Beau McArthur’s Reviews > Sounds of the River: A Young Man's University Days in Beijing – A Poetic Coming-of-Age Memoir of China's Cultural Revolution > Status Update

This is similar to "The Reluctant Fundamentalist". In that, the world changing affected, directly or indirectly the protagonists life.

How one party initially seems way better, but after further investigation you realize they are one in the same. Or even Just "On The Rainy River", and its signs of Americana. This book gave closure to the year.

This book, I feel, really concludes all of the literature we have read this year. Whether it being, "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" and it relating to "Sound of The River" on how it feels to be different, or not fully accepted because of where you are from. Or "The Mothers" and the relation between Aubrey, and Nadia, and the relation between Chen's school life, and home life. (continue to next post)

He had depressed roommates, and corrupt teachers, who he depended on to go to school in America. I am not from China, and am not sure if this book is a completely accurate depiction of how it is to be a student in china. If people really dream of America. Nonetheless, I think it gave me a better understanding of China's culture, and an appreciation for its people.

When Chen decides to make it his goal to learn english, and be more western, it really reminded me of the train ride at the beginning of the book. The hours of stories Chen listened to on the train from the english interpreter, how he dreamed of New York. Chen's horrible living conditions on the train, translating to the bad conditions in Beijing. (continue to next post)

All f this starts to kick in, as he realized how good he will be living at school. This is similar to "The Mothers, and how Nadia would compare her life to Aubrey's life, and thinks that Aubrey's life is way better than hers. But things aren't always as they seem. Will Chen realize that his school life isn't all that, or not?

As Chen finds himself entering his dorm, he meets his roomates, Bo and Wong. They show him around the room, and tell him that they will be sharing a desk. Once Chen starts to settle in he points out differences between his home life and school life. At school he has a proper bed, but at home he sleeps on hay. How at school he has an allowance that is more than enough to feed his whole family. (go to next post)

Chen finally makes it to Beijing, and is not so friendly greeted by his classmates. They are snobby city kids, who make fun of him for his dark complexion. He is different than them, and is shunned for it. This is like in the "The Reluctant Fundamentalist", how Changez wasn't accepted in America after 9/11, because he's muslim. How Changez either had to change or lose his job and leave America.

When Chen's arrives in Beijing, he feels almost patriotic. As he listens to the national anthem, he puts his hand on his chest and stands up. Very "americanish" if that's even a thing. This is similar to on the rainy river when Tim is deciding whether he is going to flee to Canada or stay in America, and throughout the street there are signs of Americana, tempting him to feel patriotic.

Whilst on the train to beijing, Chen meets a chinese, english interpreter for a sports channel. The interpreter is Chen's seat partner, and is going to beijing for work. He tells Chen of his journeys as an Interpreter, as says that the place he wants to visit most is New York. Then adds that women in japan like english, they find it attractive. He talks about women a lot. (finished in next post)