week 7- free response

I think earlier in my blogs I declared that Eliza was my favorite character, but after finishing my book, Tao Chi'en is by far the best character.  He is the most level-headed character in the entire novel.  He seems incredibly wise and all-knowing, but he grows intellectually and in his emotions.

He grows intellectually through medical knowledge.  He still uses old Chinese tricks like pins and needles and magical herbs.  However, he finds out how to amputate and perform surgery.  He needs to learn these things in America to widen his outreach to patients.  Practicing both Chinese and American techniques brings both cultures to his office.  This is not his only motive in learning though.  Tao Chi'en truly loves to learn!  He wants to gain wisdom and knowledge through any means possible.  I love this about him.  

He also grows emotionally by figuring out how the relationship between men and women should be.  Growing up in China, he is told that women are disposable and only good for being wives or concubines.  He sees his sister sold into slavery and often sees dead baby girls around the streets.  Although no one directly tells Tao Chi'en how worthless women are, subliminally he is shown how they are of no use.  Most of his thoughts as a young lad were over women.  Tao Chi'en planned on arranging a marriage for himself with a girl with little feet.  His single thoughts about the girl were how she had to have beautiful little feet.  After meeting Eliza, Tao Chi'en comes to see how important and useful women are.  They are more than their feet.  There is a brain as well as a body.  Eliza is strong willed and acts as his equal.  This shows him

 how they can be equal partners in a relationship.