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
Reviewed by Bijay Munikar
on
August 12, 2020
Rating:
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