I look back now and see with the clarity of eighty years that i showed far too much impatience with snow flowers despondency pg. Snow flower and the secret fan summary from litcharts the. Both of them women, both lily and snow flower have do deal with the things that are expected of women in china in this day and age. Snow flower and the secret fan by hannah james on prezi. She is one of five children, born the second daughter, a status considered to be low in the family. The chinese, who have been innovators in so many areas, are now revealed to have formalized the bff relationship as long ago as 1839. Snow flower and the secret fan is a lovely, delicate story of two women in nineteenthcentury china, who pledge themselves to be soulmates for life at the young age of seven.
This 39page guide for snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 17 chapters, as well as several. Snow flower and the secret fan 2011 plot summary imdb. Discussion questions snow flower and the secret fan. The laotong, snow flower, introduces herself by sending lily. Snow flower and the secret fan english flashcards quizlet. Book club questions for snow flower and the secret fan. On writing snowflower and the secret fan by lisa see. Lisa see had written about the girls life in china when girls were having their feet bound and then they used to spend the rest of their lives in isolation with only one window through which they can see. Themes themes there are two repeated themes in snow flower and the secret fan the second theme is one of gender equality, which can be seen not only in this novel, but in most asian cultures of this times period, and even though lily lived to a very old age, she still felt very. In nineteenthcentury china, in a remote hunan county, a girl named lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, old same, in an emotional match that will last a lifetime.
Snow flower and the secret fan summary and study guide. Snow flower and the secret fan is a 2005 novel by lisa see set in nineteenthcentury china. In this example, the lattice window symbolizes that women were. The movie added a modern story with the same basic plot ruined the film not enough detail in either story made it hard to connect to the characters recommendations i recommend the book to anyone interested in the ancient chinese culture and to all girls young and old i do.
Instant downloads of all 1296 litchart pdfs including snow flower and the secret fan. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Although the truth is stretched to accommodate the relationship, the laotongs are supposed to have eight characters that. In her introduction to the novel, see writes that lily, the narrator, was born on june 5, 1824the fifth day of the sixth month of the third year of the daoguang emperors. In nineteenthcentury china, where a womans eligibility is judged by the shape and size of her feet, this is extraordinary good luck. Snow flower and the secret fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful.
Snow flower and the secret fan quotes showing of 69 read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river. Snow flower and the secret fan by anna weber on prezi. Snow flower and the secret fan 2011 pg drama, history. A story set in 19th century china and centered on the lifelong friendship between two girls who develop their own secret code as a way to contend with the rigid cultural norms imposed on women. A novel is surely intended for any reader who likes a compelling, historicallyset, moving, suspenseful story. With the detail and emotional resonance of memoirs of a geisha, snow flower and the secret fan delves into one of the most mysterious and treasured relationships of all timefemale friendship. Snow flower and the secret fan is a 2005 novel by lisa see set in nineteenth century china. Snow flower and the secret fan lisa sees official website. Snow flower and the secret fan summary from litcharts. Snow flower and the secret fan characters from litcharts.
That was snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see random house, 2006 for me. Vogue its hard to imagine that someone could write a better novel. I put the book down, got distracted by another book, and never returned, but i always wanted to. Lily is the main character and firstperson narrator of her life.
The novel snow flower and the secret fan is written by lisa see which had taken place in china in 1800s. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see librarything. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see goodreads. Lily is the main character and firstperson narrator of her life story. Lisa sees new novel, snow flower and the secret fan, takes us into. A story set in nineteenthcentury china and focusing on the lifelong friendship between two girls who develop their own secret code as a way to contend with the rigid social norms imposed on women. I knew it was not right for me as a girl and later as a woman to want or expect it, but i did, and this unjustified desire has been at the root of every problem i have experienced in my life. This 39page guide for snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 17 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis.
At this point in her life, she can finally say things that she couldnt when she was dependent on her natal birth family or her husbands family. Snow flower and the secret fan book summary and study guide. Lily lily is one of the pair of characters central to snow flower and the secret fan, and she is also the narrator of the entire story. We felt that snow flower and the secret fan was a book that truly transcended time and culture. I have been a fan of lisa sees mysteries, and her sympathies with, and skill in creating characters of both sexes, are apparent in both the mystery plots and the present book. I cant remember if a friend gave me her copy or if i got it from the library, but i got to the parts about the process of foot binding and needed some time. With bingbing li, jihyun jun, vivian wu, russell wong. Lily is the daughter of a humble farmer, and to her family she is just another expensive mouth to feed. Lisa see s novel snow flower and the secret fan takes place in china during the 1800s. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood.
