Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress Activities:
1. Explain how the narrator and his friend Luo came to be sent for re-education.
The narrator and Luo were sent to China during Chinas Cultural Revolution for re education.
2. By referring to pages 11 to 13 explain how Dai Sijie represents the narrator's response to arriving in his new location.
When the narrator arrives in China the mountains fascinate him as he says, "one of the mountains, locally known as the phoenix of the sky, is especially note worthy".
3. After reading pages 13 to 15 explain how the alarm clock functions as symbol of the difference between the boys' home environment and the world of the village.
The Narrator seemed to like the tiny alarm clock 4. After reading pages 16 and 17 explain the significance of the phrase: 'three in a thousand'.
5. Explain how the cinema provides a link between the two worlds of the old and new China. (pages 18 and 19) 6. Explain how Sijie's use of language in pages 20 to 25 conveys the boys' attraction to the seamstress.
7. Explain why the boys are so interested in getting access to Four Eyes western books. (see pages 45 to 47, also 52 to 53) Both the boys are very interested in getting access to four eyes west...
