Please respond to SHEN Congwen's short story "Xiaoxiao" in relation to "Miss Sophia's Diary." How are locations gendered in these readings? What can you learn from "Xiaoxiao" in regard to the relationship between the country girl and the city girl, and between the city and the countryside? How do men function in these stories? Feel free to address the above questions with quotes from the stories or raise your own questions. Due Wednesday Feb. 19 by 8 pm; comments to two other responses due by 10 pm the same day. I look forward to reading your responses!
In the two stories we read for this week, we see what appear on the surface to be two very disparate, discrete portrayals of women. In fact, I believe they are quite different, but maybe not in the way that their surface presentation might lead a casual reader to believe. In Miss Sophia's Diary we have the tragic heroine (or at least a tragic narrator, if you find her actions to be less than heroic), in Xiaoxiao the unlucky victim of the patriarchy. And yet, in the end, is Sophia's progressive sexual attitude rewarded? She cannot even reward herself, closing her story with a critique of her own behavior: "Life sneaks on. Death too. Oh, how pathetic you are Sophia!" (Ding Ling, 81). Is Xiaoxiao punished for her indiscretion? She ends the story with her oldest (illegitimate) son being married off, having just had another child with her husband. If we are looking for a moral about progressivism, it doesn't seem to be here. It's true we may shy away from Sophia's blatant sexuality, because we are used to a more demure private voice from a woman. That a diary would be full of these kinds of thoughts isn't abnormal, but this is literature. It is different, and certainly seems different to the female voices we've seen in Chinese literature. It's equally true that we may want to spring up and protest Xiaoxiao's situation (and rightly so), but then we have to contend with her "happy" ending.
ReplyDeleteI feel that these stories are saying something very challenging - perhaps the same challenging thing - about women and their roles. They are simply doing it in very different ways. One challenges the notion that sexual freedom is liberation and the other challenges (or queries) the idea of a lack of control over one's own life is slavery. Whether one is right or wrong isn't the issue, this is more about questioning our own perspectives as readers. We have to ask why our 'protagonist,' the woman whose thoughts we are allowed such an intimate glimpse at, might curse herself and say "In short, I caused my own ruin" (Ding Ling, 80). Did she bring her illness upon herself? Did she go wrong somewhere by being so open about her sexuality? No, she gave into her desire and, despite her revulsion at the idea of associating herself with a man who was so opposed to her idealistically, let her object of desire kiss her. "The self is every person's true enemy," she says. "How in God's name will I ever avenge myself and restore what I have lost?" (Ding Ling, 80). Her loss is her possession of herself. Her lack is a lack of determination about what she wants. The adage 'know thyself' applies here: if we are aiming to discover who the modern, progressive woman is, do we find her here in Sophia with her lack of self-determination? Is her sexuality her only weapon in the modern world? Is Xiaoxiao's lack of freedom to express her sexuality a limitation in her world? I feel like these questions are posed, but not answered to satisfaction in the readings, maybe because the answers are ones we might find unpleasant.
I like and agree with your remark that we shy away from sophia's blatant sexuality, because we are not used to this voice of women. I think this is very true and also why this piece received so much popularity. I think people criticized her for it, but they were also interested and wanted to know.
DeleteSophia's main problem, as you said is, "Her lack is a lack of determination about what she wants." This lack of determination and decisiveness can also be seen in Yu Dafu's story "Sinking" and "Regret for the Past" by Lu Xun. I think this theme resonates with the Chinese people at this time because they felt like they could not change China so why should they try.
DeleteI really like the fact that you did raise many questions after reading both of the stories and I agree that many of them are unanswered. The fact that both woman were in constant question of themselves, to me, shows an ongoing battle both internally as individuals and externally when the idea of change challenges traditional China.
DeleteI liked the thing you pointed out that is sexual freedom. Sexual freedom is the symbol of ideological progress of modern Chinese women. They started to care about their own feelings about the relationship with men.
DeleteYou raise a point I hadn't thought about with regards to sexual freedom as freedom, but I have to wonder if what the first story emphasizes more than the question of whether sexual freedom is such but really whether a 'modern' woman can escape the pull of societal standards, if they've become internalized. Sophia may be cruel to the people who care about her, but she's tormented more by her inability to break free from her beliefs about how to interact properly. (until her last few entries)
DeleteThe point you make about Xiaoxiao's "happy" ending is vital to understanding what kind of lesson we can draw from these stories, if we can at all. Much analysis depends on whether Xiaoxiao is indeed happy at the end of her story. Despite having a lack of freedom, does she end content with her situation? This would heavily influence the debate about self-liberation and societal pressure. Or, regardless of the final result, is Sophia's situation better than Xiaoxiao's simply because she had the freedom of choice?
