Little Seamstress Essay

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Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, captures how education can greatly impact a person’s life. In the beginning of the book two city boys are relocated to the country side for re-education on Phoenix Mountain. Here they meet a girl named the Little Seamstress. They see her as a gorgeous treasure, but uncivilized. Under Lou and the Narrators teachings she transforms into a knowledgeable young woman who wants more in life. With her new found ardor for learning she evolves. The Little Seamstress shows how the uneducated seek education, and through perseverance can achieve great lengths. When Luo and the Narrator meet the Little Seamstress she is described as beautiful and naïve. The Little Seamstress lives on the mountain with her father who is a tailor. Her clothing is a delicate pink and sophisticated. Her eyes are lovely and sparkle, which compliments her oval face, and long black hair. After spotting a book while in her home, the Narrator asks her if she can read. “Not much,” (25) she replies. This shows that the Little Seamstress is uncivilized because she cannot read much. She even says that she is only educated at an elementary level. After the boys meet the Little Seamstress, they begin to change her throughout the novel through love, imagination, and Balzac. During the boys re-education through hard labor they meet Four-Eyes, who they suspect to have a suitcase full of banned western books. Because of the re-education under Chairman Mao’s rule this excites the boys for many reasons including; self-enjoyment, and educating the Little Seamstress so she will become civilized like them. Luo and the Narrator make a plan to steal the suitcase, along with the help from the Little Seamstress. This act from the Little Seamstress displays that she wants to learn. After the success in stealing the banned

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