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In the Pond |
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I n the Pond byHa Jin Random House Canada (Vintage Books) 192 pages, March 2000 ISBN 0375709118 Reviewed by Morgan Ann Adams Read our review of WAITING by Ha Jin IN THE POND is delightfully humorous and universal and reads like a fairy tale of modern Chinese living. Ha Jin translates for a western audience the troubles and hardships endured by Chinese workers. The language is fresh and exciting, echoing the turmoil of a group wanting desperately to believe in Communism and finding their leaders as corrupt as any government. IN THE POND follows the exploits of Shao Bin, a talented calligrapher and artist, forced to work as a mechanic in the Harvest Fertilizer Plant. Bin's focus as a man is primarily on his art. Though he has the most seniority at the plant, the Shaos are not given a place in the new housing development. Instead, the plant's leaders and closest friends take the biggest apartments. This favoritism sparks in Bin a need for justice. Using his talents, Bin constructs a cartoon depicting his leaders in a negative light. This small hint of rebellion ignites a private war between Bin and the leaders. The trouble escalates until Bin has lost half his year's wages and a friendly newspaper is thrown out of business. Shao Bin's spirit is seemingly inexhaustible. He is only one man, though. Finally Bin is faced with the choice of fighting until the end of his days, or making a compromise for his demands. Filled with wonderfully amusing scenes, IN THE POND is a lighthearted look at the lives of the not-so-average Chinese man. Though set in Communist China, the characters are people found in any culture. There is no typical moral to be found at the end of this fable. Instead, the author encourages readers to relate Shao Bin's experience to their own situation, deciding when enough is enough and when it's time to settle. When Bin rebukes his leaders, you will empathize with his heartache while laughing at his words simultaneously. This is truly a masterpiece of literature. Ha Jin has found a way to integrate any society into one story. There is a depth of meaning in many passages that could fill hours of debating. Miraculously, this is also a story of simple enjoyment. Rarely does a novel come along that allows the reader to peruse for casual pleasure or abstract literary and social thought. Ha Jin's National Book Award wining novel WAITING preceded IN THE POND. Both are representative of a talented spirit with an exciting career to follow and enjoy. |
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