I truly like the way you approach a subject like this. You’ve read the book and seen the movie. I think you are more qualified than me to provide a well-rounded critic of the story (book and movie). You write with passion and the out pouring of the feelings is not limited to just about my assertion that Zeena is a bad woman but also the interpretation of the story as a whole and other characters in the story. I’m glad that I have finally found someone who seriously tries to have a meaningful conversation on what I put out. I’ve written many book reviews and other stories but none has done anything as close to what you’ve done. I appreciate your devotion and eagerness on this subject.
Having said that, I’d like to offer a bit more explanation on why I arrived at my conclusion. I am not trying to rebuke you nor defend myself. This is probably more of a self-examination of my claims in response to the disagreements you raised.
I think sportwoman asked a very good question, why is someone said to be a “bad” person? To me, I think someone is bad if this person thinks and acts with a malicious intention toward others. People can be do bad things all the time. We conclude that someone is bad if this person consistently impress upon others with acts that people take them as malicious.
Thus based on that I said Zeena is bad. She has been a tyrant at home for years. She doesn’t love Ethan and Ethan doesn’t love her. But she wants to dominate him. To achieve this, she feigns her illness. I say she feigns it because after the accident, she became a completely able person again. Of course the book doesn’t directly tell the readers what kind of person she is. But based on what I read, that’s the kind of conclusion I got.
In hind sight after reading your reviews, I have a strong feeling that I am probably wrong. You have read the book and seen the movie and also been a woman, able to see the same matter from a different angle. I have read the book only once and formed my opinion gradually and as the story progressed my opinion was enhanced, perhaps more because of my bias, which I must attribute the author’s ability to get readers so involved in the story that we read the story like discussing a story with a friend.
On your writing, both Chinese and English versions seem to be written by the hands of a person full of emotions. You seem to write done all of your thoughts and feelings all at once. The result is that the ideas are less well organized. You first stated your opinion, which is to argue why Zeena shouldn’t be read as a bad woman. Then you drift your arguments to your dislike to Ethan and a touch of sympathy to Mattie. These thoughts would be easier for people to understand and follow if they are better organized and with smoother transition from one topic to another.
The two references should be better used. You first used 围城, then without any introduction, the reference switched to The Age of Innocence and directly to its protagonist Newland Archer. These two references don’t seem to provide a strong support if you want to compare the male protagonists. I think they are quite different. I’ve never read围城, just heard about its storyline. But I know The Age of Innocence has quite a different story structure and culture background. To go further probably means a completely different discussion.
So thank you for your hard work, for your seriousness and ardor in trying to understand the story. I’m impressed by the book and its story. I don’t think I’ll read it again just for the purpose of finding out if I’m right or wrong. I can take what you say and accept your arguments and opinion, you certainly have done more homework on this. What I mean is that I read books for enjoyment and learning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and was deeply involved in it with emotion and feeling while I was reading it. My feeling now has been proven to be biased, but I don’t regret it. What I value is the enjoyment at the time when I was reading it. It’s just like watch a good sporting event, regardless the outcome of the competition, as a spectator, it’s worth the time if I enjoy watching it.
