It was interesting to read "Saboteur" after reading a light story like "The Gift of the Magi" because the style and tone are incredibly different. Ha Jin's style is simple and easy to read. Because he is a more modern writer, he writes this way and tends to not use a lot of difficult language or weighted sentences. I can tell that these two stories were written in drasticly different time periods: 1906 and 2000. In addition to the language in the style, the narrator goes unnoticed because they stay fairly neutral and don't interject or commentate (as opposed to "The Gift of the Magi").
I thought that it helped to read about the author, Ha Jin, before I read the story because I was able to pick out certain pieces of the story that made more sense because of Ha Jin's background. He wrote with little setting detail, which was maybe because he was from China when he was younger, and he could picture the setting. Therefore, he didn't feel like it had to be explained. In addition, you are able to understand his disgust behind the government. This comes through his writing in the way that he alludes to the characters: there is clearly good and bad characters in this story.
The tone felt like it was mostly set up around Mr. Chiu's situation and the injustice of it. As Mr. Chiu says, " 'I didn't do anything. Your men are the saboteurs of our social order. They threw hot tea on my feet and on my wife's feet. Logically speaking, you should criticize them, if not punish them' " (p. 172). And yet, the tone becomes frustrating and aggrivating as they don't listen to him. As, "Anger flared up in Mr. Chiu" (p. 172), the reader grows more frustrated with the harsh police force. Even at the end, it feels hopeless because Mr. Chiu isn't given proper justice.
The point of view is a key part in the tone and how you view the situation; we see the story in a third person limited omniscient point of view with thoughts from Mr. Chiu. Of course, there is an exception to every rule, and, in the very end, one gets inside of Fenjin's head to make the story see fully omniscient:
"Feguin was baffled by his teacher, who looked ferocious...For the first time Fengin thought of Mr. Chiu as an ugly man" (p. 176).
Finally, the whole story would have been different if it weren't for all of the irony: the opposite of what should happen, happens. Mr. Chiu is innocent and his accusers are guilty. Yet, he ends up signing a confession to disrupting public order when it was really the police who were disrupting the public - his wife and him! Again, it's nice to see a contrast between the past two stories we've read to see that there are all types of irony, and irony is used for all sorts of purposes. "The Gift of the Magi" used irony to make the story humorous; "Saboteur" used irony to make a statement on the seriousness of the governmental issue.
My thought-provoking question for the story "Saboteur": Why is the hepatitis piece put into the story; how does it add to the plot?
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I like how you discussed the differences in tone and style in this story and "The Gift of the Magi" - excellent!
ReplyDeleteI also liked how you compared the two different stories. It made me think more about the differences. I also like what you said about the irony. I thought it really made the story more interesting.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your question becca, I thought that the hepatitis was very important to the story and I appreciated you bringing attention to it! I also thought it was helpful to read about the author. It really allowed me to better understand his story and the underlying problem with the government in the story.
ReplyDeleteI agree that his background plays a huge part in the story and the style that the author writes with. I liked the comparisson between the two stories.
ReplyDeleteGood comparisons! I agree with what you said about reading about Ha Jin's background prior to the story because you learn a little about the setting that is not told in the story.
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared the two stories and how the styles are really different. I didn't notice until now that the story before, "The Gift of the Magi" was a light and happy story, and then "Saboteur" was darker and angry. Maybe the previous story cause a little more emotion and impact on us when we read "Saboteur."
ReplyDeleteI agree, the irony was put into the story to approach a governmental issue. I also think that it it just showing Chiu's real side.
ReplyDeleteWow! Excellent blog, Becca! I really enjoyed reading it! It really made me think about the point of view. I totally missed the little blip at the end that showed that the point of view changed...how confusing! :) I also really liked how you campared the two stories! Nice job! A+!
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared the gift of the magi to Saboteur! Your view on setting is very interesting! I never thought about it, but it makes sense! I liked your views on the irony of the story! I think the hepatitis is added to the story because it shows how Mr.Chiu was getting back at Muji. It was his only way to get revenge.
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