The Tailor's Role in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Oct.1/2013
English 1AA3 The Tailor’s New Clothes Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is a novel that is set in China during the
Chinese Revolution. The novel focuses greatly on the re-education of the narrator as well
as his friend Luo. It also introduces many major characters like the Little Chinese
Seamstress, who have a large impacts on the two boys. Similarly, the novel also has
many minor characters that influence how the major characters’ roles develop throughout
the novel, like the Tailor. The Tailor is a well-respected man in the village and he is also
considered higher class. This allows him to freely express himself in the midst of the
Cultural Revolution through the clothing he makes throughout the novel. The Tailor also
helped the narrator unlock his potential through his curiosity in the stories that were being
told. This essay will focus on the important role of the Tailor and how he impacted the
other characters in the novel.
The tailor is seen as an individual with a higher status within the village, because
of the great demand for the clothing he makes. He is extremely popular and successful
among the people because of his craft and he was often used as a symbol of wealth for
the people who used his services. “The home of his client, filled with the whirr of his
sewing machine, would be the hub of village life, giving the host family the opportunity
to display their wealth.” (Dai, 22) During the midst of the Cultural Revolution, many
villagers are not able to express themselves freely. The role of the Tailor is important
because he is able to express himself in any way possible through the types of clothes that
Mariampillai, 2
he decides to make. “Inevitably, some of the details he picked up from the French story
started to have a discreet influence on the clothes he was making for the villagers.”
English 1AA3 The Tailor’s New Clothes Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is a novel that is set in China during the
Chinese Revolution. The novel focuses greatly on the re-education of the narrator as well
as his friend Luo. It also introduces many major characters like the Little Chinese
Seamstress, who have a large impacts on the two boys. Similarly, the novel also has
many minor characters that influence how the major characters’ roles develop throughout
the novel, like the Tailor. The Tailor is a well-respected man in the village and he is also
considered higher class. This allows him to freely express himself in the midst of the
Cultural Revolution through the clothing he makes throughout the novel. The Tailor also
helped the narrator unlock his potential through his curiosity in the stories that were being
told. This essay will focus on the important role of the Tailor and how he impacted the
other characters in the novel.
The tailor is seen as an individual with a higher status within the village, because
of the great demand for the clothing he makes. He is extremely popular and successful
among the people because of his craft and he was often used as a symbol of wealth for
the people who used his services. “The home of his client, filled with the whirr of his
sewing machine, would be the hub of village life, giving the host family the opportunity
to display their wealth.” (Dai, 22) During the midst of the Cultural Revolution, many
villagers are not able to express themselves freely. The role of the Tailor is important
because he is able to express himself in any way possible through the types of clothes that
Mariampillai, 2
he decides to make. “Inevitably, some of the details he picked up from the French story
started to have a discreet influence on the clothes he was making for the villagers.”