Waiting

• Book: Waiting by Ha Jin  pp. 134 – 150 — Part Two: Chapters 4 and 5

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• Essay: “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party Concerning the Great Proletarian Revolution” 

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Article:

• Read and discuss the following quotation prior to reading the article:

“A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.”
 – Chairman Mao

• What does this quotation reveal about what Mao and the ruling Communist Party of China value? 
• And what they don’t value? Explain.
• Based on the article: To what degree does individualism seem to be a core value of Mao’s China based on what you have read? What can you infer is valued highly?

Chapter 4:

• According to the information on p. 135, who is Commissar Wei and what is Ran Su talking about him with Lin?
• What does Lin’s response reveal about him?
• What does the use of the word “old maid” imply?
• How does the author further develop the complex nature of Lin and Manna’s relationship through the comment about laundry on p. 137?
• How does Commissar Wei’s potential interest in Manna impact Manna and Lin? Explain.
• How does their willingness to have Manna meet the Commissar highlight the values you saw in the article? 

Chapter 5:

• “They shook hands; his palm was as soft as though gloved in silk.” What is the significance of this description of the Commissar’s hand on p. 142? Why is it surprising?
• What is Manna’s initial impression of him? Why?
• “He realized he had gotten carried away by his enthusiasm…” Why is this line on p. 144 significant? What does Wei like so much about Leaves of Grass?
• Why is it ironic that Wei would recommend a book to Manna that cannot be found in the library?
• Compare Geng Yang’s handshake with the Commissar’s. What might it signal about differences between the two men?
• Track the description of the film and the audience’s reaction to it.
• “So many men die in accidents; a man’s life is worth nothing. In military exercises there are casualties all the time.” What do Geng Yang’s words reveal about him? About China?

• To start class, students should read short excerpts of the “Decision of the Central Committee” document.
• Students may need to finish chapter 5 for homework but should be able to answer the Target Task as long as they have read the first half of the chapter.
• The first half of this unit plan moves rather slowly through the reading in order to acquaint students with the characters, themes, and information about China. The second half of the unit plan will require that students do at least some reading at home in order to keep up with the pacing of the unit.