Imagery in Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang A Study of Images and What They Evoke in a Reader

What is IMAGERY? Imagery is descriptive language, often in the form of a simile or a metaphor, that evokes sensory experience.

Simile or Metaphor? A Simile is a comparison of two things using “like” or “as.” I am as red as a tomato. It is as silent as the grave. A Metaphor compares things without using “like” or “as.” His breath was on fire. Her eyes were pools of beauty.

Sensory Experience? A “Sensory” Experience is one in which you experience something through one of your five senses. What are your five senses?

Soap Bubbles Red Scarf Girl, Page 18

Quote “I thought about my beautiful dreams and wondered if they would drift away just like those lovely soap bubbles.”

Discussion Questions What do you know about soap bubbles? What does this comparison say about Ji-Li’s dreams? What do you predict may happen to her dreams, based on their parallels to soap bubbles?

Rain Pages 54-55

Quotes “Friday afternoon a thunderstorm struck. The darkness gathered until I could not see my book. The first flash of lightning drew me to the window as the downpour began.... The torrent overflowed the gutters, and a curtain of rainwater leaped off the roof... “I lay contentedly in her arms as the rain washed away my humiliation and shame.”

Discussion Questions What does the sky look like when it rains? What does this king of sky symbolize? What does “the torrent” of rain refer to in the story? What event happens so quickly that Ji-Li can hardly believe it? What does rain do to things that are dirty? With that in mind, what does rain mean for Ji-Li?

Flower Pages 70-71

Quote “Alone in the corner of the school yard I saw a little wildflower. She had six delicate petals, each as big as the nail of my little finger. They were white at the center and shaded blue at the edges. She was as lonely as I was. I did not know her name. Softly I stroked her petals, thinking that I would take care of her, as I wished someone would take care of me.”

Discussion Questions Who does the “delicate flower” represent? What happens to delicate flowers when the weather gets hot? How does this reaction of flower-to-weather relate to the situation Ji-Li finds herself in?

Umbrella Pages 89

Quote “But we no longer heard her happy humming, and she no longer bought us treats or met us with umbrellas when it rained.”

Discussion Questions What does an umbrella do? How does this represent Ji-Li’s nanny, Song Po-Poi?

Pearls Page 99

Quote “The new decor lost all its brightness. the pearls I had been playing with lost their luster, and I put them down.”

Discussion Questions How is a pearl made? The Chinese Cultural Revolution seemed like a bright pearl to some, but how does Ji- Li feel about it now, according to the imagery in this quote?

Home on Fire Page 125

Quote “Picture after picture was thrown into the fire. Each in turn curled, melted and disappeared. The ashes in the washbowl grew deeper. Finally there were no more pictures left. Mom poured the ashes into the toilet and flushed them away. That night I dreamed that the house was on fire.”

Discussion Questions How would you feel if your house was on fire? What would you do to save it and those people and things inside that meant the most to you? How does Ji-Li’s dream of her house on fire represent her fears of what is happening to her and her family?

Broken Glass Bottle Page 137

Quote “The bottle holding the glass beads had smashed, and beads were rolling all over the floor. The trampled candy wrappers looked like trash. And the stamp album was gone forever.”

Discussion Questions Can broken glass be fixed? How difficult is it to clean up after a glass has been broken? From her description of the broken bottle of glass beads, how does the “visit” from the Red Guards make Ji-Li feel?

Tears Page 211

Quote “I hate landlords. I hate this landlord family.” I burst out. They were the first words I had spoken since I got home. As I turned to leave, I saw tears welling out of my Mom’s eyes.”

Discussion Questions There can be tears of joy and tears of happiness. Which tears are these? How do you know? What is the function of tears? Can you find imagery that applies to Ji-Li’s mother in this particular function?

Sunset Pages

Quote “The sun was setting, and the western sky was a sheet of gold and rose. I stopped, my heart full of awe at the immensity of the world... Whatever my family background was, I would overcome all difficulties. My future would be bright.”

Discussion Questions What time of day is it when the sun sets? What comes after the sun sets and night is over? How does this relate to Ji-Li’s feelings about the Chinese Cultural Revolution?

Think About It... Now that you’ve read “Red Scarf Girl,” what image would best describe her experiences during the Chinese Cultural Revolution?

Sources