6 The Sound of Drums and Gongs There was a tension in the air that even we children felt The newspapers and radio were full of the campaign to Destroy the Four Olds The campaign had been expanded to eliminate personal possessions 80 ID: 395779
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Slide1
Red Scarf GirlSlide2
6. The Sound of Drums and Gongs
“There was a tension in the air that even we children felt. The newspapers and radio were full of the campaign to “Destroy the Four Olds.” The campaign had been expanded to eliminate personal possessions” (80).Slide3
Continued
A Red Guard team searches and confiscates possessions in “black family” homes.
“I had never seen a search, except in the movies. I knew that they were the only way we were going to get rid of the Four Olds, once and for all. Still, there was something about the idea that made me nervous” (82
)Slide4
Continued
“The gate opened with a loud clang and I jumped. Eight men struggled out with a huge mahogany four-poster bed. It was just like Mom and Dad’s bed, with a mirror in the headboard surrounded by carved dragons. Most of the crowd murmured in admiration, but I also heard and indignant snort.
“Typical capitalist,” said a ragged-looking old woman.
I blushed. Our family had a capitalist bed, too. I turned and made my way out of the crowd.” (85)Slide5
Continued
“In other years summer vacation had been a happy time. In the daytime we went to the pool or to the movies or to the park to turn somersaults and roll on the grass. Evenings we sat in the alley with the neighbors and listened to stories. We would watch the moon and sing and giggle until very late.
Now things were different…There seemed to be no laughter in the alley—just a growing, choking tension” (87).Slide6
Exploiting Labour
Exploit: To use a person in an unfair or selfish way.
Ji-li
says that they fired their housekeeper because they were scared they would be seen as exploiting her. But she was sad to leave.
Why?Slide7
Chapters 7-8
A woman tells about how she saw Mao once.
“Black Categories” must repent in front of a wall.
More raids on homes become more and more violent and common—having old pictures, clothes or furniture was bad.
They burn old photos and make old dresses into quilts, so the Red Guard won’t come after them. Slide8
Chapter 9: Fate
“No matter what I did and where I went, the Cultural Revolution followed me” (141).
Convicted black-
listers
have to sweep the streets.
Her aunt trips while cleaning and her own son won’t help her up.
“Now I remembered that Shan-
shan
had written a
da-zi-bao
after their house had been searched, formally breaking relations with his mother. I had admired him for his courage and firmness then.
It was not easy to break with your mother. I could not imagine actually doing it.” (143)Slide9
Chapter 9 Cont’d
Their house is searched!