- Published: January 20, 2022
- Updated: January 20, 2022
- University / College: University of Stirling
- Level: Masters
- Language: English
- Downloads: 12
Response paper for Snow Falling in Spring by Moying Li Despite the fact that the book is engaging to adult readers given the complexity of the conflicts and hematic issues it discusses, the author uses yet a set of literary techniques and devices that ensure that the book appeals to young adults. Key among the feature of the book that makes it appropriate for young adults is the narrative structure the author uses. The narration follows the life of the young Moying as she comes of age. As such, the author narrates begins the story from the character’s point of view. At the age of twelve, Moying describes the social and political developments in her society. She also describes how they affect her. The unique narration technique makes the book appropriate to the young adult readers who can identify with the plight of the narrator.
The author of the novel manages to develop effective emotion appeal in the book by using a number of techniques including the first person narration. The technique makes the character personalize the problems she faces during the tumultuous times in China. She explains the difficulties she encountered when the Red Guards launch brutal assaults and violent public humiliations on civilians. She explains that at one time she witnessed as the guards beat his teachers and arrest his father. Such emotional developments have devastating effects on the young target audience who pity her given her young age. The author employs vivid description of the characters, settings and actions in the plot. The vivid descriptions enhance the creation of mental images that help in visualizing the action thus heightening the emotional appeal.
The author of the book provides adequate details on the actions she develops on the plot. The details coupled with the vivid descriptions helps provide adequate background information on the developments in the society thus enhancing the comprehension of the conflicts. At one instance, Moying explains that she witnessed the red guards beat up her teachers. Apparently, she had explained that the group terrorized the community and launched brutality on the populace. As such, the subsequent scene where she witnesses the group beat her teachers appears insignificant. However, the scene proves important in proving some of the primary intentions of the group and the reason for targeting the teachers. The group beat up the teachers in order to discourage education. After beating up the teachers, they ban books thus making it impossible for young learners to acquire knowledge (Li-Marcus 32).
Additional scenes that appear unnecessary include when the guards denounce her grandmother and when they arrest but do not kill her father. The two scenario become vital in proving the level of her vulnerability as she strives to survive amidst the mayhem. Later, her father risks his life when he entrusts his friend to send the narrator a number of illegal books in order to sustain her learning process. The scenes portray the challenges she and many other children of her age faced in the tumultuous society as they struggled to acquire education despite the various restrictions and brutality.
Work cited
Li-Marcus, Moying. Snow Falling in Spring: Coming of Age in China During the CulturalRevolution. , 2010. Internet resource.