Delete“Miss Sophia’s Diary” is a story about a young woman who gets TB and left her family living in Beijing alone. She has many good friends company with her when she was sick, but she still feels alone because “no one really understands her”. Weidi loves her with his whole heart, but she felt in love with a very good looking man, Ling Jishi who comes from Singapore. In this story, Sophia says she just wanted a man who really understands her, but I think she even doesn’t understand herself and what she really wanted. Like she said that “I really don’t know what to make myself.” (p.53, Ding) Sophia is a role who has complicated personality, and she is restless, too romantic and too childish. Weidi put his whole heart to love her, but she thinks that Weidi is too stupid to understand the love skills. She loves Ling Jishi and uses many “love skills” to him, but when she got him, she didn’t know what she really need. Why I think she is restless? “Happiness isn’t just possessing a lover. It’s two people, neither of whom wants anything more than each other, passing their days in peace and conversation. Some people might find such a pedestrian life unsatisfying, but then not everyone is like my Yufang.” (p.55, Ding) Obviously, Sophia is one of the “some people”.
ReplyDeleteDing Ling put such a complicated personality on Sophia, because Sophia is living in Beijing and westernized by western cultures. And another important reason is she got TB and thought she would die soon, so I think Ding Ling put her on this situation is to make she amplify her emotional response to all the things. Sometimes when she calm down, she thinks that “I regret all the wrong things I did today, things a decent woman would never do.”(p.58, Ding) Hers illness also makes her feel lonely, in this story, she said many times that “How could I admit to anyone that…” She has many thoughts but couldn’t tell anyone. After I read this story, I searched some information about Ding Ling online and I think Sophia is a reflection of Ding Ling to some degree. Ding Ling was influenced by the May Fourth Movement and many western cultures and thoughts, and she is a very open and daring woman at that time. She married many times and asked to live with another guy together with she and her first husband, it is ridiculous even in today. Another interesting thing for me is, Ding Ling, Yu Dafu and Lu Xun, they all wrote characters who were similar to themselves, but Ding Ling and Yu Dafu is more direct and bare to express their inward world while Lu Xu is implicit.
Xiaoxiao is totally different from Sophia, she was growing up in an “original” Chinese society and never educated. Different from Sophia’s romantic and complicated personality, Xiaoxiao is very simple and unsophisticated. She became a child bride when she was only twelve, but she accepted this calmly and took care of her baby husband to live her life. “When Xiaoxiao was fourteen, she had the figure of an adult, but her heart was still as unschooled as that of a child.” (p.104, Shen) Perhaps due to her ignorance, she never felt gloomy about her marriage and life until she did “bad things” with Motley. I think this mistake she made is not just hers fault, the traditional child bride custom also should have responsible for her mistake. When she was 15, her husband was only 5 years old, but she was in adolescence and hoped for love in her mind. Except for the Motley’s lure, the coeds also had effect on her. In fact, she admired those coeds and their life, “during the day they worked at nothing at all, but sang and played ball or read books from abroad. They all knew how to spend money…” (p.100, Shen) She often imaged that if she could become a girl student like them, and for her, the coeds represent “free”. Although she made mistake, she was still unsophisticated. I think people in this story are all unsophisticated except Motley. After Xiaoxiao pregnant, her husband’s family eventually forgave her and even celebrated for the new baby. I think this story show us the kindness and simplicity of countryside people.
I appreciate how you very frankly addressed the idea that Ding Ling may have given her character TB just to "amplify her emotional response." I think it's an interesting thought and probably quite relevant, given some of her subject material.
DeleteI enjoyed your comparison between Sophia and Xiaoxiao. Their background and personalities do differ. I do not know much about eh Chinese culture and these pieces were interesting in comparing the country side and city side and the people within them. I think you did a good job of explaining those differences and how they affected the characters.
DeleteYou pointed out that the story shows us the kindness and simplicity of countryside people. I can’t agree with that. Motley exposed his uneducated and rude personality. Xiao Xiao asked Motley whether or not he wants to go to another city with her. She was a minded woman.
DeleteUpon reading both Miss Sophia's Diary and Xiaoxiao, I felt that there were two different kinds of women in Chinese culture. In Miss Sophia's Diary, the story is about a young educated woman who left her family and lived alone in Beijing. It described a woman sexual feelings and perspectives on love. “Sophia” as the main character is constantly assaulting back and forth between Ling Jishi and Wedi. She represents the new type of woman in Chinese culture. In the story of Xiao Xiao, the young girl was arranged to married with a male member of the rich family who was younger than themselves as the wife and a labor. She was facing the struggle between the modern and traditional Chinese culture. In old china, women have no power to compete with men.
