referring to wild swans, chang, what are the goal, success and failurres of chinese revolution

"Father is close, Mother is close, but neither is as close as Chairman Mao."

A fascinating description of one family's experiences of China'south political upheavals across the 20th century, focusing on Jung Chang'due south grandmother, mother, and and then herself.

Although the family are fairly privileged much of the time, they still experience cracking hardships: being a Party fellow member, or even Party official, was no guarantee of amnesty from persecution and sometimes torture.

Hard to categorise - just don't exist dau

"Male parent is shut, Mother is shut, only neither is every bit close as Chairman Mao."

A fascinating description of one family's experiences of People's republic of china'southward political upheavals across the 20th century, focusing on Jung Chang's grandmother, mother, and then herself.

Although the family unit are fairly privileged much of the fourth dimension, they however experience great hardships: being a Party fellow member, or even Political party official, was no guarantee of immunity from persecution and sometimes torture.

Hard to categorise - but don't be daunted

Information technology's part biography/autobiography and part a historical/ political/ psychological exposition of how Communist People's republic of china came into being and how it maintained its agree on its citizens, even during extreme hardship, such every bit dearth. However, it has the readability of a novel, eschewing sheer horror and dry out history - quite an accomplishment.

This book tin can seem daunting because of its size, subject area matter and fame, merely it'due south really a riveting read and although some of the content is harrowing, the writing manner is very easy going. Information technology is a circuitous story, but it is not disruptive.

It's subtitled "Iii daughters of China", merely information technology's a story for everyone. Stiff women are in the foreground, simply ane of the virtually powerfully drawn characters is Jung Chang'south father: born poor, largely self-educated, who loved literature, was a passionate and principled Communist (putting Party earlier family), rising to power as an official, simply who couldn't cope when he saw his behavior being violated in the name of the Party.

Contradictions inherent in the arrangement

"They verbally attacked each other with Mao's quotations, making cynical employ of his guru-like elusiveness - information technology was easy to select a quotation of Mao's to suit any situation, or even both sides of the same argument."

Although I have read quite a few books about Cathay, this one gets to the heart of the contradictions of The Party and how to educate a vast nation far better than many others. When Jung Chang subsequently wrote a biography of Mao, she'd already washed much of the groundwork in Wild Swans.

Brutality and hypocrisy of various kinds are described, but information technology's some of the subtler hardships that were especially vivid. I find information technology extraordinary that strong family ties could coexist with couples not allowed to alive together and an apparent casualness/resignation of children left to live with wet nurses, relatives or in boarding nurseries for years.

Paradigm: Scene from The Red Detachment of Women, one of the Eight Model Operas of the Cultural Revolution (Source.)

During the Cultural Revolution, which began when Jung Chan was a teenager, ignorance was glorified (even in universities) and beautiful artefacts destroyed; the family were expelled from the official compound and sent to live in rooms in an old mansion:
"Beauty was so despised that my family unit was sent to this lovely house equally a penalisation."

Unexpected levity

In that location is humour besides: sending those studying English to a southern port to practice past talking to strange sailors; not being able to rename a street whose sign was as well loftier, and traffic chaos when it was decided that blood-red was a positive colour so oughtn't to mean "stop"!

The extraordinary degree of organization in some aspects of life and none in others aligned with my expectations, but as well highlighted contradictions, such as beingness sent to "learn" from the peasants, with no guidance as to what was to be learnt, nor business relationship of the peasants not wanting extra mouths fastened to not very useful hands.

Flaws

The principal bug are minor, but withal irritating.

* Although the political history is explained very well, because information technology is also autobiographical, important events that didn't affect the family unit (such as the Long March) are barely mentioned and this is where its confused identity between biography and political text book are a weakness.

* People refer to others by relationship ("my mother", "my father's mother in law" etc), which is confusing when dissimilar characters talk most their relatives, without using names.

* Some passages audio clichéd; that is partly because I accept read many other books on similar subjects, but it is as well because at times the writing style really is somewhat bland.

Still, this is an insightful, accessible, and enjoyable volume.

Horror and hope

There are many horrors in this book (though by and large not graphically described), but I didn't find it depressing: the indomitable spirit of many of the people, coupled with the fact I know Jung Chang is now happy and successful, give an air of hope.

Freedom?

China's people are still far from free, but having read this volume and travelled circular China in '92 and '08, the transformation is remarkable - and ongoing. Information technology'south a crowded country, but also one of tranquil beauty.

Epitome: The calm of Shennong Stream (a tributary of the Yangtze), April 2008

moodyhudinted.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1848.Wild_Swans

Share this post