Waiting

• Book: Waiting by Ha Jin  pp. 176 – 189 — Part Two: Chapters 9 and 10

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“Character is fate.” Lin and Manna have both very closely guarded their reputations and their characters. And yet, this horrific event happens to Manna. What else does Ha Jin seem to be saying factors into a person’s fate? Explain using evidence from the chapter.

Chapter 9:

• How does the author build empathy for Manna in this scene?
• What do we learn about Geng Yang?
• What do we learn about Geng as Manna attempts to first dissuade him and then curse him on pp. 180–181?
• “Why did he make friends with that wolf?” Why does she blame Lin on p. 183?
• “She thought about reporting the rape to the leaders, but wondered if it was wise to do that.” Communist China values equality of the sexes, but what are we to infer here on p. 182? What other evidence do we see in this chapter that the sexes cannot, in fact, expect equal treatment?
• Why would the author choose to have these events happen in his novel? What does he want us to learn/recall about Lin (as the foil for Geng)? What does he want us to think, feel, consider?
• Why does he describe the rape in such intimate detail? What is his purpose? What is he evoking in the reader? What details most provoke that reaction in you?

Chapter 10:

• How does Manna draw the conclusion that the rape was planned?
• Why does she tell Haiyan? Do you think this was a good idea or not?
• What does Haiyan’s advice reveal about the position of women in their society?
• “Character is fate.” Does Ha Jin agree or disagree? What do you think based on these chapters? What other factors contribute to our “fate”? Do you even believe in such a thing as fate? OR is there only free will? What did Chekhov argue? (This question could be used as a discussion question for chapter 9 or 10.)

• Chapter 9 includes a rape scene. Please set aside 5 minutes or so to thoughtfully discuss and preview this disturbing chapter. One possible preview is included here. Possible preview: “Character is fate.” Geng quotes an ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, in the previous chapter. How we act, the decisions we make, the moral code by which we live dictates our fates. Do you agree or disagree with him? Why? The author continues to explore this question in chapter 9, revealing a counterargument through a graphic and disturbing scene that he recalls in painstaking detail.
• It is likely that students will need to read chapter 10 for homework.