Family Literary Elements

Fiction, Family Drama

The novel is set in Chengdu, Sichuan, following the New Culture Movement. The narrative takes place over 1920-1923.

The narrative is told in the omniscient third-person point of view.

The story's overall tone is melancholic and nostalgic, with an undercurrent of frustrated resentment. Poetic descriptions of the physical environment create an idyllic mood that is frequently contrasted with detailed analyses of the characters' hopelessness.

Chueh-hui is the protagonist of the story. The antagonist of the story is the oppressive society in which Chueh-hui lives, embodied in the person of the Venerable Master Kao.

The younger and elder generations of the Kao family clash over filial piety required by Confucianism, the legitimacy of education, and arranged marriages.

The narrative reaches its climax when the Venerable Master Kao attempts to force Chueh-min to marry Feng's grandniece and Chueh-min runs away. A secondary climax is when Jui-chueh dies while giving birth.

In Chapter 1, Chueh-min and Chueh-hui walk through a snowstorm that "will rule the world a long, long time; it seemed to warn the people on the streets, the bright warm sun of spring will never return again…” This foreshadows the disruption of the classical Chinese social order, but more so, it foreshadows the tragedies that will soon befall the Kao family; Chueh-min and Chueh-hui walk through the snowstorm unharmed.

In Chapter 2, the Kao family gathers together to eat; only Chueh-min and Chueh-hui's places are empty. This foreshadows Chueh-min and Chueh-hui's eventual rupture with their extended family; Chueh-min runs away to avoid an arranged marriage, and Chueh-hui escapes to Shanghai.

In Chapter 3, Chueh-hui announces that he should not have to be a member of the gentry just because he was born into it. This foreshadows Chueh-hui's escape to Shanghai.

In Chapter 3, Chueh-hui flirtatiously blocks Ming-feng's path and does not listen when she says Chueh-hui will get her into trouble. This foreshadows Ming-feng's death, which is brought about by Chueh-hui's love and his refusal to listen to her pleas for help.

In Chapter 9, Chueh-hui vandalizes a plum tree on the family compound. He is first pleased with the act of rebellion and vandalism, then is ashamed. This foreshadows Chueh-hui's role in Ming-feng's death. Plum blossoms consistently represent romantic young love in this narrative. Ming-feng commits suicide because she is in love with Chueh-hui and promises to never be with another man. Chueh-hui encourages Ming-feng's affection but never fights to be with her. Just like Chueh-hui is initially pleased with his vandalism, he is initially pleased with Ming-feng's love. He is then ashamed, as he is ashamed of himself when Ming-feng dies.

The military conflict between the Northern provinces and the Southern provinces is the backdrop of the narrative.

Treasure Island (1883) is a coming-of-age children's novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Teacher Chu adapts Treasure Island into a play.

Resurrection (1899) is a fictional novel by Russian author Leo Tolstoy that criticizes classism and the hypocritical institutionalized church of 19th century Russia. Several themes of Resurrection mirror Family. In the diegesis of the text, Chueh-min and Chueh-hui read Resurrection for school.

A Doll’s House (1879) is a three-act play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The play explores and criticizes traditional gender roles within marriage. Chin reads A Doll's House and is inspired to claim her personhood in spite of the sexist restrictions imposed upon her.

New Youth Magazine (Xīn Qīngnián 新靑年) is a Chinese magazine founded by Chen Duxiu in 1915 Shanghai. New Youth was known for its radical articles, poetry, and fiction. The publication is credited with initiating the New Culture Movement, and is referenced multiple times throughout the text.

“Cannibal Confucian Morality" (1919) is an article by Wu Yu published in New Youth Magazine. Chueh-min mentions their new Chinese literature teacher will be Wu Yu.

Li Chi (pinyin: Liji 礼记) is the ancient book of rites by Confucius that outlines social etiquette, personal ethics, and proper relationships between people of different classes, genders, and ages. Confucian morals are referenced throughout the text, and Chueh-hui quotes lines from the Li Chi in Chapter 26.

On the Eve (1860) is a work of fictional social comedy by Ivan Turgenev, from which Chueh-hui recites passages about love in Chapter 11.

Enemy of the People (1883) is a play by Henrik Ibsen that criticizes moral hypocrisy and shows the dangers of hiding truth from the public.

Ba Jin uses lush descriptive imagery to evoke the wealth and opulence of the Chengdu gentry. Ba Jin's descriptions of the Kao family compound have been compared to the classical Chinese novel, Dream of the Red Chamber (Hóng Lóu Mèng 红楼梦). Descriptions of natural elements, particularly the moon, blossoming trees, and bodies of water, are prevalent throughout the book and recall classical Chinese poetry.

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"...before Chueh-hui's eyes the image of tiny bound feet in tiny embroidered scarlet satin shoes, and in his ears the sobs of agony and pain." In this quotation, found on page 147, Chueh hui sees bound feet, the result of footbinding, and hears the screams of a girl having her feet bound. This sentence is written in parallel to contrast the beauty of bound feet with the high price of that beauty.

Mei says that she reads New Youth magazine, but it is difficult for her to listen to new ideas that cannot help her current situation. She compares reading the magazines to being a beggar outside of a wealthy family's home during a feast. This statement parallels the story of Kao-sheng, a former servant who literally stood outside of the Kao family compound the same night Mei makes this comparison.

Chueh-hui eavesdrops on Ming-feng and Wan-erh discussing who will be sold as Feng's concubine. Chueh-hui tears a hole in the paper screen to discuss this with Ming-feng, who says she would rather die than leave Chueh-hui. Later, after Madam Chou informs Ming-feng that she, not Wan-erh, will be Feng's concubine, Ming-feng watches Chueh-hui through a hole in the screen of his room. Ming-feng's attempts to get Chueh-hui's attention fail.

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