Notes

The reader perceives a drastic transformation in WeiliÂ’s personality. From an innocent girl who had tried to please her husband at all cost she changes into a mature lady who decides to leave her cruel her husband forever. In China, in those days, a woman divorcing her husband was seen as a disgrace. WeiliÂ’s mother was seen in a derogatory way when she had left her husband. Weili knows the consequences of this decision but still has the courage to leave Wen Fu. "Fragile looking, yet strong and brave, the kind of person nothing could stop." This remark made by Jimmy Louie, clearly typify WeiliÂ’s personality. Jimmy therefore always thinks of Weili as a strong woman, who can take right decisions at the right time.

For Weili, her sudden meeting with Jimmy after such a long gap, is totally the work of fate. But Jimmy feels that it is destiny and not fate, which decides the lives of people. He says, "Fate is somebody else deciding your life for you" whereas "destiny is something which cannot be prevented." PeanutÂ’s character is largely responsible for WeiliÂ’s transformation. Though the urge to walk out of her difficult marriage had always been there in her mind, the idea gets further impetus when she sees PeanutÂ’s example. Weili feels that if an ostentatious girl like Peanut could change so much and come out of her difficult marriage, she too can make an attempt to change for a better life. The decision to tear herself apart from the patriarchal system is not easy for Weili. At the same time Weili is concerned about her aged father, and feels that, it would amount to a betrayal if she leaves him with a man like Wen Fu.

The change that has come about in both WeiliÂ’s fatherÂ’s household at Shanghai and her uncleÂ’s house at Tsungming Island, is really ironic. Her father, the strong - willed patriarch, was now reduced to a decrepit handicapped man. At Tsungming Island too, the conditions are desperate. Her uncle has become old and senile. Weili notices a great change in her aunts, who had always neglected her as a child. They are now more affectionate towards her. Weili is generous enough to spend her dowry money to buy expensive items for them.

One notices a change in the relationship of the two cousins, Weili and Peanut. For years they had no contact with each other. WeiliÂ’s memories about Peanut, is of a pampered girl with great dreams about her husband should be. Such a picture is in sharp contrast to the Peanut who is now a communist. Her marriage did not work out and she had to take refuge among the communists after running away from her house. The bitter lesson that she has learnt from her life has turned her into a rebel. Weili imbibes this spirit from Peanut, and realizes that she too can escape from the clutches of her cruel husband, Wen Fu.

WeiliÂ’s decision to leave her husband reflects great courage. She now realizes that, too date, she has depended on others like, Hulan, Auntie Du, Jiang Sao-yen and hoped that they would help her to escape from a traumatic marriage. But nothing has worked out. Now Weili understands that if she has to escape she has to take the entire responsibility on herself. She could now rely on no one except herself. With this newly found determination, Weili walks out of her bitter life with Wen Fu.

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