What is the Plot Development?

The plot development can be seen in the GradeSaver summary. The structure of the book is simple. It is divided into chapters, each with a title that pertains to the subject matter of the chapter. There are no chapter numbers. The seventeen chapters vary in length from five to twenty two pages. There is a short Prologue in which Ji-li explains the happiness of her life up until the time of the Cultural Revolution in 1966. There is also an Epilogue in which she explains what happened to many of the characters after the Cultural Revolution. She and her family immigrated to the United States.

There is a Table of Contents showing the chapter titles and page numbers. There is an Acknowledgments section in which she mentions the people who were significant to her writing the book. In the Note to the Reader, she explains the use of Chinese surnames and how people are addressed in China. There is a Note on Pronunciation in which Ji-li explains the pronunciation of some Chinese words. The Foreword is written by David Henry Hwang who explains how Red Scarf Girl helps people understand the experience of the Cultural Revolution. Finally, there is a Glossary at the back of the book which provides thorough explanations of the words and terms used in the book, many of which are peculiar to the Cultural Revolution. The reader will find the Glossary very useful and easy to refer to.