The Little Seamstress isn't so little anymore

3) There are many ironies present in the story. Choose one major irony and explain how/why the irony shapes the meaning of the story.



Luo is bitter and depressed that he must be "banished to the mountain" to be reeducated. He understands the wrong of trying to bend people to fit certain ideas or values, mainly because people are deciding for him how to think and act against his will. However, Luo is blind to the fact that he is trying to do some reeducating of his own. Luo sets out to "transform" the Little Seamstress into a "more refined, more cultured" young woman. His plan backfires. By reading her Balzac and other forbidden books, Luo, unknowingly until the end, plants a desire in the Little Seamstress to leave her little country side. He is left in the countryside while the Little Seamstress, who isn't so little anymore, sets off for the city. She has developed into this woman with a mind of her own. The irony is that if only Luo had not read her those books, the couple probably would have lived happily ever after. If only he had not changed her there would have been a different ending in which he would be happy. But by changing her he drives her away.

Throughout this book, the young girl becomes exposed to all the different worlds inside the powerful stories. These ideas and stories lead to a need for her own story and so she sets out to claim one. The innocent, ignorant, dutiful, uneducated, country girl develops into a independent woman looking for something more from the world. The books show her how much possibility is in the world.

Luo tries to "endow the lovely little seamstress with culture" and he succeeds. The books set her free into the world, to think and act for herself. Luo accomplishes exactly what he meant to but in addition he looses his precious cargo along the way.