My Final Post, What We Learn From the Little Seamstress

*THIS POST GIVES AWAY THE ENDING TO "BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS" 

So I finished "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress." In the end the Little Seamstress leaves. She had started to change after hew abortion and then left. She became more modern and then left with out a goodbye. I wondered about why it was exactly she chose to leave. I think she had just finally gone through enough in her little town and had to leave. Though she never had the opportunity to learn she needed to. There comes a point at everyone's life where you become so mature you need to grow up. I think that though her decision seems quick and reckless, but she was really ready for it.

Often this moment comes with a anger. Anger at parents, anger at yourself. Some kind of anger. One becomes so caught up in his or her own need to grow that teenage angst forms. Teenagers are famous for this angst. I think that means you aren't really so mature that you can't stand everyone else, rather you think you are mature but very often are really just hopelessly confused. I liked that the Little Seamstress was truly ready when she left. She wasn't angry or upset. She was very calm. I think that this proves she is ready to leave more than anything.

I think it was Balzac more than her abortion that changed her. Which is interesting because you would think that a abortion would effect someone more than a book. I think this is also shows her maturity. If it was the abortion that caused her to leave she may have been angry at Luo for getting her pregnant, or at China's laws for making it so hard to get that abortion but making it impossible to keep the child. The banned books just inspired her to grow up so she could see the outside world. She learned about far away places like France and unheard of feelings like love. Her perspective on the world change resulting in a loss of innocence and the need to leave. The abortion just taught her about the harsh realitys of the world. A lesson more than a change.

I think that the Little Seamstress is actually a good example of a responsible teenager, despite her pregnancy. She made a mistake as a teenager but she learned from it. She grew up and left when she needed to. She didn't blame anyone. Which is really easy to do sometimes. She prepared herself for the outside world by slowly changing, she didn't rush into anything. I think as hard as it is, it's important for teenagers not to totally lose there minds. Not as easy as it sounds. Most importantly we need to learn from our mistakes. Learn from our mistakes, let books change us and never stop moving forward. Thanks Little Seamstress.

*This is my final post, so thanks to everyone who reads this and thanks to Ms. Robbins. If you have time please please please please check out and follow my blog "And A Little Bit Not"  for poetry, vignettes, some things that are almost essays but not really, lists, and everything else that goes through my mind. *

Disspointed Little Seamstress

So in ELA our group mostly talked about a quote from the book I am reading, "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress." It is about 2 boys, the narrator, his friend Luo and their friend the Little Seamstress, a girl. Both of the boys are in love with the Little Seamstress. The story takes place in the "cultural revolution" of China. The 2 boys are being re-educated and find a stash of banned "Western" books. The Little Seamstress, (whose name is never mentioned, she is just referred to as "the Little Seamstress") says in a letter to Luo, "I'm disappointed, but that's life." Dramatic right? Funny thing is that she is referring to how Luo, showed her that they both have 2nd toes longer than their big toe and since then she has seen that other people who have 2nd toes longer than there big toe. So why so dramatic?

Well it could be that during coming of age we start to see things differently and really question things which is extremely scary. It's scary when everything you have ever thought starts to change. So because we are scared, our thoughts and every day conversations start to take a darker turn, especially with our friends. Her fear has come out in conversation. It could be that this isn't really the reason why she speaks so dramatically. Though the Little Seamstress craves knowledge she is still raised in the Cultural Revolution where the young are being held from knowledge. She lives in a world where knowledge and questioning are discouraged. At this point in the book they have not found the banned books so she has not learned about the outside world from these books yet. She hasn't changed or grown. She is still naive, or at least the government are trying to keep the young naive.

It could just be young innocent love. She has a crush on Luo, and when you have a crush on someone as a teenager you cherish little things like both having 2nd toes longer than your big toe. Anything that you have in common is important. It's the same idea as doodling both of your names in the back of a notebook with a heart around it just to see your names together. Or noticing that you both like coffee or dubstep. In this case the Little Seamstress and Luo don't have opportunities for much personality, like interesting names, or coffee, or dubstep. She also just doesn't know him that well yet, as it often is with a crush. So things like toes seem important.

I could be wrong. Is it possible to stomp out adolescence by taking away anything that could help you grow? Like books or movies or proper schooling? If you don't know about the world is it possible to question it? For example if you never see a cigarette you'll never smoke one to rebel right? Is this the same idea or is it a natural thing? I think no matter what situation you are in you will still grow. Maybe you can keep it from surfacing but it will still be there. Perhaps the Little Seamstress was unconsciously questioning the world and wasn't content with her life but the cultural revolution kept that part of her from showing. She thought life was disappointing but there was no teenage rebellion or teenage spirit. Just occasional casual, but dramatic remarks.