Scan barcode
tessanie's review against another edition
3.0
Pearl S. Bucks first novel „East Wind: West Wind“ published in 1930 depicts the life of a young Chinese woman named Kuei-lan under the influences of traditional eastern culture and modern western lifestyle at the beginning of the XX. century. The east wind is represented mainly by her parents and her husband parents who hold on to their traditional rules and values. The west wind is brought in mostly by her husband who has been studied western medicine and her brother who goes abroad to America for studies and returns married to an American women.
The first part of the book deals with Kuei-lan’s struggles to please her husband. She had been promised to a son of the wealthy K’ung family before she was even born and had ever since been raised and trained to be a respectable wife one day. After her marriage, Kuei-lan does not understand why her husband does not love her, even though she acts exactly as she had been taught. It takes a while until Kuei-lan learns that she can get her husbands attention by breaking a bit with the traditional ideas.
The second part is about Kuei-lan’s brother who had been engaged to a daughter of the respectable Li family, when he was young. Since he was never very eager to get into this marriage, he managed to escape to the US for his studies before he got married to the Li daughter. Years later, he returns married to an American women. Politely and respectfully, he asks his parents to break off the traditional engagement, but they do not accept a foreigner as their daughter.
Kuei-lan is torn between her parents and her brother. On one side, her mother who gets weaker and weaker and wishes so much for a great-son by her only son, and on the other side, her brother who married the American woman because of love and wishes his wife to be accepted by his family.
The character cast is very limited and only a few characters get names.
Kuei-lan’s father is the lead of a traditional influence-rich Chinese family. Her mother is the first wife of her father and therefore the first dame at court, who is conservative and serious about the traditional rules. She has one son, Kuei-lan’s brother, who is very interested in science and western culture. He convinces his parents to let him go abroad to study in the US. Kuei-lan’s father has three concubines, who all struggle with the lost of Kuei-lan’s father’s attention.
Wang Da Ma is the first servant of Kuei-lan’s mother. She took care about the children ever since.
Kuei-lan’s husband is the sixth son of the K’ung family. Since his older brothers only have daughters, the birth of his son is greatly appreciated. Kuei-lan’s husband has studied western medicine. He is very open-minded towards the western culture and believes that the Chinese people can learn from the western people, too. He is friends with the Chinese family Liu who lives a modern lifestyle and an American family who lives in China.
Kuei-lan’s brother returns from the US married to an American woman called Mary. Mary is accepting to give up her life in America in order to live with her Chinese husband in China. Though many Chinese traditions and rituals seem weird to her, she tries to integrate and to be accepted by her parents-in-law.
The topic of this story is due to the setting the life in China at the beginning of the XX. century under the increasing influence of America. While the elder Chinese people hold on to their traditional values, the younger generation is open to learn about another culture. The main message of the story is not to take over the American culture as it is, but to get the best out of two cultures.
Strongly influenced by the modernization of this country with such a long traditional history are family conflicts between different generations. Since the younger generation starts to break with the traditional rules and stops to act exactly as their parents want them to.
The story is told from Kuei-lan’s point of view while she addresses her thoughts to a person she calls „sister“. The only information given about this sister is that she is neither a Chinese person, nor a complete foreigner, but that this woman is from the US though she lived many years in China under Chinese people that she would understand their thoughts. This person is probably not Mary or the woman of the American family her husband is friends with since Kuei-lan talks about them. The person stays outside the story, maybe it is Pearl S. Buck herself.
Astonishingly fascinating story that gives a huge inside look into the life in China at the beginning of the XX. century and the quests young Chinese people had to face torn between the eastern tradition and the western ideas.
The first part of the book deals with Kuei-lan’s struggles to please her husband. She had been promised to a son of the wealthy K’ung family before she was even born and had ever since been raised and trained to be a respectable wife one day. After her marriage, Kuei-lan does not understand why her husband does not love her, even though she acts exactly as she had been taught. It takes a while until Kuei-lan learns that she can get her husbands attention by breaking a bit with the traditional ideas.
