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A review by debs
East Wind, West Wind by Pearl S. Buck
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Can’t believe a Westerner wrote this – incredible insight into how a traditional Eastern woman’s mind would think at that time and place! I was so frustrated right from the outset at how Kwei-lan was programmed to be dumb and meek for the superficial misogynistically patriarchal Chinese society of that time, disguised into subtleness by tradition and rank, but exemplified acutely with the painful foot-binding as a metaphor of the binding of all Chinese women under this oppression just for the accident of their having the X chromosome at birth.
As an Asian brought up with Western education, it was hard not to be triggered. Kwei-lan and her mother don’t even seem to have theory of mind when it comes to their slaves, never question whether it’s right to keep them just because some distant ancestor claimed it was their god-given destiny with no evidence– it’s mind-boggling! “It had not occurred to me to think of her or what she would think of our customs” was so telling of how stupidly Kwei-lan was insularly brought up! Her husband actually has to spell it out for her to have empathy for this foreign woman. At least she takes it in, unlike her mother - it’s agonising to see how someone could remain as shallow and unthinking as this - ugghh!
But when all is said and done, Kwei-lan turns out to be the biggest of them all - I loved how Kwei-lan opens up to Mary (whose name is only acknowledged later) and changes her own worldview. It must’ve been brave of her, given everything she had been indoctrinated with growing up – I was so proud of her!
As an Asian brought up with Western education, it was hard not to be triggered. Kwei-lan and her mother don’t even seem to have theory of mind when it comes to their slaves, never question whether it’s right to keep them just because some distant ancestor claimed it was their god-given destiny with no evidence– it’s mind-boggling! “It had not occurred to me to think of her or what she would think of our customs” was so telling of how stupidly Kwei-lan was insularly brought up! Her husband actually has to spell it out for her to have empathy for this foreign woman. At least she takes it in, unlike her mother - it’s agonising to see how someone could remain as shallow and unthinking as this - ugghh!
But when all is said and done, Kwei-lan turns out to be the biggest of them all - I loved how Kwei-lan opens up to Mary (whose name is only acknowledged later) and changes her own worldview. It must’ve been brave of her, given everything she had been indoctrinated with growing up – I was so proud of her!