This study guide consists of approximately 47 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of snow flower and the secret fan. The author sees snow flower and the secret fan as a novel about love and regret, but do you think theres also an element of atonement in it as well 9. Freebooknotes found 8 important quotes from 6 key chapters of snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see. Snow flower and the secret fan official trailer youtube. In august, snow flower is supposed to visit lily for a festival, but lotus, a woman from the mountains, arrives instead with the fan. Summary lisa sees novel snow flower and the secret fan takes place in china during the 1800s. The fan says that snow flower has found other women who love her, and lily wont have to listen to snow flowers laments anymore. In rural hunan province, a county in china, lily and her friend snow flower are a laotong pair whose sisterly relationship is far stronger and closer than a husband and wifes.
Snow flower and the secret fan, by lisa see, was set in nineteenth century china, amongst ageold traditions. The snow flower and the secret fan community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. In a time when beauty was judged by tiny feet, the two girls endured the grotesque practice of footbinding. Snow flower and the secret fan, lisa see snow flower and the secret fan is a 2005 novel by lisa see set in nineteenthcentury china. This was a relationship that could begin with the agreement of their parents before birth, and persist independent of marriage, children or the changing fortunes of life. This novel is a perfect example that everybody needs love in their life. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. There is also random house readers circle bonus content, sure to inspire discussion at book clubs everywhere. For some reason, the title made me think it was some kind of mystery that just happened to be set in japan or china simply to capitalize on interest in those countries through superficial means. Lisa see, quote from snow flower and the secret fan for my entire life i longed for love. Snow flower and the secret fan quotes free book notes. It is a story so mesmerizing the pages float away and the story remains clearly before us from beginning to end.
Snow flower and the secret fan was a wonderful, loving, and tragic story of friendship and betrayal that teaches the reader much about compassion and forgiveness. Love is one of many themes in snow flower and the secret fan. As the narrator, she becomes the filter through which we must read all other characters in the novel, including lily herself. Snow flower and the secret fan random house readers. Snowflower and the secret fan by lisa see ive seen this book several times over the past few years, but never bothered to pick it up. Occasionally, in the midst of notes about childbirth and marriages, lily and snow flower. This plot, with two women at its center, encompasses the hurt, pain, anguish, and undying compassion two women felt for each other. Even nu shu, the very thing that allows their friendship to blossom, is an. In the story, we are told again and again that women are weak and worthless. Love can be expressed in the most indirect, but effective ways. Literary devicesplot snow flower and the secret fan. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies.
Inspired by the bestselling novel snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see, the film is a timeless portrait of female friendship. Snow flower and the secret fan is achingly beautiful, a marvel of imagination of a real and secret world that has only recently disappeared. This was the beautiful narrative of two friends, lily and snow flower. For your reference, we provided these snow flower and the secret fan quotes with page numbers using the following version of the book. Snow flower, an opium addicts daughter, whose father can not support his family anymore, marries down, and lives a hard life as the wife of a country butcher. The wellproduced snow flower and the secret fan has certain things also going for it in its rare thoughtful exploration of the friendship between two women, coupled with how china has a. But apart from who i was with snow flower, i was resolved to be an honorable wife, a praiseworthy daughterinlaw, and a scrupulous mother. Lily lily is the narrator and main character of snow flower and the secret fan.
The author sees snow flower and the secret fan as a novel about love and regret, but do you think theres also an element of atonement in it as well. Snow flower and the secret fan major character analysis. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. With the period detail and deep resonance of memoirs of a geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see book club. Snow flower and the secret fan 2011 rotten tomatoes. Together, the two begin a friendship and intimate nu shu correspondence that develops with them through years of house training, marriages, childbirths and changes in social status. Accordingly, lily became laotong with snow flower, a charming girl from an upperclass household. Amy tan, author of the joy luck club and the opposite of fate. In hunan, when two women were best friends forever, they were laotong. Praise for snow flower and the secret fan a subtly stirring novel.