The second part is about Kuei-lan’s brother who had been engaged to a daughter of the respectable Li family, when he was young. Since he was never very eager to get into this marriage, he managed to escape to the US for his studies before he got married to the Li daughter. Years later, he returns married to an American women. Politely and respectfully, he asks his parents to break off the traditional engagement, but they do not accept a foreigner as their daughter.
Kuei-lan is torn between her parents and her brother. On one side, her mother who gets weaker and weaker and wishes so much for a great-son by her only son, and on the other side, her brother who married the American woman because of love and wishes his wife to be accepted by his family.
The character cast is very limited and only a few characters get names.
Kuei-lan’s father is the lead of a traditional influence-rich Chinese family. Her mother is the first wife of her father and therefore the first dame at court, who is conservative and serious about the traditional rules. She has one son, Kuei-lan’s brother, who is very interested in science and western culture. He convinces his parents to let him go abroad to study in the US. Kuei-lan’s father has three concubines, who all struggle with the lost of Kuei-lan’s father’s attention.
Wang Da Ma is the first servant of Kuei-lan’s mother. She took care about the children ever since.
Kuei-lan’s husband is the sixth son of the K’ung family. Since his older brothers only have daughters, the birth of his son is greatly appreciated. Kuei-lan’s husband has studied western medicine. He is very open-minded towards the western culture and believes that the Chinese people can learn from the western people, too. He is friends with the Chinese family Liu who lives a modern lifestyle and an American family who lives in China.
Kuei-lan’s brother returns from the US married to an American woman called Mary. Mary is accepting to give up her life in America in order to live with her Chinese husband in China. Though many Chinese traditions and rituals seem weird to her, she tries to integrate and to be accepted by her parents-in-law.
The topic of this story is due to the setting the life in China at the beginning of the XX. century under the increasing influence of America. While the elder Chinese people hold on to their traditional values, the younger generation is open to learn about another culture. The main message of the story is not to take over the American culture as it is, but to get the best out of two cultures.
Strongly influenced by the modernization of this country with such a long traditional history are family conflicts between different generations. Since the younger generation starts to break with the traditional rules and stops to act exactly as their parents want them to.
The story is told from Kuei-lan’s point of view while she addresses her thoughts to a person she calls „sister“. The only information given about this sister is that she is neither a Chinese person, nor a complete foreigner, but that this woman is from the US though she lived many years in China under Chinese people that she would understand their thoughts. This person is probably not Mary or the woman of the American family her husband is friends with since Kuei-lan talks about them. The person stays outside the story, maybe it is Pearl S. Buck herself.
Astonishingly fascinating story that gives a huge inside look into the life in China at the beginning of the XX. century and the quests young Chinese people had to face torn between the eastern tradition and the western ideas.
carlos_gc's review against another edition
3.0
Novela ágil y amena que narra con cierta dulzura y melancolía el choque entre culturas y nos muestra, al contrario de lo que es habitual, cómo luce un occidental para un oriental de ese contexto. Es una novela entrañable e interesante, narrada con sencillez y humildad.
rumien's review against another edition
emotional
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
sandy27's review against another edition
4.0
En primer lugar, quiero dar las gracias a la "Biblioteca de Lisbeth" por hablar de este libro en su canal,porque estoy segura que sino no habría leído este libro. Es un libro que lo sientes y te sumerges en él desde la página uno, conoces tradiciones chinas, y como influyen en las mujeres y en los hombres, el papel de la mujer china. Además, nos refleja el contraste de la tradición con la modernidad, como afecta a los implicados en esa situación, como cada personaje va evolucionando según sus decisiones.
