The mother was a very brave person and was lucky to survive any of the regimes.  I think if I had seen the torture than she witnessed after being arrested, I would have given up all political views and activity and settled for a quite life towing the line.  

I have always been against communism but after  the activities of the Kuomintang I can see why the people were ready for a change.   After reading so much about the Russian revolution and the chaos that caused I am interested to see what happens in China. So far the Communist are building a better life for the people - but what follows?

Again, as in other chapters, I can see why the Chinese people were turning to communism. It is portrayed as such a better way of life for everyone. Chang's father is appalled at the Japanese invasion in the same way that Chang's mother has been.  

I think the 1st inkling that communism has its faults are when Chang's father joins in the critizism of some of the leaders of the party and they start demanding more freedom. It seems a perfectly just thing to do, but it results in her father losing his job and life style. I do find it humbling that he takes on personal self sacrifice without grumbling, believing that he's doing the right thing for the Party and China as a whole.

I liked the fact that Chang's mother and father do not have the traditional Chinese wedding and decide to do things their way, and the way that the Party would deem fitting.

I felt desperately sorry for Chang's mother trying to get into the Party way of life and being confused at not living with her new husband, or even spending much alone time with him. Also the fact that being close to her mother was considered a "bourgeois habit" is appalling.

I think the chapter ends on a note of heartbreak. Being torn away from her family and everything that she knows, Chang's mother has to leave her hometown. Her husband really appears to be so absorbed with what the Party has told him over the years, he's immune to how his young wife is feeling. I have to keep reminding myself that Chang's mother is only 18 at this point.

I spent most of this chapter appalled at Chang's fathers lack of regard for his new wife. The fact that he made no exceptions for her at all, and regarded her the same as any other new recruit into the party. I know in communism everyone should be the same, but surely there has to be exceptions for married couples vs other Party members? What Chang's mother goes through on the long march left me feeling exhausted just reading about it! I think it shows huge strength of character for her though.

The incident where Chang's mother cries one evening and then gets no sympathy from her husband and then a complaint from other Party members..... I found it all to be unbelievable.

Towards the end of the chapter when Chang's mother is unwell at the opera and still doesn't get any assistance from her husband found me desperately willing her to leave him and the party and return to her family. The fact that she nearly died whilst having a miscarriage was awful, however the ray of light is that Chang's father comes to his senses. I think in life it very often takes an incident like this to happen to someone close to you for you to actually sit up and realise what you have and how much you love that person.   When Chang's mother wakes up and asks for a divorce I was thinking "thank God!"

However it's a positive note to end the chapter. Chang's parents are staying together, her mother has recovered and they are all delighted that Mao has proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic.

I also find this pretty revolting - havent you seen that viral email that went round where it showed the bound feet? It was pretty horrific, firstly it showed the feet in the bindings and then it showed them with the bindings off and the foot was hideously deformed with toes where there just shouldnt be toes. Those poor poor women!

I was actually quite impressed with the father, I thought it was great that he was prepared to stick to his principles.  Although it would have been more principled of him to decline the ride for himself.  Although I think that's one of the problems with communism, the ones who believe in it and stick to their principles are the ones most easily taken advantage of by the people who see it as a chance to rise to power.  It'll be interesting to see how things progress, I imagine there are going to be some rude awakenings as the Party consolidate power.  I was appalled at her not being able to cry though, and the rigidity of the party rules.

 The communist go on about equality for women but didn't always practise it.  They were a few occasions were women were still treated in the tradition way.  I have tried to remember these occasions for when I write my comments but I have forgotten most of them, expect when Chang mother was told she couldn't get married yet as she hadn't had approval -at the time she was removing her husband to be shoes.  He later remarked to his daughter that he didn't think she would do that for her husband! The marriage laws were very odd.  A man had to be at least 27 but woman could be a lot younger - the same old story of men wanting to marry much younger girls? But woman still got some chivalrous treatment.  When a boat came under fire the women were sent below decks for safety, that isn't equality but I probably wouldn't have argued the point!