1. Character Development
Little Bao is concerned about the village as they grow thin with hunger. Little Bao becomes increasingly impatient with Master Big Belly and his teachings. He believes him to be crazy and believes that the tending to the garden is a waste of time. Little Bao wants to be a hero. In this aspect, Little Bao is still childish and cannot see beyond. Little Bao wants to save his village and wants to be like Red Lantern. He wants to honor his father and Red Lantern, but he must learn to see past what is right there. Little Bao is still on the journey of an archetypal character, but he's has not yet reached his full potential. From the deconstruction lens point, Little Bao is watching his village starve and their beliefs condemned.
Master Big Belly is mystic and talks to Little Bao. He attempts to talk to Little Bao about what is happening to their land. His character is flat and has a specific purpose to the story. Master Big Belly is there is teach Little Bao the difficult lessons and turn him away.
2. Historical/Cultural Contexts
Master Big Belly talks to Little Bao about the foreign devil and what they have brought to their land. He mentions the smoke and the metal railroad. These things were not present in China prior to colonialism. When the Europeans came to China, they built railroads and churches, forever changing the landscape of China.
3. Symbols
Little Bao was asked to tend to the "bean garden" for Master Big Belly. He was never rewarded with any beans, simply asked to keep tending it and asked to bring tea. He was also never given any reason for the tending. When Little Bao tried to take some of the beans, Master Big Belly became angry and threatened to kill him. Little Bao was still too angry and immature to realize the significance of the "bean garden." It was not until Little Bao was ready to fight and protect his brothers, that the true reason of the bean garden was revealed.
4. Language (visual and verbal)
Little Bao is still treated a child and must hide away when he wants to learn anything. When his brothers return, they refuse to tell him anything about Red Lantern. Understandably, they want to protect him. Little Bao again hides away and listens in on the conversation to learn what is happening and learns of the execution of Red Lantern. As he runs away, the head on the spike is revealed on the hillside and Little Bao is sent into action to save his brothers and village.
There are clues throughout the story about what Little Bao will become. When Master Big Belly attempts to teach him the charm and bring forth his chi, nothing occurs. Master Big Belly says something was supposed to happen, but sums it up to Little Bao is not ready. As was the bean garden, it was not ready. All of these clues led to when Master Big Belly showed Little Bao his eye beneath his rob and the "bean garden" was finally harvested.
5. Theme
Little Bao struggled during this chapter as he worked through his training with Master Big Belly and waited for Red Lantern and his brothers to return. There were so much that he wanted to do for his village, but he was unwilling to listen to the teachings of Master Big Belly. Little Bao yearned for glory and praise, but was not yet mature enough to take in everything around him to become the hero he needed to be. His world had fallen apart and he had to potential to be a hero, he just needed to be grounded before doing so.
6. My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the visual of the "bean garden" becoming the gods. I could understand Little Bao's impatience as he waited and worried, but I also wanted him to realize that Red Lantern had sent him there for a reason. Unfortunately he was not getting that part and letting his emotions get the best of him. The graphic of Master Big Belly and the sequence of him ripping open his robe was hilarious to me, because Little Bao seemed "umm...not right now you freak..."
Little Bao is concerned about the village as they grow thin with hunger. Little Bao becomes increasingly impatient with Master Big Belly and his teachings. He believes him to be crazy and believes that the tending to the garden is a waste of time. Little Bao wants to be a hero. In this aspect, Little Bao is still childish and cannot see beyond. Little Bao wants to save his village and wants to be like Red Lantern. He wants to honor his father and Red Lantern, but he must learn to see past what is right there. Little Bao is still on the journey of an archetypal character, but he's has not yet reached his full potential. From the deconstruction lens point, Little Bao is watching his village starve and their beliefs condemned.
Master Big Belly is mystic and talks to Little Bao. He attempts to talk to Little Bao about what is happening to their land. His character is flat and has a specific purpose to the story. Master Big Belly is there is teach Little Bao the difficult lessons and turn him away.
2. Historical/Cultural Contexts
Master Big Belly talks to Little Bao about the foreign devil and what they have brought to their land. He mentions the smoke and the metal railroad. These things were not present in China prior to colonialism. When the Europeans came to China, they built railroads and churches, forever changing the landscape of China.
3. Symbols
Little Bao was asked to tend to the "bean garden" for Master Big Belly. He was never rewarded with any beans, simply asked to keep tending it and asked to bring tea. He was also never given any reason for the tending. When Little Bao tried to take some of the beans, Master Big Belly became angry and threatened to kill him. Little Bao was still too angry and immature to realize the significance of the "bean garden." It was not until Little Bao was ready to fight and protect his brothers, that the true reason of the bean garden was revealed.
4. Language (visual and verbal)
Little Bao is still treated a child and must hide away when he wants to learn anything. When his brothers return, they refuse to tell him anything about Red Lantern. Understandably, they want to protect him. Little Bao again hides away and listens in on the conversation to learn what is happening and learns of the execution of Red Lantern. As he runs away, the head on the spike is revealed on the hillside and Little Bao is sent into action to save his brothers and village.
There are clues throughout the story about what Little Bao will become. When Master Big Belly attempts to teach him the charm and bring forth his chi, nothing occurs. Master Big Belly says something was supposed to happen, but sums it up to Little Bao is not ready. As was the bean garden, it was not ready. All of these clues led to when Master Big Belly showed Little Bao his eye beneath his rob and the "bean garden" was finally harvested.
5. Theme
Little Bao struggled during this chapter as he worked through his training with Master Big Belly and waited for Red Lantern and his brothers to return. There were so much that he wanted to do for his village, but he was unwilling to listen to the teachings of Master Big Belly. Little Bao yearned for glory and praise, but was not yet mature enough to take in everything around him to become the hero he needed to be. His world had fallen apart and he had to potential to be a hero, he just needed to be grounded before doing so.
6. My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the visual of the "bean garden" becoming the gods. I could understand Little Bao's impatience as he waited and worried, but I also wanted him to realize that Red Lantern had sent him there for a reason. Unfortunately he was not getting that part and letting his emotions get the best of him. The graphic of Master Big Belly and the sequence of him ripping open his robe was hilarious to me, because Little Bao seemed "umm...not right now you freak..."
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