La lectura es pausada aunque como ya dije se disfruta de cada una de las páginas y cuenta muchas cosas que me ha gustado conocer. Es evidente que seguiré leyendo a esta
La lectura es pausada aunque como ya dije se disfruta de cada una de las páginas y cuenta muchas cosas que me ha gustado conocer. Es evidente que seguiré leyendo a esta
danivacap's review against another edition
4.0
La historia, que transcurre en China, básicamente va de una muchacha criada con todas las costumbres antiguas que se casa con el hombre al que la habían prometido desde su nacimiento, pero resulta que dicho hombre ha estudiado en el extranjero y tiene un pensamiento bastante occidentalizado, es ahí donde comienzo todo. La historia nos lleva a través de todo ese choque cultural que se va dando tanto entre esta pareja como en la sociedad de ese tiempo.
La autora tiene una prosa muy bella y leer el libro es como sentir una suave brisa, realmente logra transportarte al espacio y tiempo en que transcurre todo, además de que el estilo que tiene hace que sea un libro muy ligero y se lee en nada.
Ahora la parte un tanto negativa; si bien es muy interesante leer todo ese choque cultural, sí que hay un todo paternalista y un tanto condescendiente hacia el pensamiento tradicional de China, hay como ese aire de “el salvador blanco que viene a civilizar” y eso me ha molestado un poco, sin embargo no voy a tratar de imponer mi mente de siglo XXI en un libro de 1930, si embargo aparte de ese hecho que me ha chirriando un poco no tengo ninguna otra queja.
He disfrutado los personajes, he podido empatizar bastante con ellos, con casi todos, y con sus puntos de vista.
El final me pareció apropiado, no es propiamente feliz pero a la vez sí que lo es, me ha agradado que cada personaje sostuviese su manera de ver las cosas y me ha parecido realista, por que en el mundo real la gente (especialmente la gente mayor) suele ser muy cerrada y es raro que cambien su forma de ver el mundo solo por un par de acontecimientos. La única que se podría decir que cambia su forma de pensar es nuestra narradora y protagonista, sin embargo a la vez no lo hace, ya que dicho cambio es por tratar de agradar su marido, que es de hecho lo que le habían enseñado desde pequeña, que tenía que seguir a su esposo y punto, así que no diría que realmente tiene un cambio de mentalidad total.
Pero en fin, la historia como ya dije es muy interesante de leer, se gana algo de conocimiento sobre China, el libro se siente muy real y nada, recomendación total.
La autora tiene una prosa muy bella y leer el libro es como sentir una suave brisa, realmente logra transportarte al espacio y tiempo en que transcurre todo, además de que el estilo que tiene hace que sea un libro muy ligero y se lee en nada.
Ahora la parte un tanto negativa; si bien es muy interesante leer todo ese choque cultural, sí que hay un todo paternalista y un tanto condescendiente hacia el pensamiento tradicional de China, hay como ese aire de “el salvador blanco que viene a civilizar” y eso me ha molestado un poco, sin embargo no voy a tratar de imponer mi mente de siglo XXI en un libro de 1930, si embargo aparte de ese hecho que me ha chirriando un poco no tengo ninguna otra queja.
He disfrutado los personajes, he podido empatizar bastante con ellos, con casi todos, y con sus puntos de vista.
El final me pareció apropiado, no es propiamente feliz pero a la vez sí que lo es, me ha agradado que cada personaje sostuviese su manera de ver las cosas y me ha parecido realista, por que en el mundo real la gente (especialmente la gente mayor) suele ser muy cerrada y es raro que cambien su forma de ver el mundo solo por un par de acontecimientos. La única que se podría decir que cambia su forma de pensar es nuestra narradora y protagonista, sin embargo a la vez no lo hace, ya que dicho cambio es por tratar de agradar su marido, que es de hecho lo que le habían enseñado desde pequeña, que tenía que seguir a su esposo y punto, así que no diría que realmente tiene un cambio de mentalidad total.
