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We meet the narrator and his best friend Luo who are both being re-educated in a small, mountainside village. The headmaster in the village is inspecting a violin the narrator brought with him. The narrator gives us some context about the Cultural Revolution and re-education camps. Luo's dad (a famous dentist) is publicly humiliated for mentioning Mao and Jheng Jieshi in the same sentence.

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The narrator - Seventeen years old. Main character (?). Luo's best friend. Father is a doctor, mother is a parasitic disease specialist. Can play the violin.

Luo - Eighteen years old. Best friends with the narrator. Quirky, smart, quick thinking, calm, cool, and collected.
Luo's father is a famous dentist.

Luo's Father - Accused of sleeping with his nurse (did not actually). Famous dentist who worked on Mao's teeth.

The headman - scary looking (three spots of blood in his left eye, nose hairs). Intimidating. Strong Communist.

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They meet the tailor on their way to visit Four-Eyes. Later, when they go to have Luo's trousers lengthened, they meet the Little Seamstress. They learn more about the tailor from the LS. There is a little bit of flirting between the LS and Luo.

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Definition: (adjective) not embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed

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The Little Seamstress - Daughter of the tailor. She can't read much, but likes to talk to people who can read and write (likes to hear other ideas). Flirting with Luo. Alone the majority of the time. Beautiful, pretty eyes, long eyelashes.

The tailor - Father of the LS. He's wealthy, powerful, treated like royalty/celebrity. Travels from village to village for his tailoring services.

Four-Eyes - Luo ad the narrator's friend from the city. He's being re-educated in a different village.

The narrator - Maybe he likes the LS as well? He's quiet, he seems to take a backseat to Luo.

Luo - Appears to like the LS. He denies his interest in the seamstress by saying "she's not civilized, at least enough for me" (27). Despite the poor living conditions, he continues to grow.

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Luo and the narrator have been assigned a new job - working in the coal mine. Luo and the narrator think that they are going to die in the mine, and eventually Luo comes down with malaria. The villagers/coal miners try to whip the sickness out of Luo, but he still is sick. Luo receives a letter from the Little Seamstress in which she tells him that the headman of her village has asked that the boys tell the stories of the movies they have seen.

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Definition: (adjective) disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with depiction of death and injury.

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The narrator - Scared of dying in the mine (would see his life flash before his eyes often). Worried he'll never see his parent again.

Luo - Scared of dying in the mine. Comes down with malaria.

The little seamstress - Thinking about Luo. She can read and write, thanks to her father, the tailor. Flirting with Luo again through the letter. She's spoken to her village headman to see if Luo and the narrator could come to her village to tell the stories of the movies.

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The narrator describes, their living conditions (Phoenix mountain and the house on stilts) as well as their 'job,' moving human and animal excrement from the village to the fields (gross). We learn the village is not very civilized, as they are curious/confused by the alarm clock. The headman gives the boys a new job - going to the nearby village, watching the movies, and returning to tell the story of what they saw.

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Definition: (adjective) winding or turning one way or another

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Definition: (adjective) irritating or annoying

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The narrator - he really is good at the violin, but he knows a lot of classical pieces; plays pieces Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven. Still seems kind of shy/stage fright - takes a back seat to Luo when telling the story of the movie. The narrator seems to be Luo's sidekick?

Luo - Good at storytelling, addicted to cigarettes, likes to entertain. He is understandably depressed - three kids in a thousand might get out of re-education. Luo continues to prove that he's quick-witted, smart, and tricky (alarm clock manipulation).

The headman - he's fascinated by the alarm clock and he really likes storytelling. Wants to be entertained.

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Luo is still sick. They go to the LS to tell the story. The LS brings the sorceresses to help with Luo's sickness. The narrator tells the story of the movie, and with Luo's help, brings the sorceresses to tears. The LS kisses Luo.

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Definition: (noun) a soft, moist mass of material, typically of plant material or flower, applied to the body to relieve pain and inflammation.

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The Little Seamstress - Good with medicine/remedies. Cares about Luo. Kissed Luo. Doesn't know what a dentist is, but is aware of worms in your teeth.

Luo - Still fighting malaria/fever, but still wants to see the Little Seamstress. Second chapter in a row that he has not been the focal point (due to his sickness). Can steal the show with a well-times line.

