Essay Questions

Why was it so important for the sailors to measure the wind, and why did a person have to be sent with the kite?

The wind was extremely important for the ancient sailors since the wind was the force that drove their ships towards the direction they wanted to go. Before sailing, it was important to measure the wind to make sure it was strong enough and also to make sure it was blowing in the right direction. By measuring the wind the sailors also could sometimes tell if there was a possibility of a big storm coming which would have put their lives and ships in danger. In the 13th century, there were few ways through which a person could accurately measure the force of the wind. Because of this, in most cases, sailors had to rely on the feel of the sailors.

Why did the main character's mother have no power to refuse to get married after her first husband passed away?

Pei's widow had little power to decide what was going to happen to her life after her husband passed away. In the 13th century, marriages were arranged by the parents and if the partner of a relatively young man or woman died prematurely, the family had the power to marry the widow once more to another person. Many families chose to marry off their daughters as early as possible since in most cases they were seen as a financial burden. In cases when the widow had older sons who could take care of her financially, then she may have been allowed to remain single. However, this was not the case for Pei's wife. It is implied that she was still relatively young and most likely still capable of bearing children. She had only one son with her former husband but unfortunately, he was still young and unable to work, leaving her in a desperate financial situation. Because of this, Pei's widow had little choice but to submit to her family's desire and agree to mary again.

How is the family described in the novel?

The family unit is described in the novel as being patriarchal, meaning that the father had the supreme authority in the family. If something were to happen to the father, as it was in Pei's case, then the responsibility of taking care of the family was taken over by the oldest male member related to the wife. The women and children had little to no say in what were to happen to them and obedience was expected from them. Because of this, we see how Gou Haoyou and his mother are forced to listen to the oldest male member in their family even when the decisions he took were not always in their best interest or the wisest.