Notes

In these two chapters, the reader learns about WeiliÂ’s close friend, Hulan. Both Weili and Hulan are of the same age group; Weili is a year older than Hulan. One notices that their friendship grows despite their apparent differences. Weili is educated and too sophisticated, to be a friend of illiterate country lass like Hulan. Hulan being Wen FuÂ’s bossÂ’ wife, is not the only reason for them being friends. What Weili finds most appealing about her friend, are her kind eyes and her honest disposition. Her mind is like a mirror and she never attempts to conceal her real feelings. But, at times it seems that her weak points outweigh her good qualities. Hulan is basically clumsy and her manners can be compared to a village servant. In no way does she make a good match for the first class pilot Jiaguo. In their earlier days of friendship, Weili had attributed HulanÂ’s frankness to be a sign of good nature. Later she finds out that HulanÂ’s openness is neither modesty nor humility but sheer foolishness. At various instances, Weili notices that there is no rationale behind what Hulan speaks. The stay in the monastery brings them closer and also because there are very few pilot wives with whom Weili can be friends.

Barely a month after Weili and Wen Fu’s marriage had been consummated; Wen Fu shows his true color. The reader is greatly disturbed by the devilish image of Wen Fu. Till now Wen Fu had been a seducer, trying to appease Weili’s cousin, Peanut. But Wen Fu as a husband, turns out to be the most vulgar and cruel person. The trauma, which he inflicts on Weili, can never be forgiven. Weili, on her part, is so naïve that she is ready to suffer anything just to prove that she can be a worthy wife to Wen Fu. The Chinese custom, in those days, demanded total submission and sacrifice from the wife. In fact, the wife had no separate identity, apart from being the one who satisfies the husband’s needs. Every night Weili is a victim of her husband’s atrocities. There is no such thing like sexual fulfillment in their mating. Every night Weili is subjected to rape at the hands of her own husband. Not that she is unwilling, but Wen Fu takes delight in humiliating her. He wants to emerge as the winner, the one who continues to torture a person until she asks for his forgiveness. The other major discovery that Weili makes about her husband is that he is not qualified to be a pilot. Wen Fu had got into airforce by using his dead brother, Wen Chen’s name. Now, Weili feels as if she is living with a person having two distinct identities and her dilemma lies in her inability to choose one from the two. She decides to at least try to like the better part, Wen Fu being the brother of Wen Chen, who used to be good-natured, devoted and a well-qualified person.

Though Weili is heart-broken for getting a husband, who sexually assaults her, she hopes that he would change his ways on hearing the good news of her pregnancy. His utter indifference to the happy news stunts her. She is now worried about the safety of her unborn baby. So, when Wen Fu is ordered for the flight attack, Weili has mixed thoughts in her mind. However, in spite of all her misgivings about Wen Fu, she too along with the other pilot wives, expects her husband to return victoriously and safely.

Table of Contents | Printable Version