GROUP DISCUSSION

                                                       It is All About Lily

                                                        Group Discussion

1. “Tools of Author,” description of main character, setting and plot:

Tools of the Author needle and thread.

Description of the character:   Lily -she is wealthy, powerful, outspoken, and manipulative.

 Family and culture; Born in 1823 Huna province, she was a poor girl, She is family orientated, Best friend “Snow Flower” who she loves dearly and she likes to cook.

Plot and settings:

In Rural, Nineteenth- Century China, in a Culture in which Women were isolated by foot binding, that causes physical and psychological pain, locked away on the second floor in the women’s chamber, limited to education, male dominance, arrange marriages; communication for women through nu shu only through that language could they  write and communicate. These women speak from their hearts to each other.

Climax in the novel:

   The letter Lily receives from Snow Flower. Lily knows she  has done her wrong. She wants to apologize but it was too far-gone because Snow Flower was deceased.

2. What is the Significance of foot- Binding?

     It is significant that Lily has her freedom to speak; all the years she was bind up my holding things. Now she is free to speak her mind. She says, “I held nothing back, because I had lost all control. Unbinding, I felt as though my bindings had come loose and I was finally free to say what I really thought” (229-230).

3. Snow Flower Sworn Sister:

 A laotong relationship that was made by choice, called sworn sister or laotong.  She thinks Lily’s behavior towards Snow Flower was close, which makes Lily to be manipulative towards Snow Flower.

4. Three Obedience’s:

 She called for her elder son without her husband’s consent, when she should stay with her husband’s great uncle and some other men.

5. Significance of the lattice window:

 They were free to look out those windows which brings about HOPE

6. Why we do not know Lily’s husband’s name (or her sons names) until much later in the story?

   Lily wants to give women a voice, since men are the dominant in their culture.

 7. Why does Lily decide to write to Snow Flower in the afterlife?

    She knows that she treated her wrong and she wants to apologize for her attitude towards her.

Lily and Snow Flower were able to communicate through nu shu…

 Yes.

9.  Why do you think See placed the novel during the Tai Ping Rebellion?

 For historical background and the turning point of the Chinese culture, shows the suffering in Lily and Snow Flower’s lives- women rebel against Chinese strict culture.