The Narrator - Called the LS pretty (does he have a crush on the LS as well?). Character development - the narrator has grown more comfortable in his storytelling abilities, telling the entire story of The Little Flower to the LS and the four sorceresses. He's still not as good as Luo, but he is improving. Smaller crowd? Luo wasn't there to demand the spotlight? Maybe he wants to impress the LS?

The sorceresses - Old, ugly crones (witches). One has a bow with which protect them from the demons (sickness). The first audience for the narrator's first storytelling adventure.

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Why doesn't anyone in the story have a name (besides Luo)?

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Why doesn't anyone in the story have a name (besides Luo)?

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-Foreshadowing something about Luo?
-What if they don't have names?

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Luo's relationship with the little seamstress, they seem to be flirting a lot and she kissed him. They go to other towns and explain the movies they watch, this is seen as an opportunity to escape their jobs from the re-education system. Luo came down with malaria and still has it. Don't know anyone's name except Luo's, they all have nicknames.

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Luo and the narrator visit their friend Four-Eyes every so often to share their spoils and hang out. Luo's malaria started to go away soon after the performance for the four sorceresses. Four-Eyes would never lock his doors until the narrator discovered his hidden suitcase under the bed. Luo assumes that the suitcase is filled with books and this leads to Four-Eyes acting weird and starting to lock his place. At the end of the chapter Luo and the narrator get a book from him with the authors name Balzac.

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Definition: (adjective) enjoying an activity that appears to be painful or tedious.

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Luo - Overcomes malaria. His aunts books were confiscated by the Red Guards.

The Narrator - His parents were only interested in their work.

Four-Eyes - Always lives in constant fear, feels like he's in danger all the time. His parents are both involved with literature, father is a writer and mother is a poet. Keeps a suitcase with books in it (forbidden to have books). Broke glasses.

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Both Luo and the narrator finished the book right as they were lent it. Luo went to visit the Little Seamstress at first light to go tell her about the book. The narrator imagined Luo telling her the story and suddenly got jealous, as he realized he liked the Little Seamstress from reading that book. Luo took the Little Seamstress' virginity.

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Definition: (noun) to walk while asleep.

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Luo - Got impacted by the book showing them what teenage love feels like. Took the Little Seamstress' virginity.

The Little Seamstress - Luo took her virginity

The Narrator - Got introduced to how teenage love feels and realized his love for the Little Seamstress. He is jealous of Luo and that he went to visit her.

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The narrator and Luo were convinced they would get more books from four-eyes if they continued to do his work after they handed back the book by Balzac. Luo read the sentences that the narrator wrote in the inside of his coat to the Little Seamstress and she was moved by it like them. Four-eyes revealed to them about his Thousand-Metre-Cliff journey where his mom wanted him to find folk songs to write down. He had to sleep with a bunch of lice in horrible conditions and still has not gotten the folk song, so Luo and the author asked for another Balzac book in return for them doing his job.

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Definition: (noun) the outward appearance or apparent form of something, especially when the reality is different.

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Luo - Desired to read more books.

The Little Seamstress - Also got moved by the quotes from Balzac's book and hopes to read more from it.

Narrator - Is dying to read another book by Balzac and will do anything for it. Tried doing more work for Four-Eyes to get another Balzac book.

Four-Eyes - Got new glasses from his mom. Has a chance to get out of the re-education program if he gets The Miller to sing a folk song (his mom's old friend gave him this job).

The Miller - Knew all the songs of the region and was known as a champion singer.

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They go to visit the old Miller and find an old military uniform. They dress up and visit the Miller pretending to be communist party members. They ask him about the old mountain songs that four-eyes was trying to get, but the Old Miller stalls and doesn't give them them what they want. He asks if they want a meal instead and gives them boiled pebbles and miller sauce, they sit on the bed eating the stuff while fleas are crawling on them. They're willing to go to all extremes to get new books to escape from reality (ate the pebbles). The Old Miller starts singing one of the old mountain songs.

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The narrator - Can speak Mandarin.

Luo - Quick on his feet.

The miller - Has never even heard of Beijing, ignorant. Naive, stubborn, doesn't want to sing the song right away.

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Luo and the narrator bring the old folk songs to Four-Eyes and he snaps. Four-Eyes explains how all the songs are are rhythms and not folk songs, Luo goes on defending the Old Miller. Four-Eyes starts changing the lyrics in the songs and the Narrator tries to grab the page from his hand but ends up fighting Four-Eyes instead. Luo and the narrator got no books from four-eyes.

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Four-Eyes changed the lines of the traditional mountain songs after they went out of their way to get these songs for him so he could get off the mountain and they could get their books. Literature is being censored again like how its already been censored before.

