Revolution is Not a Dinner Party

The first thing I noticed is how far apart Ling and her mother are. Her mom seems to resent her own daughter and criticizes everything she does. It is hard for me to connect with this because my mom and I are so close. I am confused as to why Comrade Li is living with them still and if Li’s parents are communists or not. Are they trying to hide that they aren’t to Comrade Li? I can’t tell if they like him or agree with him, but I feel as though the mom secretly hates him. One thing from this book that directly related to the research I did ahead of time was the fact that before the revolution began, the streets were filled with schools, churches, modern hospitals, tall office buildings and more; sounding like what I am used to seeing around where I live. After the revolution started, the walls of the streets were covered with Chairman Mao’s posters and quotes and red flags. When Comrade Li and the other Red Flags took Mrs. Wong and threw her up on stage and made everyone watch as he tortured her, it made me think of how the Germans treated the Jews. I had no idea this happened let alone that it was this intense. I’m confused as to why all the doctors are disappearing. Is that too western for this new revolutionary movement? I don’t understand how Comrade Li could live with that family and they could help him out so much and yet he can still turn around and treat them so poorly. “Dear mother, Dear father, But nobody is as dear as Chairman Mao.” This is crazy to me how much they are into this guy who is terrorizing everyone. I was shocked to see that Niu turned on Ling’s family and turned into a Red Guard. I know he had to do this to stay alive, but really? Break inside their house and arrest the man who comforted him when his own parents got taken away. The mom runs to her room instead of comforting Ling like most other moms would have. I am against stealing but I have to admit I was happy when Ling stole that meat, especially after all the Red Guards ate well and everyone else starved. I also found myself smiling when I read about her sticking up for herself not only at the market but at school when those boys kept picking on her and beating her up. I am just nervous for what is to come of her now. Probably the most interesting thing I read was the crying for Mao. They had to cry for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. If they didn’t cry, they were arrested. I wonder how this worked. Did they set a timer and say you may now cry? How do people cry on demand? I couldn’t be happier when they turned against Comrade Li, it was about time. I just find it shocking how fast everyone can turn against someone whom they have been worshiping for so long.