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Southern Hebei Province, China - Spring 1900 (Chapter 5)

1. Character Development

Lee Bao is continuing his journey to unify China and free it from the foreign devils. However, he is at odds with the Chin Shih-huang and his ideals. Lee Bao wants to follow the edicts of his groups, but Chin Shih-huang is not as forgiving. Lee Bao is haunted with the images of those he has killed, but moves on to Peking. As they journey, the China they know has changed and has been replaced by Christian buildings. Lee Bao makes the decision to have those symbols quickly destroyed.

Working from the archetypal lens, Lee Bao is still on a journey to restore China. This journey has become bigger than he imagined and he is at odds with Chin Shih-huang. Chin Shih-huang is not merciful, while Lee Bao has a heart.

2. Historical/Cultural Context

The references to Chin Shih-huang were similar to how he was as a leader. He was referred to as unbending, as was his character in the story. He sees Lee Bao's actions as weak and pushes him further. He demands that all signs of the foreign devils be destroyed.  This chapter references the Christian missions in China.

3. Symbols

As Lee Bao and the Society of the Righteous Harmonious Fist travel, they come across Christian symbols. There are crosses on the houses or those worn by the secondary devils. There are Christian statues of the Virgin Mary. All of that is destroyed as they make their way to Peking. When Lee Bao and Kao-Ling are pushed into the water by their brother, Lee Bao still fears the water. He drowns in his dreams and that creeps into his real life, although he can stand into the water he has been pushed into.

4. Language (visual and verbal)

The use of the black squares to show that Lee Bao was either dead or unconscious was great in the story. It also showed that he had given up, since he felt such a loss when his brother had been killed. He did see a flash of hope before he went though, when Mei Wen appeared with her sisters.

Little Bao had mentioned a burning in his throat in an earlier, when he realizes that his element is fire he breathes it out. That burning in his throat now makes was connected to his fire element.

5. Theme

Lee Bao is reborn in this chapter and realizes his element. He is of fire and uses that to destroy the mission. He no longer questions his heart, but puts down those that are foreign or secondary devils. This is a drastic change from the Little Bao first introduced. Lee Bao has lost friends and both of this brothers. He is unbending, much like Chin Shih-huang.

6. My Thoughts

Lee Bao took such a dramatic turn in this chapter and became something I did not expect. The rage that expelled from him was horrific. He had gone through tremendous loss and exacted his pain at those before him. He became the god he had embodied and I am not sure what price he will pay for that. It was heartbreaking to see him kill that girl he once wanted to marry as a child and even more so, when he burned down that church with all the people inside.



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