ReplyDeleteThe story of The Diary of Miss Sophia is focusing on the modern Chinese woman. "Sophia" is a western name that is different from other characters' Chinese names in the story. She is a representation of a freer woman. In this role, Sophia can be seeing as a typical feminist after the May Fourth Movement. She cares about her own feelings and longs to have someone who really understands her. “All I want is to be happy”. (Miss Sophia's Diary, Pg 56) I wish I had someone who really understood. Even if he reviled me, I'd be proud and happy. (Miss Sophia's Diary, Pg 52) The story explores the moral virtue bestowed upon women, and challenges the notion that moral virtue arises from the female body's natural disposition to be chaste. In the story of “Xiao Xiao”, Sheng Congwen gives an image of how those poor people in rural China looks like. In rural China, women's life was very simple. Women's duties are taking care of their little husband, cleaning and cooking. “When he was hungry, to give something him to eat; when he fussed, to soothe him.”(Xiao Xiao, Pg 98) The most important thing is to give birth of the family. There is no love between the Xiao Xiao and her little husband. Finally, she found that she had feeling toward to Motley Mutt. Xiao Xiao longs to be free and she thought her brother Motley can be the man who can rely on. She still keeps her part of innocent and kind. “Brother Motley, why don't we go where we can be free in the city and find work there?” (Xiao Xiao, Pg 106) Motley tried to seduce Xiao Xiao and then said something really rude. “You're really worthless, and you've been awful to me.” (Xiao Xiao, Pg 106) We may see that people in rural china are uneducated and they are spineless.
It feels like it might be an over-simplification to say that people living in "rural" china are uneducated and "spineless." I'm not sure that's what the author was trying to get across, although it's certainly true that the character of Motley behaves in ways that are neither educated nor courageous. I think there's some more multi-dimensionality in the second piece than the first, to be honest.
DeleteI was a bit surprised when you mentioned that Sophia has a different name from the other characters, I hadn't consciously realized that until now. As for spinelessness, you can certainly say that Motley was someone with low moral virtue, but he was courageous enough to seduce a woman out from under a watchful family's nose. As for them all being uneducated, that I can agree with, as in the end it refers to the proper 'Confucian' way to handle the situation, that none of those involved were familiar with. They're more concerned with farming and leisure.
DeleteMiss Sophia's story is told through the format of a diary, which is where her intimacy starts. Diaries are a very intimate form of writing and aren't meant for the world to read. This format directly correlates to the content of the piece of literature. However, Miss Sophia is not very intimate herself, I think she would like to be, but doesn't really know how to obtain it. She writes about being intimate with a girl once and how she somewhat regretted in but now she is just lonely, only intimate to her diary and says "I want....all I want is to be happy" (pg. 56). I think her ability to relate to other women is what makes her so popular. I think that many women felt this way but would never dare to write it, and also women are normally insecure and feel as if they are the only ones dealing with this problem. Through this piece, other women see that they aren't alone with these kinds of problems. Even if the author isn't really physically sick while writing this "diary" I think her popularity comes from the feelings and content of the piece and also the revolutionary and outspoken way it was written. Ding Ling definitely did not censor anything she wrote!
ReplyDeleteXiaoxiao's story is quite different from Miss Sophia. They both resemble real life feelings and situations, but from very different stages of life. In Xiaoxiao's life, the distinction between country life and city life is very apparent with the talk of the "coeds" throughout the story. I think this is interesting because at first Xiaoxiao doesn't even know who these people are and what makes them so "bad" to the grandpa and the other village people. Then she learns more about them and comes to envy them while dreaming of becoming one some day. I think this quote really sums up the difference between these two groups of people in a realistic way.: "people waste each day as it comes, in the same way that Xiaoxaio and her kind hang on to each day; each gets his share, everything is as it should be"(102). I think this distinction is made for all country people in regards to the city life. These stories overall were great reads and very compelling in their own ways!
I really agree with your point about the format of a diary. Diaries are very intimate form to express the character's inner world. I think this is an important literature form at that time and it is also an important reason why this story is very popular at that time.
DeleteI agree that this piece's popularity stems from its intimate contact with the emotions of both protagonist and author.
Delete“Miss Sophia’s Diary” is a compelling story about a girl with TB who can’t seem to know what she wants or needs. I think Sophia is a very confused person and is stuck between finding love and accepting what is not love. She is also dealing with control and power over her feelings and life. I think this story has gained popularity due to the main character and her struggle within. Even though she was one of the first to speak of sexual fantasies, I think she was lost within her ideas. Part of the issue that I think this was a problem is that she never really knew what love was. It seems that she used other excuses to cover it up like being able to control Weidi, but in the end she always felt bad about it. She says, “I decided now. I’m so full of regret! I regret all the wrong things I did today, things a decent woman would never do” (55). She struggles with control and self identity and I think this relates to her struggle with love. She sees what her friends and family have. One reason she may not know what love is, is that she has not been fully surrounded by her family even in her struggle with TB. She has not been able to lead a normal life due to her TB and maybe that is what is holding her back. This is something that Xiaoxiao also has in common. She was sent to be married at the age of 11 to a husband who couldn’t even walk. When being sent from her Uncle and then to her husband’s family it is described as, “marriage meant simply a transfer from one family to another” (97). This explains why she has never felt love and she doesn’t know what it is. She got pregnant by Motley, but he runs away. In the other reading Sophia could never count on Ling Jing to be there even though it was what she wanted. These two women may have used their lack of knowledge of love and their lack of self-identity to control their sexual freedom. Even though they acted in different ways, they did what they could to receive the attention they were not receiving elsewhere. Sophia being a city girl did not really affect others views on her, but Xiaoxiao dealt with the issues of arranged marriage and control of the paternal family. These pieces contrast each other in that they show how different the city girl and the country girl are.
