LISA'S QUESTION: GOING IN? FROM PAGE 103

[vivico1]

LisaSee asked:
What do you think Peony meant when she said, “My whole life had been about going in” (p. 103)? And how did that change (or not) in the course of the book?

(Lisa wanted these on threads so we could all see them even if some are not finished with the book yet, so I, with her permission, am just posting them here for her. They are also on PART III but we can use this thread for discussion for everyone.If you have posted to this question on part III please feel free to add it to this thread, so others not there can join in.)

[Fozzie]

---

vivico1 wrote:
LisaSee asked:
What do you think Peony meant when she said, “My whole life had been about going in” (p. 103)? And how did that change (or not) in the course of the book?



Up until the point she died, Peony's life had been restricted to the inner realm, the inside of the Chen family villa. The inner realm was where women belonged, according to traditional thinking of the time. Moreover, Peony withdrew inside herself when she developed lovesickness.

Upon dying, she realized that she was free and could go anywhere (or so she thought on page 103). She decided to go places in death and do things in death that she could not or would not have done on earth while living. I think that it was when she realized she could "go out" that she started living as a dead person. Contradictory sounding, but I think it makes sense.

[LisaSee]

---

Fozzie wrote:

---

vivico1 wrote:
LisaSee asked:
What do you think Peony meant when she said, “My whole life had been about going in” (p. 103)? And how did that change (or not) in the course of the book?



Up until the point she died, Peony's life had been restricted to the inner realm, the inside of the Chen family villa. The inner realm was where women belonged, according to traditional thinking of the time. Moreover, Peony withdrew inside herself when she developed lovesickness.

Upon dying, she realized that she was free and could go anywhere (or so she thought on page 103). She decided to go places in death and do things in death that she could not or would not have done on earth while living. I think that it was when she realized she could "go out" that she started living as a dead person. Contradictory sounding, but I think it makes sense.

---

I guess this can't be a discussion question, since you've summed up so perfectly. Brava!

[Wrighty]

LisaSee wrote:

---

Fozzie wrote:

Up until the point she died, Peony's life had been restricted to the inner realm, the inside of the Chen family villa. The inner realm was where women belonged, according to traditional thinking of the time. Moreover, Peony withdrew inside herself when she developed lovesickness.

Upon dying, she realized that she was free and could go anywhere (or so she thought on page 103). She decided to go places in death and do things in death that she could not or would not have done on earth while living. I think that it was when she realized she could "go out" that she started living as a dead person. Contradictory sounding, but I think it makes sense.

---

I guess this can't be a discussion question, since you've summed up so perfectly. Brava!

---

Yes you did Fozzie, that is an excellent answer. Peony really did start living better after she died. She eventually became a better person in every way. I bet these comments would sound very interesting to anyone who hadn't read the book!