The chapter discusses Rose's childhood and relationship with her brother Bing. It foreshadows Bing's tragic death at the beach through several passages. The chapter also explores motifs of balance and the meaning behind its title 'Half and Half', representing the idea that two people make a whole and that fate requires equal parts expectation and intention.
The chapter discusses Rose's childhood and relationship with her brother Bing. It foreshadows Bing's tragic death at the beach through several passages. The chapter also explores motifs of balance and the meaning behind its title 'Half and Half', representing the idea that two people make a whole and that fate requires equal parts expectation and intention.
The chapter discusses Rose's childhood and relationship with her brother Bing. It foreshadows Bing's tragic death at the beach through several passages. The chapter also explores motifs of balance and the meaning behind its title 'Half and Half', representing the idea that two people make a whole and that fate requires equal parts expectation and intention.
The chapter discusses Rose's childhood and relationship with her brother Bing. It foreshadows Bing's tragic death at the beach through several passages. The chapter also explores motifs of balance and the meaning behind its title 'Half and Half', representing the idea that two people make a whole and that fate requires equal parts expectation and intention.
Directions: As you read through the chapter, annotate the text for germane themes, craft, and global issues. Then, answer each of the following questions in at least 3-4 concise sentences, making sure to include a proper citation for ALL quotes.
PLEASE DO NOT RESEARCH THESE ONLINE!
CHALLENGE YOUR INTELLECT AND DO THE WORK YOURSELF!
1. Examine three different passages where Tan foreshadows the tragic outcome of the chapter, providing a direct quote for each and at least two sentences explaining the foreshadow.
A. Foreshadow is first seen when the Hsu family goes to the beach. While there Rose reveals that she thinks that the “beach cove was a terrible place, full of wet shadows that chilled us and invisible specks that flew into our eyes and made it hard for us to see the dangers”(122). This foreshadows the death of Bing because right before his death, chaos erupted. Luke had sand thrown in his face and began fighting with Mark, Rose had to try to separate them, and Bing set foot in the water trying to get to his father. In this small period of time all eyes were off of Bing and he fell into the water and was never found again. Just as Tan writes that the speck will blind them of all dangers, specks get thrown in Luke’s face and everyone forgets to focus on the dangers of the ocean. Overall, Tan is foreshadowing that the family will be blinded by the specks of sand and miss the dangers.
B. Bing’s separation from the family through death is seen once again when Rose reveals the names of her brothers saying, “These bodies were the anchors of my life: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Bing” (123). Matthew, Mark, and Luke are all biblical names; while Bing is just thrown into the mix. Since Bing’s name does not fit with the rest of the sons, it shows how he will be left out and isolated from the rest. The use of these names helps to foreshadow that something will happen to Bing that will cause him to be separated form the family. This creates suspense in the reader because they wander what will happen to Bing.
C. A final instance where Bing’s death is foreshadowed is when Rose is describing images from a chinese book called, The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates. She states that “in one picture, the lizard man was standing on a curved bridge, laughing as he watched the little boy falling forward over the bridge rail, his slippered feet already in the air” (124). This foreshadows the death of Bing because when Rose sees him for the last time, his feet are in the air and he is falling head first into the water, just as the boy from the image. By sharing that story, the reader can infer that something bad will happen later in the story to a little boy, and that he will most likely drown like the little boy in the story. 2. Thoroughly discuss the motif of balance within the chapter, using at least two direct quotes in support of your analysis. Keep in mind that a motif directly supports a theme... - The motif of balance is seen throughout the chapter multiple times. It is used to correlate the lesson that balance is needed for everything in life to be successful. Without balance, nothing will function correctly. This is first seen in the chapter when Rose is talking about the bible her mother had. She states that “after [her] mother lost her faith in God, that leatherette Bible wound up wedged under a too-short table leg, a way to correct the imbalances of life” (116). The table was useless without balance. It would tip and allow things to fall off. However, when the bible was added, it was able to function properly and become useful again. Another instance where the motif of balance is displayed is when Rose explains that “when something that violent hits you, you can’t help but lose your balance and fall” (121). Thus, when balance is lost, everything around it will fall or collapse. Without balance, everything will fail and be unworking, just as a person who gets pushed over. WIthout balance we are unable to function correctly and will fail to accomplish what we need to. Through these prominent examples, Tan reveals that balance is necessary for everything in life to function properly. Without balance, things will begin to fail and collaps all around leading to distruction.
3. Discuss the meaning behind the chapter title Half and Half. Use a direct quote to support your answer and be sure to thoroughly explain your ideas, as it is the main theme! - One nuance behind the chapter title Half and Half is that two people make up two parts of a whole. This is displayed through Rose and Ted. They are described as two halves of a whole. Rose reveals that “with imagined tragedy, hovering over [them], [they] became inseperable, two halves creating the whole: yin and yang” (118). In their relationship, Rose acted as if she depended on Ted for everything. She would be in danger and he would save her. She would fall and he would lift her back up. Everything that she did he had an equal and opposite reaction. However, when those roles began to get switched, they were no longer able to stand each other. They were no longer two perfect halves of a whole. They were now two broken pieces that would not fit back together no matter how they tried. Another nuance behind the chapter title Half and Half is the idea that “fate is shaped by half expectation, half by intention” (131). This reveals that if you wnat something to happen, then it will take an equal amount of effort as belief. Through this meaning we see how everything in life takes half of something personal and half of faith. This also teaches the lesson that you can not just expect everything to be given to you. In order to actually achieve something, it takes equal amount of work as expectation. This applies to everything in life, work will always be required and if you think something will happen just because you expect it to, then it probably won’t happen. Overall, Tan is showing that fate takes equal amounts of work as expectation and that if you want something then you must go and try to get it, because it wont just magically happen.