ReplyDeleteI also think Sophia doesn’t know what she wants or needs or understand herself, although Sophia says that no one really understand what she want. And I also agree with you that “Sophia is a very confused person and is stuck between finding love and accepting what is not love.” Like her attitude to Weidi and Ling Jishi.
DeleteYou make a good point in comparing the man Ling Jing to Motley, they are both similar in desire and depth (they are quite shallow). in Xiaoxiao the author writes "What is a man compared to a mountain." pg 105
DeleteReading the second sentence of your response made me wonder if there is a parallel between, "finding love and accepting what is not love" and finding acceptable Western ideas and accepting what can not be changed in Chinese culture at the time.
DeleteI like the parallels you drew between the two stories. I did not compare the two but rather saw both of them in a different light. However, you bring up a good point by comparing Ling Jing to Motley (and also in comparing conflicts between the stories).
DeleteI agree with you on what you said about Sophia. I also think that she is confused about finding love and accepting what is not love. She doesn't understand herself.
DeleteMiss Sophia's Diary shows us an excerpt of one woman's life, quite effectively through diary entries. In this way we receive the events of her life and emotions chronologically while still leaving much of her life to our imagination as the main character often skipped days of writing. The woman in this story reminds me of the man from "Sinking"; if he had the same confidence as this woman, he may have been just as manipulative. They both realize and act according to a hole in their hearts, a chasm of great loneliness and alienation. She says "I want something, but I’m not willing to go and take it. I must find a tactic that gets it offered to me… I want to possess him. I want the unconditional surrender of his heart.” (Pg 59) (And for those in CHI 430 we can relate these words to the Fox demon of Painted Skin).
ReplyDeleteThis story must have accrued much attention over the last century because of what it devulges to readers. This woman's thoughts are extremely vivid and unlike anything most men would ever hear from a woman, yet these these are unmistakably recorded in Ding Ling's fictitious diary. And the manner in which she treats her faithful man-friend who cries and pours his heart out to her gives us a picture of commonly perceived gender roles as reversed, just like the story of the merchant who travels to the land where men's feet are bound.
Whereas Miss Sophia and her friends in the city are very progressive in lifestyle, XiaoXiao and her village complicated customs within a simpler frame of life. I say complicated because it burdens children with babies, and men with mothers for wives. Growing up it seems wrong to girls such as Xiaoxiao to be burdened so, and to consider taking her own life to save face, "If I were to die, everything would be alright..." And the introduction which shows women crying at the prospect of marriage. In the end however Xiaoxiao continues the cycle herself when her son is promised to a girl older than he.
I think the conparation that between the quote that you used from Miss Sophia's Diay and the article in CHI430 is brilliant
DeleteI like how you drew a comparison between the man from "Sinking" and Sophia. It seems that they both were so desperately wanting love that they in a way drove themselves to loneliness. I agree that Sophia was in a way "manipulative" because she seemed to have a greater awareness of what she was doing compared to the man in "Sinking."
DeleteMiss Sophia was physically ill and the man in Sinking was evidently some degree of mentally ill so they can compare easily, but like you said, if Sinking man had had the level of confidence in himself and ability to manipulate, he probably would not have had any of the problems that he had. Sophia knew how to essentially flirt "under the table", subtly, in such a way that he doesn't totally realize she's after him but at the same time he's drawn into her. As you said, manipulation. The guy in Sinking was totally and completely out of left field and the furthest away possible from willing himself to these behaviors.
DeleteThe story “Miss Sophia’s Diary” is written in first person as a daily journal by the main character that is suffering from tuberculosis. Written from her own perspective gives the reader an insight into her personal feelings toward men, her friends, family, and dealing with the illness. She never expresses many of the feelings she writes in the diary to her friends or family. She seems to be dealing with the internal struggle on her own. Sophia is a strong-willed woman but very conflicted when it comes to love. She states, “happiness isn’t just possessing a lover. It’s two people, neither of whom wants anything more than each other,” (Ding, p. 54,55). She wonders what love is but no matter how much Weidi expresses his love for her she chooses Ling Jishi because of her physical attraction to him. Sophia is different from the other female figures we have seen thus far because she freely writes about sexuality, for example, “Why shouldn't you embrace your lover’s naked body?” (Ding, p. 59). I think Ding Ling’s story attracted attention because it addressed issues, such as sexuality, through a female’s perspective, which had not been done prior to this. The main thing that has bothered me between this story and last week’s stories is that the main characters are indecisive and point out negative aspects of themselves or their culture but do nothing to change it.
ReplyDeleteIn the short story “Xiaoxiao” Shen Congwen addresses the growing younger generation, which has been largely influenced by the West. However, this generation is divided between those who live in the cities and are heavily influenced by Western ideas (coeds) and those who live in rural villages and are not familiar with Western thoughts. The villagers in this story are very intrigued by the “coeds” and find the idea that they represent, freedom, laughable. The coeds go to school together, both male and female, buy milk, spend a lot of money, and do not have matchmakers (Shen, p. 100,101). This is all very different from the way of life in Xiaoxiao’s village. These ideas are totally foreign and I think they frighten the elders. When Motley Mutt becomes infatuated with Xiaoxiao, although she already has a much younger husband, they represent this new generation of youths. They engage in sexual activities out of wedlock, which is not accepted behavior by the rest of the village. Xiaoxiao is brought back to the traditional country girl after she has a son to continue to “carry on the ancestral line” which is said to be the only reason for marriage (Shen, p. 97).
as a Chinese, I can tell you that when you try to change anything in China during that period of time is extremely hard.
