In week number two’s readings there is a concentration on hardships in life, the upholding of tradition, and breaking away from tradition. “Spring Silkworms” by Mao Dun, in particular demonstrates all three of these themes. The hardship that the Old Tong Bao’s family faces in raising the “little darlings”, thei

r tradition of this practice in regards to superstitions, and A Duo’s free spirited character. In summery “Spring Silkworms” is about a family who is currently in debt, so they try to get out of it through their traditional ways, blinded by all the changes that have happened around them and therefore are unsuccessful are getting rid of their debt. Not only do they fail in repaying their debt, but they fall into greater debt and have lost there land. A Duo’s character in this tale sheds a little light because of his realistic sense, in that he did not believe in any of the family’s superstitions toward Lotus, nor did he believe his family would be able to rid their debt in a single silkworm farming season. Though this was his own personal belief he still did everything he was told to do.

The readings in week three contrast those in week two in that, similar themes of upholding tradition and the hardships o

Some topics in this essay:
Ba Jin’s, Tong Bao’s, , Madman’s Diary”, Yu Dafu, Lu Xun, Mao Dun, rid debt, hardships life, readings theme, upholding tradition, “spring silkworms”, main character, breaking tradition, stuck tradition, demonstrates themes, break free,