Ties that Bind, Ties that Break

Reader Response to Ties that Bind, Ties that Break by Lensey Namioka

Inside cover reads:
"When her father and her uncle discuss the "Foreign Big Noses," ailin is fascinated. who are these people who speak English, and why have they come to China? A Third Sister in the Tao family, Ailin is not quite five years old in 1911, a time of transformation in China, when Western philosophies are creating a wave of revolutions and the empire is crumbling. More spirited than her older sisters, Ailin rebels against the torturous age-old tradition of binding girls' feet. When the family of her intended husband breaks the marriage agreement because her feet are not bound, Ailin feels no remorse. But as she enters adolescence, her fmaily is no longer willing to support her. She realizes for the first time just how powerless a girl of good family with no prospect of marriage is in Chinese society.
Ailin has no intention of following that society's traditions. Not only can she read and write Chinese, but she also learns English and seeks a way to make her own living. When offered an opportuntiy that shocks her alraedy estranged family, Ailin faces a decision that may further alienate her form her family duty and her country."

My Rxn:

Stellar. It took me back to the days of Asian-American Lit at SLC. Lots of great themes here- gender roles, the American dream, individuality, identity, independence, and cultural tension. LOVE IT. i'm going to recommend it to my prof. for future installments of the course. it is a VERY QUICK read. I read it in 3 hours.... but it's got all the great stuff in there.. references to Mulan and the Gold Mountain....it's captivating. I love our protagonist. She questions everything- a real fighter. It's great. Also a few great words here and there. definite Word Nerd Seal of Approval, here. It's intended audience could really be anyone in grades 8 or older. I think it would appeal more to girls, but guys feed on injustice as well. I would definitely use this in my classroom!

Some great quotes, as always:

"As usual, the teacher didn't try to explain the meaning but just ordered us to memorize the text. We droned on and on in unison, reciting the text without understanding it" (29). I give my students full permission to smack me if it ever comes to that in my classroom. I know it won't, though.

"I could tell she loved her job, and having a student do well seemed to please her more than anything else in the world" (54). Damn skippy. That's all I want.

"I personally like the colored cocoons, but silk weavers hate them because they spoil the white uniformity. Whenever they see a colored one, they immediately take it out and burn it. Remember this" (55). The nail that stands out will be hammered down. (I know it's a Japanese proverb, but close enough!)

"There was a famous woman warrior called Hua Mulan, and the Dowager Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty actually proclaimed herself a ruling empress and tried to start a new dynasty!" (66).

"We were both intoxicated: she by the joy of teaching and I by the joy of learning" (77).

"Traditionally the strongest weapon that a Chinese woman had was suicide. Time after time women who had been deeply wronged killed themselves. Even when the wrong had been concealed from outsiders, the angry ghost of the dead woman would haunt the perpetrator" (83). No Name Woman

"I realized that I was like a bamboo shoot that had been outside in the air and sun. I could never again be like my sisters and other delicate Chinese girls with bound feet who spent their days in an inner chamber. I was too tough now" (111).

"miasma" (123).

"Jinshan, the Chinese name for San Francisco, meant 'Golden Mountain,' and I pictured gold rushing down the mountain in a stream" (129).

"Do you think like an American or like most Chinese?" (131).