How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Carefully, my parents chose my name: Ji-li, meaning lucky and beautiful. They hoped that I would be the happiest girl in the world. And I was. (pro.2)
This is the first thing Ji-li tells us about herself, so clearly it's important to who she is. It's really telling that this is from her parents' perspective, though—at this point, she's still acting out exactly what everyone else planned for her.
Quote #2
Her head was bowed down by a sign that read, REACTIONARY MONSTER WEI DONG-LI. She beat a gong and shouted, "I am a reactionary teacher. I am a reactionary monster." (9.4)
An Yi's mom is publically humiliated for being a teacher. As outraged as that makes us (since Shmoop loves education and all), we can't help but notice the work that's being done here. The Red Guards want to change her identity—she was a respected teacher with a bunch of awards, but now she's a traitor and a monster.
Quote #3
I lowered my head and pretended to check my nails. I wanted everyone to see that I did not care if I was not chosen. My parents and Grandma had warned me against disappointment, so I was prepared. And anyway, the Red Successors were not nearly as glorious as the Red Guards. (4.14)
Ji-li wants people to believe that she's indifferent to what they think of her, but of course she isn't; she still cares a lot about what they think of her. Again we see her struggle with who she is. Ji-li lets other people's opinions of her define who she is, rather than the other way around.
Quote #4
His brilliant eyes were looking into the distance as if he were already thinking about the great revolutionary task that lay ahead of him. I could not look at the painting without feeling inspired. I was ready to follow him anywhere. (7.3)
Describing Mao, Ji-li reveals how persuasive and dynamic he is as a leader. Ji-li idolizes Mao, despite the ways in which he makes her life harder. She definitely doesn't have a clear picture of who the guy really is.
Quote #5
She was nice enough— frank, sincere, and sympathetic. But as a child from a black family— a black whelp— I felt awkward around a Red Guard leader. (10.52)
When Ji-li meets up with Chang Hong, she's worried about what might happen—she thinks her family's dark past will alter her friendships. For Chang Hong, though, this isn't a problem. Ji-li worries about it so much that it does impact who she is, however.
Quote #6
"You have self-esteem, and you always try to excel. That's why I believe you are brave enough to face and eventually overcome the difficulties of life." (12.41)
These are powerful words, and Ji-li certainly needs to hear them, too. She's gotten to a point where she only thinks of herself as her class status. It's important for her to realize that she's much more than a landlord's granddaughter, though, regardless of what anyone else tells her.
Quote #7
I remembered primary school, the praises and the honors. But what had I gotten in the end? People were jealous because I was favored. I remembered the humiliating talk with the Red Successors, the terrible accusations of the da-zi-bao. Why should I go through that again? (13.91)
Ji-li learned the hard way how fickle friendships can be, and she worries this will happen again at her new school when people find out about her family history. This is all part of her struggle to figure out who she is. At first she tries to hide her class status from new people, but then she gradually learns to accept it.
Quote #8
"Now, you have to choose between two roads." Thin-Face looked straight into my eyes. "You can break with your family and follow Chairman Mao, or you can follow your father and become an enemy of the people." (14.38)
Sounds easy, right? Ji-li desperately wants to follow Mao, but that would make her a liar and a coward, and she just can't sleep at night being that kind of person. When she's asked to choose between her family and Mao, she knows it'll be a big decision, and it's one that will define who she is.
Quote #9
"You've got some nerve for a little black bastard. How dare you plead for this damned revisionist book?" He held the book in front of Ji-yong's face and very slowly began tearing the cover off. (16.34)
Ji-li's little brother argues with the Red Guard to be able to keep his book. It's not really about the book so much as it is about who he is. It gets him into trouble, but he can take it—he's not interested in giving up his book or being a pushover.
Quote #10
Many friends have asked me why, after all I went through, I did not hate Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution in those years. The answer is simple: We were all brainwashed. (Ep.1)
Clearly the Cultural Revolution greatly changed who Ji-li is. Now she appreciates freedom and doesn't take it for granted, plus she's also more discerning about what people tell her.