DeleteI made the same point about the two sides, the country side and the city, fighting between traditionalism and new Western ideas.
DeleteIt seems you and I essentially said the same things in a different fashion. As I said in my response I wasn't surprised she ended up pregnant out of wedlock since her 'llittle husband' was nearly a decade away from sexual maturation, I'm rather confused still why they wed her off to this toddler if the whole reason for marriage is essentially reproduction.
DeleteAfter reading Miss Sophia’s Diary, it is very easy to see that Sophia is a physically ill young girl who is yearning for love. However, she seems to push away and question every aspect of her life too much. The one man who appears to be the perfect match for her and who already cares deeply for Sophia is Weidi. She doesn’t view him as more than just a brother though. Whenever Ling Jishi who is a new, physically attractive and foreign man comes into the picture, Sophia can’t seem to resist him. Taking this at just surface value, one may conclude that she is very superficial and doesn’t truly know what love is. But when looking at from a bigger perspective, I feel that Ling Jishi represents the new Western world, Weidi represents the old, traditional version of Chin and Sophia represents the version of China that finds new ideas/ways attractive. Ling Jishi is a man from Singapore that portrays actions/emotions from the Western world. He was very physically attractive to Sophia which shows that the idea of West was appealing. However, when she discovered more of his personality, she wasn’t attracted to him as much. This shows that the traditional version of China found the foreign life as attractive, but wasn’t really ready to change. Whereas Weidi is a man who is brotherly in her eyes. She writes that “if all a woman wanted was an honest man to live with, I don’t think she could find anybody to match Weidi for reliability (69).” I think that this quote shows that Weidi or traditional China was something that was well-known and comfortable to everyone in China. In sum, Ling Jishi was the Western world while Weidi was traditional China and Sophia was traditional China that was attracted to the idea of something new (change). Miss Sophia’s Diary made me think that maybe the people of China weren’t ready for what some thought they were.
ReplyDeleteThen when looking at Xiaoxiao, similar connections can be drawn. This story was about a young girl who was thrown into a marriage at a very young age. In my eyes this shows that she was forced into the traditional beliefs which are represented simply with the marrying to “Sonny.” However once she was exposed to this idea of coeds, she instantly became intrigued. Xiaoxiao showed strength when first learning of the coeds when she states “”I’m not afraid of them (101).”” This makes me believe that she was ready for change, or so she thought. Then she went on to meet a man known as Motely Mutt who seemed to know more of the coeds and foreign life. Unlike Sophia, Xiaoxiao gave into a man who was physically appealing and represented the foreign world. She became pregnant with his child but he left without saying word to her even though she expressed the desire to flee to the city. Once everyone else learned of her infidelity, they wanted to abandon her. However, they couldn’t find it within themselves to do so which led her to officially marrying “Sonny.” Xiaoxiao didn’t change her feelings about the coeds or foreign world though. Even after the abandonment of the man who impregnated her, she still ended the story saying to her newborn baby that “one day, when you grow up, we’ll get you a coed for a wife.” Although China might not have been ready for change in her lifetime, she wanted there to be change for her own children.
I also think that Sophia was attracted to idea of change but she was not ready for it. It is a good example of how maybe China was not ready for change.
DeleteI agree the perfect person was Weidi, but because of her infatuation with Ling Jishi she was unable to see the real person that was meant for her. She was infatuated with the western and sophisticated look. Although she knew that he was married and his was egotistical and money hungry she still submitted to him.
DeleteSo, Miss Sophia's Diary is a piece of work by Dingling, who is a famous female writer in older China, after reading miss sophias diary, I think that Dingling became famous because she dared to write females' thoughts in her works, especially that she was in a period of time that women are considered and treated unfair in China, and girls do not get to choose who they want to marry to. In miss sophia's diary, Dingling successfully described a female character who live by herself in shanghai, away from her parents, and seeking for someonw, according to the article. someone who really understand her. What really interested me when I was reading the article is that Sophia felt really happy and satisfied whenever there are tears in Weidi's eyes, Weidi is a male character who likes Sophia in the book. from this content, I think Dingling is trying to express her thoughts behind the words, because during that time, women are considered as lower than man, and men tell women what to do. behind this content, Why is Sophia so happy and satisfied when Weidi crys? because Dingling wants females to be treated equally.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the story, Sophia gets on a train and heading South, it is not a happy ending, because I think when Dingling was wrting the story, she understands that under the situation that China has at that time, even she wants to express a lot, but she cannot, due to the critcs from the society, even the government will get her in trouble. So I think that is why the book ends this way.