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Luo - Thankful to the Miller for his kindness and wants to repay him.

The Narrator - Gets in a fight and loses track of what happened. Doesn't like the change of literature that Four-Eyes does.

Four-Eyes -  Four-eyes change completely after the note from his mom. All he wants is to get out of the re-education system and that made him inconsiderate of what Luo and The Narrator did for him. Was rude.

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The narrator, Luo, and the Little Seamstress go to Yong Jing to watch the film "The Little Flower Seller" (the movie the narrator told). They come across a women Knitting picking up her son from the re-education system. The Little Seamstress and Luo go to a graveyard to see where her grandfather was buried, while they did this the narrator stayed behind. The narrator starts talking to the women knitting and finds out she's Four-Eyes mom. He pretends to be Luo and finds out that Four-Eyes doesn't like him and that he lied about winning the fight, once he goes to tell the LS and Luo about everything they make a plan to steal the Balzac books.

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Definition: (verb) lay oneself flat on the ground face downward, especially in reverence or submission.

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Narrator -

Luo -

The Little Seamstress -

Four-Eyes - Denies that he has a suitcase of books and also lies about his fight with the narrator. Claims that he won the fight and he only likes Luo and not the narrator.

Four-Eyes' Mom -

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Four-Eyes' killed a buffalo and drank its blood to gain courage. The four sorceresses were invited to the going away and made a prediction for Four-Eyes, probably something about the books being stolen. As the banquet was about to begin, Luo and the narrator head to Four-Eyes' house and they break in with a master key. They find the books tied up and begin to start leaving as Four-Eyes and his mother walk in. In panic, they go hide under the beds when his mother notices the rope on the suitcase is untied on the floor. They check the suitcase and don't see anything wrong so they leave and Luo and the narrator grab the suitcase and go.

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Definition: (noun) a feeling of intense dislike or disgust; hatred.

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Narrator - So stuck on getting the books to read.

Luo - Wants to show The Little Seamstress the books right away so she won't be a simple mountain girl anymore.

Four-Eyes - Only stayed friends with Luo and the narrator so Luo's father could help with his parents teeth. About to leave the re-education system.

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The narrator - He tells the story about the sailors to the tailor without Luo. His storytelling had surpassed Luo's according to Luo himself. (C14). Realizes he is a bit of a sadist (C15). When the headman discovers the narrator telling stories, the narrator is scared of torture/never getting off the mountain (C 14).

Luo - Comes up with the sewing machine/drill idea to help save the narrator (C15).  Loyal to his friend - insisted that he accompany the narrator if he is taken away by the headman (C14).

Tailor - Apparently doesn't need sleep - works all day and listens to the boys' stories all night. The western literature is influencing him as well. He is incorporating French styles (from the book) into the clothes that he makes for the villagers. (C14)

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Luo - Secretly attached to his keys that go to his house (his lucky charm). Worries that he will never get off the mountain to use his keys in his home again, so he throws them in the natural pool. Pool that was once his paradise with the LS, he never wants to visit again because of his feelings of dread. He receives a telegram to return to his house to his mom who has been hospitalized. Has even more strong feelings for the LS.

The Little Seamstress - She wants to make Luo happy and that's why she retrieves the keys. Tries to retrieve them while they are playing the game and sees a snake and goes to the shore from terror. Goes to get the keys again but the snake bites her. Learns how to swim. She is more comfortable with herself and around others, more adventurous, more independent. Luo said she could be an actor and she enjoys it.

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The narrator - Got better at storytelling, using it while explaining what's happening to him while "protecting" the LS. He got closer with the LS and caught more feelings for her. Got caught with a book and got beat up, his ear got hurt.

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The narrator - Willing to give up his most prized possession to save a friend, loyal, really cares for the LS. Willing to risk to find someone to help her. Put the LS above of him, is more mature now.

The Little Seamstress - Got pregnant and had to get an abortion. Would have been put in prison for life from the baby.

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The Little Seamstress - Realizes her worth in life. Wants to be a city girl and changes her appearance and moves to the city. Grows up and is ready to leave the people weighing her down (her dad and Luo). Influenced by Balzac's books that talk about the city.

Luo - See's the LS' change as his doing. Treats her as an object. Burns his only escape without considering the narrator.

Narrator - Understand why the LS left but he felt more betrayed than mad that she never told him.

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I liked the book overall and I was actually interested in it instead of not being focused most the time.