The Wave
A People or a Place: A Literary Analysis of Red Scarf Girl
Samuel Solomon Sanders
By
About the Writing
In the complex tapestry of loyalty and responsibility, Ji-li Jiang's journey in Red Scarf Girl intricately weaves together the themes of family ties and national allegiance. As Ji-Li navigates the turbulent waters of coercion and love, the question of whether a home is defined by its people or its physical place comes to the forefront. Through trust, responsibility, and the pursuit of goodness, Ji-Li's unwavering loyalty to her family illuminates the profound sacrifices and choices individuals make in the face of adversity and societal pressures.
The Writing
Samuel S. Sanders
English 9
Mrs. Archibald
Monday, March 29th, 2023
A People or a Place?
The choice of political ideology versus family has long been a difficult one. In Red Scarf Girl, a memoir by Ji-li-Jiang, loyalty to family and nation strikingly illustrates the value of moral tenacity. Ji-Li’s journey through the tar of coercion and love begs the question: Is a home a people or a place? One thing is true: The difference between familial and national loyalty depends on one’s actions when authority is no longer in play. Ji-Li defies her safety and country to keep those she loves safe; that means loyalty.
In a real sense, trust and loyalty are so intertwined that when called upon, Ji-li does not question how to act; she acts with complete and utter confidence. In chapter one, after learning of her acceptance to compete at the Central Liberation Army Arts Academy, she races home to tell her family, only to be confronted by the crushing news that her father won’t allow her to try out because of a concept called ‘class status.’ In her sad state, however, Ji-li makes a crucial observation.
“I saw a pain in Dad’s eyes that I had never seen before.”(9). At this moment, the true gravity of the situation, the danger of going to the Academy, becomes apparent to her. The next day, when she returns to school, she shamefully tells the principal of her inability to compete while still trusting her father in his verdict. This respect is vital- she does not bypass his word nor hate him for it but instead trusts his wisdom to keep her and her family safe.
Ji-Li acts against her well-being later in the book, putting herself in danger for her family.
As the time draws near for the arrival of Thin-Face and his retinue, Ji-li startles at the shouts of her mother about the letter Ji-li had previously seen, and her grandmother rushes to grab it. At this moment, Ji-li wisely hides the letter. Even though the Red Guards later discover the letter in the cat box, Ji-Li ignores what may happen to her and trusts that the letter is important enough to do so.
“Maybe I should tell, I thought frantically. Grandma was so frail. . . . But then would we all get into bigger trouble? What should I do? What should I do, mom?” (254)
E Pluribus Unum is the traditional motto of the United States, meaning “Out of one, many.” In Red Scarf Girl, Ji-Li is the one, yet made from the whole.
As she ages, Ji-Li’s choices stem from the actions of those around her. Once officials of the Cultural Revolution take notice of her family, however, her choices become somewhat coerced. This coercion is evidenced in the gentle threats whispered to her by the foreman. As a result, the aftermath of Ji-li’s meeting with the theater foreman brings doubt as to whether she wants to retain ties to her family; or to break them.“No! I did not want this damned name anymore! I had had enough.” (212)
Her doubts about where her loyalties lie and, consequently, the question of who she plagues her to the point of marching to the police station and outright asking the officer for a name change. What Ji-Li truly wanted was to break from her ancestors, the landlords of the family, not her nuclear one. She realizes she is responsible for bearing the family name of those she loves.
Now, she chooses to love to the detriment of all else. She ignores the pressures from her country, her friends, and even some family and decides to uphold her responsibility to those she loves. To be loyal means to bear the burden of responsibility and consider the situation of loved ones. Ji-Li observes:
“Life was difficult for me, but it was even more difficult for Mom. How could I think of hurting her this way?” (217)
Ji-Li is not only loyal but also loyal to making just decisions. The word ”loyalty” comes from the French word loyalty, meaning ”good quality” or ”legitimacy.”At its very roots, ”loyalty” is a pure quality to possess to be of “good disposition.” This trait of goodness is what Ji-li embodies in the third chapter.“No matter how hard I tried, I just could not relate them to the villains described in the da-zi-bao.” (43). At this moment, in the presence of her classmates, Ji-li is straining to find fault in her teachers for past mistakes. However, even amidst the pressures from her companions to write propagandistic rhetoric on her teachers, she struggles to find anything, lies or not, to add to her libel. Only a pure-hearted person would have trouble finding fault in the actions of others. More evidence of this lies in chapter seven: “I felt sick to my stomach... How could I feel sorry for a counterrevolutionary’s family member who refused to support the Red Guards? Still, I could not help going back out to look at him.” (111) These statements, as a result of the Red Guards forcing Old Quin to the ground, prove Ji-li’s ability to recognize specific actions as wrong, independently of her opinions. At this point in the story, Ji-li still recognizes the Red Guards as infallible people, doing what is necessary to aid the Cultural Revolution. Yet her inhibitions and morals overcast her praises for the Red Guards, and she stays true to herself.
Despite all obstacles, Ji-li Jiang remains loyal to her family, no matter the cost. The defining lesson of Red Scarf Girl is the essence and limits of loyalty- a lesson Ji-li learns all too well. Loyalty has no limits. However, risking a life is the pen-ultimate sacrifice to be given, second only to death itself. Whether through trust, responsibility, or the pursuit of goodness, loyalty allows love to strengthen the heart of a family.