Essay on Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai...

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie Throughout his novel Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Dai Sijie illustrates the powerful influence that books have on their readers. Through his narrative, he establishes his stance on the controversial issue of whether or not storytelling is good. He combines countless events and feelings to create a novel that demonstrates the good of storytelling and the iniquity of book banning and burning. In the end, Sijie portrays storytelling as a means of good entertainment, enlightening experience and positive encouragement. First and foremost, Sijie displays storytelling as a means for entertainment, and in turn, as something good. He portrays Luo as an†¦show more content†¦Stories give people new ideas and experiences along with lessons that they are unable to realize in their own lives. The narrator feels as though he is in the land of Balzac’s Ursule MirouÃ'‘t even though he has never before seen France. He is so fascinated with the story that he does not put the book down until he has finished the last page (Sijie 57). This allows him to experience life in an entirely different manner from which he is accustomed. From these stories, the boys gain insights into thoughts and emotions that are completely foreign to them. While Luo visits the Little Seamstress telling her of the stories he as read, the narrator feels one of these unfamiliar emotions. He states, â€Å"Suddenly I felt a stab of jealousy, a bitter wrenching emotion I had never felt before† (58). Although jealousy is not usually seen as a good feature and while this emotional awakening may seem like a negative effect of storytelling to some readers, it is actually an amazing accomplishment. Stories provide their readers with a new perception of life. They are able to feel what they have never felt, to see what they have never seen, and to be what they have never been. While these experiences may not be the most enjoyable, all experiences leave people with a more extensive idea of what life really is. In addition to providing positiveShow MoreRelatedEssay Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie1315 Words   |  6 PagesIn Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie, storytelling occurs during times of hopelessness when life seems hard and allows the characters to live vicariously through the tales told. The narrator and Luo use storytelling as an escape from reality in times of desperation. The tailor is influenced by the stories to the point where he changes the style of clothing he creates to escape the boundaries of Mao approved clothing. The importance of storytelling to the little seamstress isRead MoreAnalysis Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress By Dai Sijie1381 Words   |  6 Pages Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie is about two teen boys being sent out to rural China for reeducation. 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