Summary lisa sees novel snow flower and the secret fan takes place in china during the 1800s. Vogue its hard to imagine that someone could write a better novel. Jan 02, 2007 snow flower and the secret fan, by lisa see, was set in nineteenth century china, amongst age old traditions. Lily, a young girl in 19thcentury china, gets a sworn sister, or laotong, named snow flower. So, from the age of seven until their deaths, these women lived as virtual. In the story, we are told again and again that women are weak and worthless. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see book club. Its a gripping, period story taking place in the later 1820s in china. May 07, 2007 snow flower and the secret fan in my opinion i think of lily as being a tragic heroine. Later, when i began writing snow flower and the secret fan, i was able to. 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. Book club questions for snow flower and the secret fan.
Set preferences and get ageappropriate recommendations with. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see, 9780747583004, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Snow flower and the secret fan lisa sees official website. Snow flower and the secret fan snow flower and the secret fan. Snow flower and the secret fan, a movie based on the lisa see book, explores foot binding and the relationships of two pairs of women during two periods of history. Lily is the main character and firstperson narrator of her life story.
The snow flower and the secret fan lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. Snow flower and the secret fan book portland public library. 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. Jan 31, 2018 she is at age 8 so promising that she becomes laotong with the beautiful and accomplished girl snow flower, which means that the two girls share confidences and ambitions with each other using the secret womens writing nu shu, an alphabet hidden in beautiful pictures representing sounds in the characters southern chinese dialect.
The warring matchmakers are marvelous characters, and the story made me recall the girl closest to my own laotong. If lily is writing her story to snow flower in the afterworld, what do you think snow flowers response would or should be. 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. The book reimagines jane austens pride and prejudice from the point of view of the servants at the bennet family estate. Snow flower and the secret fan major character analysis. Snow flower and the secret fan english flashcards quizlet. Directed by wayne wang, the film stars gianna jun, li bingbing, archie kao, vivian wu, and hugh jackman. By age eleven, lily, beautiful moon, and snow flowers feet are healed. Snow flower and the secret fan is a 2005 historical novel by lisa see. Did you recognize any aspects of your own friendships in the bond between lily and snow flower. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see goodreads. She was taught to honor duty and ones place in society even when events challenged that sense of duty and place i. Not only does snow flower and the secret fan extensively cover the womans place and life in premodern china, but its also a tale about sisterhood, trust and empathy, as well as just being a good human being, no matter what your circumstances are or failing to be one.
Madame wang returns both girls to lilys house, where snow flower stays for several days. I had a greater and deeper love for her than i could ever feel for a person who was my husband. In the culture and time of the novel, a womans purpose is primarily to bring honor to her natal birth family and her family by marriage, and to do so primarily by bearing sons. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. The novel begins in 1903, when lily is 80 years old. In nineteenthcentury china, in a remote hunan county, a girl named lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a. Discussion of themes and motifs in lisa sees snow flower and the secret fan. Jul 15, 2011 snow flower and the secret fan, a movie based on the lisa see book, explores foot binding and the relationships of two pairs of women during two periods of history. They have known each other for almost their whole life and have a deep love for each other. The story focuses on the rigorous lady lessons endured by laotongs sworn sisters lily and snow flower. Snow flower and the secret fan, by lisa see, was set in nineteenth century china, amongst age old traditions. Although the truth is stretched to accommodate the relationship, the laotongs are supposed to have eight characters that. This novel is a perfect example that everybody needs love in their life. Snow flower and the secret fan is a delicate, if sometimes disturbing, portrait of the enduring relationships that bond women together, out in theaters now.
She is at age 8 so promising that she becomes laotong with the beautiful and accomplished girl snow flower, which means that the two girls share confidences and ambitions with each other using the secret womens writing nu shu, an alphabet hidden in beautiful pictures representing sounds in the characters southern chinese dialect. Parents need to know that this bookbased drama set in both. Rent snow flower and the secret fan 2011 on dvd and blu. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see librarything. The laotong, snow flower, introduces herself by sending lily. In august, snow flower is supposed to visit lily for a festival, but lotus, a woman from the mountains, arrives instead with the fan. Snow flower and the secret fan is achingly beautiful, a marvel of imagination of a real and secret world that has only recently disappeared. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see 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. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see, paperback.
