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The Binding Chair or, A Visit from the Foot
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Plot Summary of The Binding Chair or, A Visit from the Foot
"This book is about how a woman leaves Chinese society and joins the ex-pat community of Shanghai around the turn of the previous century, going through Russia to France on the way. It's supposed to be about the strange fascination/revulsion of footbinding, and the character's struggle to accept/liberate herself from her mutilation. There are so many characters and switchbacks on plots that it becomes muddled and confused. Literary devices used cloud the plot, dillute the message and cheapen the story."
Ingrid Koehler, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Binding Chair or, A Visit from the Foot
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - 1900-1920's
Political/social activism Yes
Plotlet: - women fighting for rights
Inside culture (main char) - Chinese
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society) - European
If story of urban/rural... - Big city life
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes
Woman's story? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - prostitute
Age: - long lived adults
Ethnicity/Nationality - Chinese
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - missing body parts/abilities

Main Adversary
Identity: - society

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 3 (some)
Europe Yes
European country: - France
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - Russia - China
Misc setting - moving train

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - touching of anatomy
Unusual Style: - a lot of flashback and forwards
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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See


Click here for more information about this book


Kathryn Harrison Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Bobby Blades  

SCHOLARS:
Ingrid Koehler  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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