Essay Questions

Is the title Saboteur thematically significant?

This story scrutinizes the concept of disruption in various ways. For instance, Mr. Chiu is one individual who is trying to interrupt the social order and this is the primary reason he is being pursued for arrest. The policemen who are pursuing Mr. Chiu are also accused of sabotage because of they are placing additional false accusations against Mr. Chiu. It can be argued both the police and the entire Mr. Chiu psyche have sabotaged the public order. Mr. Chiu later realizes that he has even disrupted the harmony of his family and he now comprehends the cost of disruption.

What does Mr. Chiu mean when he says, “I'm a scholar, a philosopher, and an expert in dialectical materialism”?

China is a communist state and it requires representatives like Mr. Chiu who are learned with a deeper understanding of the ideological and philosophical theories reinforcing socialism. Mr. Chiu is an idealist who represents the precepts of communism. Therefore, his arrest is not justified because he is among the few scholars and philosophers who did everything possible to protect communism. Ironically, he is being pursued for sabotaging the public order. Concerning the dialectical materialism, Mr. Chiu is an expert in matters concerning communism.

How does the author bring out the the irony of the police?

Mr. Chiu is sick and he is trying to persuade the police to allow him to take his medication. He is anguishing from hepatitis but the police do not want to believe him. They deny him the chance to take medication. Ironically, they are not scared of being infected with hepatitis as long as they detain him. This goes beyond the expectation of the reader because no one is ready to die. By punishing Mr. Chiu, there is a mysterious outbreak of hepatitis which even puts the lives of the police at risk.