In her introduction to the novel, see writes that lily, the narrator, was born on june 5, 1824 the fifth day of the sixth month of the third year of the daoguang emperor s reign. Amy tan, author of the joy luck club and the opposite of fate. In nineteenthcentury china, where a womans eligibility is judged by the shape and size of her feet, this is extraordinary good luck. Rent snow flower and the secret fan 2011 starring gianna jun and bingbing li on dvd and bluray. Snow flower and the secret fan in my opinion i think of lily as being a tragic heroine.
New york public library books for the teen age winner 2006. Discussion questions snow flower and the secret fan. Women and gender theme in snow flower and the secret fan. Snow flower and the secret fan literature tv tropes.
As the narrator, she becomes the filter through which we must read all other characters in the novel, including lily herself. In a time when beauty was judged by tiny feet, the two girls endured the grotesque practice of footbinding. It is a story so mesmerizing the pages float away and the story remains clearly before us from beginning to end. 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. Jul 01, 2005 as the taiping rebellion 185164 approaches the villages around them, threatening to disrupt the social order, lily and snow flowers private intimacy changes, stretches and is strained. Snow flower and the secret fan random house readers circle deluxe reading group. Starring gianna jun, li bingbing, vivian wu, jiang wu, hugh jackman. 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 one of the pair of characters central to snow flower and the secret fan, and she is also the narrator of the entire story. 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 is so rich in psychology, feminine high stakes and marital intrigue that it evokes the work of jane austen. From a very young age, the two best friends write to each other and share many. Lisa sees new novel, snow flower and the secret fan, takes us into.
At the age of seven, lily has already found her laotong, a person with whom her friendship. Snow flower and the secret fan is a 2005 novel by lisa see set in nineteenthcentury china. Snow flower and the secret fan is a 2005 novel by lisa see set in nineteenth century china. Snow flowers messages are all about birds and flying away, which scares lily. In nineteenth century china, in a remote hunan county, a girl named lily, at the tender age of.
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 lesson plans for teachers. Once snow flower returns home, the girls pass notes to each other often through madame wang. With the arrival of a silk fan on which snow flower has composed for lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, their friendship is sealed and they become old sames at the tender age of seven. As the taiping rebellion 185164 approaches the villages around them, threatening to disrupt the social order, lily and snow flowers private intimacy changes, stretches and is strained. Jul 29, 2011 snow flower and the secret fan 2011, pg, 103 min. I read snow flower and the secret fan about 4 or 5 years ago and loved the book. Snow flower and the secret fan is a 2011 historical drama film based on the novel of the same name written by lisa see. Snow flower and the secret fan from book to film featurette 2011. At the age of seven, a girl named lily is paired for life with a laotong, or old same, named. Focus features has hired angela workman snow flower and the secret fan, the zookeepers wife to pen the script for a period film adaptation of jo bakers upcoming novel longbourn for focus features. The snow flower and the secret fan quotes below are all either spoken by lily or refer to lily. Jun 03, 2014 snow flower and the secret fan buy or rent. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood.
Snow flower and the secret fan 2011 rotten tomatoes. On writing snowflower and the secret fan by lisa see lisa sees. This was the beautiful narrative of two friends, lily and snow flower. Taut and vibrant, the story offers a delicately painted view of a sequestered world and provides a richly textured account of how women might understand. The fan says that snow flower has found other women who love her, and lily wont have to listen to snow flowers laments anymore. For the film, see snow flower and the secret fan film. Love can be expressed in the most indirect, but effective ways. Inside youll find 30 daily lessons, 20 fun activities, 180 multiple choice questions, 60 short essay questions, 20 essay questions, quizzeshomework assignments, tests, and more. Snow flower and the secret fan quotes showing of 69 read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river. Lily endures excruciating pain in order to have her feet bound. 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. 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.
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. Praise for snow flower and the secret fan a subtly stirring novel. Love is one of many themes in snow flower and the secret fan. 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.
Book club questions for snow flower and the secret fan lisa. Lily is the daughter of a humble farmer, and to her family she is just another expensive mouth to feed. Read free book excerpt from snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see, page 1 of 4. Reviews for snow flower and the secret fan lisa sees official. Snow flower and the secret fan summary and study guide. 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. In her introduction to the novel, see writes that lily, the narrator. Snow flower and the secret fan is a 2005 novel by lisa see set in.