"Ive always wanted a man who understands me. If he doesnt understands me and my needs, then what good are love and empathy?"(p4). I think this is how Dingling trying to make a comment on the marrige arrangments in China at that time, if a man doesnt know his woman well and deeply, the life between the two will never be happy.
I think that the main reason Sophia felt happy when Weidi had tears in his eyes is she visibly saw that she had power over him. A woman having power over a male. Which, as a revolutionary of her time, she would like to see. I also think this displays her hardened heart towards love and affection because as much as Weidi wanted her to love him, she just wanted to control him.
Delete“Miss Sophia” reminds me much of myself. Mistaking lust for love is one of the easiest mistakes to make and it can be hard to differentiate the two in the moment. “Now I'm concentrating all my energy on strategy. I want something, but I'm not willing to go and take it. I must find a tactic that gets it offered to me voluntarily. (p.58) This segment most reminded me of myself, since throughout my dating years I have found myself particularly trying to 'manipulate' various crushes through subtle flirting or acting cute (as Miss Sophia does throughout the piece). As she continuously chases after this man I find it difficult to relate her to past woman we have seen so far. In the past it was either independent women who could barely care less about romance, or stories being told from a male's perspective (from what I can remember, anyway). I think it attracted attention due to the cliché but popular plot line of a “sick girl chasing after a perfect, tall, handsome man” which can be related to a number of modern day storylines (like the movie “Love and Other Drugs”, for example).
ReplyDeleteI like how you related this to your dating life, because as I was reading this story I also was associating Sophia's thought processes to myself. I, too, agree with you in the contrast of the past woman we've encountered so far and with the stories of these woman. There is definitely that lack in independence and self-sustainability.
DeleteIn the two short stories that we read, “Miss Sophia’s Diary” and “Xiaoxiao”, the two women portrayed in the stories, Sophia and Xiaoxiao, are different. In “Miss Sophia’s Diary”, Sophia is portrayed as the modern woman through her diary. She left her family and went to go live on her own. She has the choice to choose whomever she wants to be with unlike the old times where women were forced to marry whoever their family chose for them. Throughout the story, Sophia talks about how she is lonely and how no one understands her. “I’ve always wanted a man who would really understand me. If he doesn’t understand me and my needs, then what good are love and empathy?” (pg. 52). There is a man named Weidi who loves her but she claims that he does not understand her and would not “wise up”. Later on she meets this guy from Singapore named Ling Jishi. She falls in love with him because he is a “handsome looking guy”. She has a choice to choose between two guys but she cannot make up her mind. Ling Jishi is like the foreign influence on Sophia and Weidi is the Chinese influence. Ding Ling’s story probably attracted much attention because it is from a woman’s perspective about being in love with two different men. It is also probably popular because it is about the modern woman and how women can choose who they want to marry.
ReplyDelete“Xiaoxiao” is much different in portraying the main female character. In “Xiaoxia”, Xiaoxiao is portrayed as the old syle of woman who lives in the rural areas of China. Xiaoxiao was chosen to marry her husband when she was eleven years old while her husband was hardly two years old at the time. She had no say in who she wanted to marry. “The little daughter-in-law Xiaoxiao, on a summer day, must tend to her husband as well as spin four catties of hemp” (pg. 102). Xiaoxiao has to take care of her husband and do other chores. Xiaoxiao’s grandfather talks about these people called “coeds” and that she should not encounter them. To me the coeds are the city people and her grandfather didn’t want her to become a city girl and stay in the country to tend to her husband, live in the old style of life instead of the new style of live (country versus city). “she would often dream about being a coed, about being one of them” (pg.101). Xiaoxiao wanted to be a coed so that she could the freedom that they had.
I like your point at how this possibly gained popularity because of the scandalous situation of Sophia being in 'love' with two different men at the same time. Although, I think her infatuation for each men was coming from different places.
DeleteMiss Sophia’s Diary, authored by Ding Ling, tells the story of a woman’s emotional and sexual desires. It represents the changing role of women in Chinese culture. One point that differentiates this piece from others of its time is that it places a woman in a human perspective. It reveals that a woman has emotions and feelings that perhaps society does not agree with. Ding Ling was said to have suffered from many of the problems that plagued Miss Sophia. They both had depression and other mental illnesses. This leads many people to hypothesize that perhaps Ding Ling wrote Miss Sophia’s Diary based on her personal experiences. The premise of the story is about a woman who left her family and lived in Beijing. Sophia, the main character, suffers from loneliness (that, arguably, she brings upon herself) and ultimately depression. The source of her troubles is the fact that she feels as if no one understands her.). The conflict of the story is related to her love/lust for Jishi and Wedi. Wedi is a good man who truly loves her, but she spends her time lusting after Jishi. She states that “All I want is to be happy” (Miss Sophia’s Diary, pg. 56). Yet, she does not realize that happiness is right in front of her and she is the one who is pushing it away. There are also hints of Sophia as a bisexual, as she was intimate with a woman. Moving away from her family without getting married, lusting after a man, and being intimate with a woman are all things that society disapproved of. In this aspect, Sophia was a very different kind of a woman and Ding Ling’s piece was very different from those of other authors at the time. However, Sophia writes “I’m so full of regret” (Miss Sophia’s Diary, pg. 55) signifying that while she has some freedom, she has regret over her choices.
