao, who spit on her, just because she was bad to him.
How is this fair? In now, 21st century, that would not happen. It would
never happen in my life. Another example is in page 209; Ling had to shave all
her hair just to get rid of the lice. It affected her a lot, because she’s a
girl and I’m sure that no girls would like to shave their hair.
Major Character
Ling – she is nine year old and she is a Chinese normal girl who
had shaved her hair.
Ling’s mom – she works as a nurse in Chinese medicine hospital. She
has a beautiful, long, black hair.
Ling’s dad – he worked as a doctor, and then he got fired and
started to clean the hospital bathroom. He is a handsome and smart guy.
Characterization
Author’s
characterizations techniques were that she wrote Reaction. On page 218, Gao
said, “I will kill you soon, bourgeois bug.” And Ling’s reaction was “stay away
from me or I will put you in the hospital next to your father.” Another author’s
characterizations techniques were that she wrote reflection. On page 32, when
her mom said, “you haven’t had dinner yet?” she impressed it in herself.
Point of view/ developing main character
The point of view
in The Revolution is Not a Dinner Party is first person point of view.
First person point of view helped to develop the character, because she was
seeing everything in her eye, and describing in this book. It also helped to
develop the character because it explains everything in her perspective. How she
thinks, how she’s going to talk, how she’s going to act.
Theme
The theme of this
book is desire to escape, and family. I thought this was the theme of this book
because she desired to escape by this weird red thing, Mao Zedong and
everything. She was desired to escape from everything, because everyone was
different from her. If it was a good difference, she would stay there learning
more things about them. But this book was not that case. Everyone was decimating
her, and giving her a weird look.
I thought the
theme of the book was family, because almost everything was about her family. She
missed her dad, her mom is always at work, and her neighborhood was like her
family, but they left her. She was explaining about her mom and dad all the
time, so that’s what made me thinks that the theme of this book is a family.
Reflection
I loved this
book, and it was so sad when his dad got arrested and when she had to shave her
hair. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends because this book
was so nice, and I just loved everything in this book. I couldn’t see myself in
this book, because I’m not brave as the main character, and I don’t really get
teased by my classmates. I would rate this book 10 out of 10, because
everything was nice, and it was very nice story.
Vocabulary
Rickshaw-The rickshaw began
as a two or three-wheeled passenger cart, called a pulled rickshaw, generally pulled by one man
with one passenger.
Chatter - machining
vibrations
Ginger - Ginger or ginger root is the rhizome of the
plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice.
Stifle - make (someone) unable to breathe properly; suffocate.
Ambush – An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which combatants take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack unsuspecting enemy combatants from concealed
positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops.
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