The first portion of the book "The Jade Peony" by Wayson Choy, reveals the unique personalities of the main character, Jook-Liang. Jook-Liang is the only sister of the family living in Vancouver Chinatown in the mid-2000s. As she first comes into the reader's view, she is merely a five years old girl who believes in the story of Monkey King. Jook-Liang is raised in a family with a characterize Poh-Poh, or the Grandmother as an old fashioned Chinese women who keeps reiterate that a girl is "mo yung" or "useless" (P 28). Jook Liang has to watch her two brothers playing the game: "Enemies of Free China", and sit wordlessly beside (P 7). Consequently, she keeps insisting: "[she] need a girl-baby to be [her] slave" after her Stepmother is pregnant (P 7). This acknowledges how she resists loneliness and craves for fairness in her family. Jook-Liang understands that "This is Canada", and "not Old China" (P 27). She lives within her imagination of the Monkey King story until a memorable guest comes into her vision.
Another part of the story which demonstrates Jook-Liang's personalities is through her unusual friendship with an elder Chinese man from Hong Kong, who was a worker for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Jook-Liang is a child who carries out her thoughts directly. Once she meets Wong Suk, she is attracted by his wrinkled "Monkey face": "Here was the Monkey King", she keeps brainstorming(P 19). During the formal dinner, Jook Liang suspects that Wong Suk wishes pretend himself as the Monkey King by "wearing a mask", so "[she] wanted all at once to make sure he was not tricking [her]" (P12). Therefore, she starts to verify her concerns:
"At once, [she] stood up on her chair. [She] dropped
[her] chopsticks, turned, and grabbed Wong Sin-saang's
large ear, tugging his Cheetah face towards [her]" (P23).
Jook-Liang considers nothing except to make sure that Wong Suk is not lying to her, although her father emphasizes how full respect is required to Poh Poh's old friend.
Jook-Liang is a child with true inner thinking skills. She values the friendship between Wong Suk and herself. However, when she notices that Wong Suk is about to leave with the "bone shipment" to Old China, she tries to persuade Wong Suk to stay by reminding him his promises towards her (P67). Then, she shows him her "Short'nin' Bread top-steps" dance (P 64). During the departure date, Jook Liang's family drives Wong Suk to the harbour. She watches her best friend disappearing among the crowd, and says nothing, merely keeps staring. She will always remember that "a bandit-prince" has spent fifty cents and brought "his princess" a roll of red ribbon; she will never forget him. Jook Liang is not a character that readers necessarily admire, but she is certainly a person whom readers can understand and sympathize with. She desires to be treated equally as her brothers, but never get much attention. She desires to stay with her best friend, but cannot overthrow the reality. Thus, she can do nothing but treasure this priceless memory into the deepest corner of her heart.
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Jook-Liang sounds like such an adorable little girl! I've never read this book, but your character analysis is enough for me to understand who she is. Her love for the story of Monkey King is really cute. However, I can see that she is not as carefree and happy as a child like her should be. Her two brothers seem to be getting more attention, and she is treated unfairly because she is a girl. It's quite sad that this traditional belief still holds even when they are in Canada, not "the old China." Her friendship with Wong Suk is both sweet and heartbreaking, and I certainly feel her loss when the old friend disappears into the crowd. You did great job of describing the character! I'm quite moved by her story.
ReplyDeleteYour character Jook-Liang sounds like a typical girl from China: Striving to excel but never appearing in the eyes of adults on boys. I must disagree with you about your analysis though because I feel you have not truly exploited Jook-Liang's character. You describe her as a too typical Chinese girl. One who still believes in fairy tales and such. I feel you need to delve more deeply into her character and truly tell us what she is like in her personality and mind.
ReplyDeleteI think you are correct in saying that she is not a character to admire, but rather sympathize with. This is further emphasized by the fact that she is very young, naive, and must bear silent witness to the blatant favoritism in her family.
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