ReplyDeleteXiaoxiao, authored by Shen Congwen, is a story of a 12 year old who lives in the country side. Traditionally, the country side is the part of a country that is least susceptible to change whereas the city is more progressive. Xiaoxiao was married off at the age of 12 to a child of 2. This was in stark contrast with Sophia’s story who had the opportunity to grow up, move away and experience life on her own, “marriage meant simply a transfer from one family to another” (XiaoXiao, pg. 97). Xiaoxiao never has the chance to grow up. The story revolves around the struggle between the people of the country side and the people in the city influenced by Western ideas. Ultimately, it seems the traditionalism wins in both stories where Sophia regrets her life and Xiaoxiao marries her son to an older woman.
In XiaoXiao, the main thing that fascinated me was the fact she was married to a toddler when she herself, while much older, was still at a very young age herself. The tables turn a bit from past pieces we have read with her taking care of her 'husband' like he's her child and he relies on her as a mother, or a sibling – the relationship is the furthest thing from what most people would consider a marriage or partnership to be like. Like Miss Sophia, the woman is the dominant position in both relationships (in different ways of course, but essentially the same difference). Xiaoxiao basically gets the one-up over her 'little husband' since she begins her life with him before he is even off the breast.
ReplyDeleteI also found it interesting that she commits such an infidelity which the whole family has such difficulty deciding how to react to. Part of me wonders how they could be surprised, considering her 'little husband' won't sexually mature until he hits puberties nearly a decade down the road, therefore giving Xiaoxiao no way to produce children. And then, when she has a baby boy (obviously the valued gender) suddenly everything was okay again. This really makes it very clear what gender roles were (and still are) like in China and, although Xiaoxiao seems quite.... in control throughout the piece (aside from the arranged marriage and prospective infidelity punishments which never happen) the gender roles and dominant gender are still very apparent. The piece however did not make it apparent that her feet were bound (unless I missed it, I did sort of skim over most of the piece), which I'm really curious about.
Throughout the whole time I read the piece, I thought Xiaoxiao represented a pure and innocent soul that was tainted by the corruption of society and men.
Delete“ I ought to forget everything and pack myself off again to start my life over. I should make myself good with either a pen or a gun even if its purpose is just my own vanity or to win the praise of some shallow audience. I’ve lowered myself into a dominion of suffering worse than death.” (Miss Sophia’s Diary pg 69) This quote summed up the main character. Sophia was loathsome, pitiful, and mentally ill. Throughout the piece Sophia was indecisive of her desires and wants. At one point she would talk about how her friends are only with her because she is pitiful, she does not want to be bothered with them, but once they leave her side she wants them near. While reading her diary, I had any pity towards her, but pity to her friends and especially Weidi. Throughout the whole time he was constant and she always treated him badly. She took advantage of the people in her life and what astonishes me is that she knew what she was doing. Sophia does not fully grasp, “ love” because her friends did truly care about her.
ReplyDeleteIn the short story Xiaoxiao, the way of life of a country girl of a “coed”, was very different. “People was each day as it comes, in the same way that Xiaoxiao and her kind hang on to each day; each get his share, everything is as it should be.” (pg 102) While reading the piece, it is true that life in the country is at a stand still and there is any development. Xiaoxiao lived in this type of society, so she thought it was normal, but the life a city person might be have difficulties, but what person lives a life of tranquility. In the city, there is change and revolution. But, one thing that did not change between a countryman and a city is man is that they still have superiority. But in the city, women are trying to change that, but in the country,
I feel like the woman in both stories are similar to one another. Both are lonely and unsure of what it is that they want. In “Miss Sophia’s Diary”, we are reading it through the main characters, Sophia, point of view but from the outside. If that makes any sense at all. In class we talked a lot about Sophia’s lack of assurance in what it was that she wanted from the relationships around her and her misunderstanding of what love really is because of how she treated those she had relations with. I don’t think that this is the case necessarily. In the reading, there was a part that I really enjoyed for myself, but it also helped me have an understanding for Sophia’s thoughts as well. “Happiness isn’t just possessing a lover. It’s two people, neither of whom wants anything more than each other, passing their days in peace and conversation (54-55).” Throughout the entire reading we can see that she struggles with upholding her relationships because it appears that she doesn’t know how to be in a healthy one. For example, she craved attention when she wasn’t given it, but brushed off any acknowledgement when it was brought up to her. I think this theme of the story is relatable to people, everyone struggles with knowing what it is that they want and how to obtain it everywhere which is why it was so popular then and now still. It is similar in “Xiaoxiao” because we are faced with another conflicting story about relationships. I think where in “Miss Sophia’s Diary” it is Sophia oppressing her own feelings and actions, in “Xiaoxiao” it is a larger picture with the traditions oppressing this young girl leaving her without a choice of her own. The two locations are interesting because we have the girl who is oppressing herself living in a university dorm and we don’t see the government playing a part in it. Where as, in the rural setting the government and the traditions play a bigger role because there is not Western influence reaching this. There is always the constant battle of upholding tradition or not, both of these stories raise question against what is considered traditional for woman in different ways.
