THE DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER, c. 1750, by Tsao Hsueh-Chin
(Cao Xuquin). Tran. Chi-Chen Wang, 1958. Anchor Books abridged
Choose 3 (three) of the following
questions. Write about 300 words for each question.
1. IGoddess of
Disillusionment. in Chapters One and Two, the author demonstrates to the
reader that his book is under the
spell of The Goddess of Disillusionment. Discuss how he
does this.
2. Excessive license. The portraits of the
women in the novel are so uncannily strong that
that some
people wonder if Tsao Hsueh-chin is not a woman. However, such
speculations miss an artists capacity to explore multiple parts of
life. Discuss this
excessiveness
as described in Chapter Four.
3.
Wealth. Several times in the novel the author
stops to consider what wealth the Chia family has. Consider Chapter Five, for
instance, in which the author begins the chapter discussing the puzzle of
portraying the workings of such wealth. He tells us that the story of an old
country woman who visits to beg, Liu Lao-Lao, will help us understand. Rerea
d
the chapter. What do we understand from it?
4.
Phoenix. Phoenix s character is striking from the
moment that she is introduced. In chapters 10, 11 and again in chapter 31
readers are given a strong impression of what she is capable. Discuss these
moments.
5.
Pao-yu
and his fathers wrath. Perhaps the most devastating chapter in terms of
psychological investigations by the author into the world of Pao-yu is in
Chapter 20. Reread and discuss. Include several different persons
perspectives.
6.
Shame. Choose several moments in the novel in
which the characters act to shame another, or to appease the shame that has
fallen over them or their honor. Pay
attention to the shame-suicides.
7.
Romantic passion. In the mouth of the disgraced
mandarin Chia Yu-tsun, our author indulges in a disquisition on the romantic
personality Even if born into poverty and lowliness, they achieve
distinctions as actors and courtesans. (Chapter Two.) In Chapters 29 and 30,
the author explores these two kinds of persons. Consider their qualities.