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The Cricket


Summary

In ancient China, cricket fighting was popular. During Ming rule, people had to find crickets and supply them to the governors and finally to the emperors. For this one village called Floral shade was chosen to supply crickets. The magistrate of Floral shade handed down this responsibility to one of the neighborhood heads- Make-good. When Make-good failed to collect crickets, he was beaten bitterly and he wanted to die.

 

One day a fortune-teller came to his village. Then Make-good’s wife went to the fortune-teller. The fortuneteller gave her a piece of paper with a picture of a neglected shrine, a frog and a cricket behind it. Make- good went to the shrine and he found the place which was drawn on the paper. He found a cricket there and brought it to his house. He kept it in the cage. But one-day Make-good’s nine-year son opened it secretly and cricket escaped. When his son tried to catch it, its legs broke and its stomach was divided and it died. His son was threatened by the boy’s mother and the boys ran away from home but later on, the boy was found unconscious in the well. It was a great misfortune for the family. When the parents were going to burn the boy, the boy was found breathing. Then the parents brought the baby home. The next day early in the morning, Make-good saw a cricket but he couldn’t catch it Later on he saw another cricket and tried to catch it and he catches it. This one was small and red in color. Make-good got this new cricket with another strong cricket- Crab shell. Then Make-good sent it to the Magistrate of Floral Shade and the magistrate sent it to the governor. Finally, it was sent to the emperor. The emperor caged it in the royal palace. It defeated many crickets and danced in the rhythm of a zither. The emperor became happy and awarded the governor with horses and silk clothes. The governor became happy with the magistrate and finally, magistrate awarded Make- good with an educational degree. His good fortune began. Later on, his son also became conscious. His son said that while he was asleep, he became a cricket his body felt light and grew skilled in combat.

 

Four Levels of Interpretation

Literal Comprehension:

The story ‘The crickets were written by a Chinese writer P.U Sung Ling. This story describes the suffering of ordinary people during the totalitarian Ming reign in China… In ancient China, cricket fighting was popular. During Ming rule, people had to find crickets and supply them to the magistrate and magistrate had to supply them to the governors and finally to the emperors. For his one village called Floral shade was chosen to supply crickets. The magistrate of Floral shade handed down this responsibility to one of the neighborhood heads- Make-good. When Make-good failed to collect crickets, he was beaten bitterly and he wanted to die.

 

One day a fortune-teller came to his village. Then Make-good’s wife went to the fortune-teller. The fortuneteller gave her a piece of paper with a picture of a neglected shrine, a frog and cricket behind it. Make- good went to the shrine and he found the place which was drawn on the paper. He found a cricket there and brought it to his house. He kept it in the cage. But one-day Make-good’s nine-year son opened it secretly and cricket escaped. When his son tried to catch it, its legs broke and its stomach was divided and it died. His son was threatened by the boy’s mother and the boys ran away from home but later on, they were found unconscious in the well. It was a great misfortune for the family. When the parents were going to burn the bay, the boy was found breathing. Then the parents brought the baby home. The next day early in the morning, Make-good saw a cricket but he couldn’t catch it. Later on, he saw another cricket and tried to catch it and h catches it. This one was small and red in color. Make-good got this new cricket with another strong cricket- Crab shell. Then Make-good sent it to the Magistrate of Floral Shade and the magistrate sent it to the governor. Finally, it was sent to the emperor. The emperor caged it in the royal palace. It defeated many crickets and danced in a rhythm of the zither. The emperor became happy and awarded the governor with horses and silk clothes. The governor became happy with the magistrate and finally, magistrate awarded Make- good with an educational degree. His good fortune began. Later on, his son also became conscious. His son said that while he was asleep, he became a cricket his body felt light and grew skilled in combat.

 

Interpretation:

This shows how people were given trouble by the rulers in Chine, how the rulers were cruel to ordinary people. They ruled people without any justice. They didn’t think about common people’s suffering and pains. The rulers spent their life in entertainment and comforts and ordinary people were compelled to fulfill their desire whatever they liked. Common people had to do much thought their family members were sick. In this way, the story writer tries to show that the value of people is lower than the value of insects. They spent a miserable life in absolute tyranny.

 

Critical Thinking:

Here the writer presents an interesting story of ancient China but this is difficult to believe. It shows something exaggeration. This story might be suitable for school level children but not for college-level students. There is also talk about supernatural things. Make-good’s son once found unconscious than conscious and finally, his son says that he became cricket. These are only exaggerations. This can’t be possible in reality.

 

Assimilation:

When I read this story, I learned much about ancient China and knew how people suffer in a totalitarian. Rulers don’t have mercy and pity for common people. They forget their responsibility towards common people. They like to spend life happily though common people spend their life miserably.


Words meaning

Noble men = Aristocrats

Reign = Rule

Pervasive = Available everywhere

Virtue = Good qualities

Floral = Decorated with flowers

Outstanding = Extra ordinary

Cunning = Clever

Confiscate = To seize

Frustrating = Sadness

Clump = bunch

Probe = To find out

Furnish = To provide

Tossing = Moving

Incense = Scent

Chat = Gossip

Multitude = Many

Reverent = Respectful

Obeisance = Respect

Predecessors = Ancestors

Shrine = Temple

Leap = Jump

Scrutinize = Examine

Gaze = Look

Assembled = Gathered

Intelligible = Comprehensive

Grotesque = Strange

Shrine = Temple

Amid = Between

Hobble = Walk with difficulty

Sketch = Map

Virtually = In really

Magnificent = Splendid

Stealthily = Secretly

Desperate = Despair

Trapped = Caged

Swore = Past form of swear

Drenched = Wet

Desolate = Destroy

Groped = Tried

Caressed = Touched tenderly

Stiff = Hard

Anxious = Worry

Chirp = Sound of bird

Cupping = To make a cup of

Spied = Made conspiracy

Indecisively = Without a decision

Cage = Cell

Flustered = Excited

Miserable = Sympathetic

Bristle = Romantic

Tumbled = Laid down

Elated = Excited

Vigorously = Energetically

Puny = Weak, Feeble

Delighted = Made happily

Frantic = Uncontrollable emotion

Rooster = Cock

Realm = State, the kingdom

Champion = Winner

Agile = Active

Zither = A musical instrument

Acquire = To get

Splendid = Magnificent

Surpass = To go beyond


The Cricket The Cricket Reviewed by Bijay Munikar on August 12, 2020 Rating: 5

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