ReplyDeleteI think you make an interesting point about how the western influence weren't reaching the rural areas therefore Xiaoxiao was being more affected by the traditions than Sophia. This is a great take away from the stories in which the influence plays such a huge role in the story and also the feelings of the characters within them. I also think to an extent the West was beginning to make a showing in Xiaoxiao's story because of the whole scandal with the boy and how he ran away from her, I see this as being a pretty scandal, but western thing to do.
DeleteMiss Sophia's Diary is told in the past tense, in an epistolary format. Through it, we get insight into the mental state of a young woman struggling with illness, lust and loneliness. Miss Sophia herself is a woman who seems cut off from her past, not only avoiding mention of it, but of the people within and the problems related to it. In addition, she's a modern woman in that she chooses to live alone, does not work, does not attend school, and yet has a society around her, supporting her. She is desperate for understanding, but seems incapable of fostering it. As a result, she begins to hate those around her for being unable to understand what goes on in her own mind. It boils down to a hatred that her experience of reality is not the same for others. In comparison with other stories written by female authors in this time period, this prose is very open, not afraid of avoiding virtuous characters, and indeed, far more concerned with the mental states of those involved. I'm certain it's loose approach to virtue is a part of it's popularity.
ReplyDeleteIn Xiaoxiao, we get a story told entirely from an omniscient perspective. No long er do we truly hear the female protagonist's voice, directed for the purpose of being heard. We have insight in the thoughts she holds, but not in what she wants to be presented as, on paper or in speech. As a counterbalance, we also get to know things about other characters that our protagonist does not know. This creates dramatic tension, as we foresee the tragic story that her life takes, until we are surprised by the simple solution at the end, with the birth of a boy. To compare this story with the first one, is difficult, because the society is different, education is different, occupation is different, story style as well. However, in both cases we're dealing with feminine desire and it's consequences. In the first story, we see self-loathing as a result, in this one, we see punishment by others, with eventual reconciliation based entirely on luck. So I have to wonder, can we truly compare these two stories in terms of anything other than consequences for transgression?
To answer your final question: maybe not. But, these different consequences for transgression are worthy of much analysis. The consequence of Sophia's transgression is self-loathing, while the consequence of Xiaoxiao's transgression is societal blame. While we would consider Xiaoxiao's punishment more severe, the reactions to their punishments would not indicate that. From Xiaoxiao's story, I got the impression that the problem was resolved in the end, while Sophia continues on in physical and mental misery. What does this say about self-liberation and the role of society?
DeleteIn “Miss Sophia’s Diary” we are confronted with a new style of literature for Chinese women. In Ding Ling’s story, we get a glimpse into a woman who struggles to discover herself through her sexuality and the effect that has on her psyche and on her actions. This style is definitely unique for that time period for its level of intimacy and openness regarding such a traditionally private topic. This story takes a unique balance between pushing the boundaries of acceptable literature (discussing sexuality; individuality) and relying on Chinese literature to make a point (since Chinese literature traditionally has strongly relied on previous literature to provide emphasis and credibility).
ReplyDeleteIn the past, even when certain female writing was considered radical (like Qiu Jin or even Ban Zhao), it was still phrased in nationalistic or Confucian terms. However, in this diary, the objective is personal self-liberation. While allegories to Chinese self-liberation could be made, this story concerns itself primarily with the individual’s road to freedom and role of sexuality in that journey. In this way, the author pushes the boundaries of acceptable literature. However, the author does not completely abandon the traditional style of Chinese writing. By using traditional concepts, the story of self-liberation becomes more palatable to a Chinese audience. One minor example is found with references to the “south” (“I’ve decided to take a train south, somewhere where no one knows me, where I can squander the remaining days of my life”, pg 81). This concept would have been familiar to a Chinese audience and would further give credit to this story of self-liberation. In this way, the author still utilizes the Chinese style of writing to gain legitimacy. Perhaps this is why the story receives such attention: it approaches a topic that has previously been off-limits, but still relatable to a wide audience, by invoking the traditional style of Chinese writing.
The addition of the story “Xiaoxiao” allows us to make comparisons between female liberation and sexuality in different contexts. There is an apparent dichotomy between the two stories: the city girl has personal choice, but ends feeling miserable (“I laugh wildly, I feel so sorry for myself…how pathetic you are Sophia”, pg 81); the country girl lacks personal choice, but ends the story “happy” (as Clara puts it; at least by traditional societal standards, she should be happy). Through this dichotomy, we can raise questions about progressivism and self-liberation. We would think of Miss Sophia as more progressive and having more freedom, but that does not lead to her happiness. What then is missing? What gives her happiness? What is the point of self-liberation if it does not provide happiness (or, does liberation have inherent value and not instrumental value)? These are the type of questions raised by the dichotomy between these two stories.