Pero en fin, la historia como ya dije es muy interesante de leer, se gana algo de conocimiento sobre China, el libro se siente muy real y nada, recomendación total.
wondarlice's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
ivandanev's review against another edition
3.0
ENGLISH/БЪЛГАРСКИ
At first glance Pearl Buck’s book “East Wind: West Wind” is about the women’s place and role in Chinese society. But after a while the reader starts to think that there is something more. Although the story is told from the perspective of Kwei-lan (Chinese woman) the book deepens in themes such as extreme traditionalism, the duty to one's parents and the intercultural conflict. But most of all “East Wind: West Wind” is about the transforming power of love. How love can alter the boundaries of tradition, to oppose the oppression and finally – to win.
In the beginning we may guess that Kwei-lan is Quay-Lan must be oppressed, tortured, and unjustified by circumstances, but here writer Pearl Buck shows otherwise. The main character, like her mother, like all the other women around her, accepts her role as a wife. It is more than unthinkable for her when her husband tells her that they can be equal.
Pearl Buck describes very well the role of upbringing and the effect it has later in life. If in contemporary fiction we are used to seeing strong female characters, here that is not the case. But this does not mean that we do not have skillfully constructed and multi-layered character.
Perhaps there are in fact no male or female qualities, only those that have emerged throughout history. Hundreds of years of moral dogmas that separate the masculine and the feminine. Is there a natural order then or is it a simple delusion? The patriarchy has remained as an echo of past ages, but when did it first emerge and why?
But if the first part of the book deals with the position of women in society, the second talks about alienation and the clash between different cultures. But at the heart of everything, however, is love. Kay-Lan's love for her husband, which allows her to break free. Her brother's love for the foreigner, which will turn the lives of their whole family upside down. But most of all the love for the child, for one's own child.
***
Книгата на Пърл Бък разказва за Китай и положението на жената в него. Или поне това е на пръв поглед. Защото макар разказана от гледната точка на китайката Куей-Лан, книгата всъщност разглежда теми като крайният традиционализъм, дългът към родителите и междукултурният сблъсък. Но най-вече „Източен вятър, западен вятър“ е книга за трансформиращата сила на любовта. Как тя и само тя успява да размие границите на традицията, да се противопостави и накрая да победи.
Може би бихме предположили, че като образ Куей-Лан трябва да е потисната, измъчена и да се чувства онеправдана от обстоятелствата, но тук писателката Пърл Бък показва друго. Главната героиня, също като майка си, също като всички други жени около нея, приема ролята си на съпруга и за нея е повече от немислимо, когато мъжът ѝ казва, че могат да са равни:
"Аз равна на него? Защо? Не бях ли негова жена? Ако той не ми каже какво да върша, тогава кой?"
Пърл Бък много добре описва колко сериозна роля има възпитанието върху човека. Ако в нашето съвремие сме свикнали да виждаме силни женски образи, то тук случаят не е тук, това обаче не значи, че нямаме умело изграден и многопластов характер, тъй като под слоевете на потисканата психика започва да изплува много повече.
Може би в действителност няма мъжки или женски качества, само такива, обособили се през историята. Стотици години на нравствени догми, които разделят мъжкото и женското. Има ли тогава естествен ред или и той е една проста заблуда? Патриархата е останал като ехо на отминали епохи, но от къде първо се е появил и защо? Толкова много интересни въпроси, все будещи любопитство.
Но ако първата част на книгата се занимава с положението на жената в обществото, то втората говори за алиенацията и сблъсъка между различните култури. Кей-Лан е омъжена за лекар със западно образование, който не веднъж се противопоставя на традициите и я повежда по пътя на духовното ѝ израстване.
„Ох! Какви смешни неща ми разказва за отвъдните страни и за техните жители! Той се засмя, когато възкликнах:
‒Колко е смешно! Колко е странно!
‒Не по-странно, отколкото ние им изглеждаме – каза той, като при това кой знае защо му беше много весело.
‒Какво? – извиках аз още по-смаяна. – Нима те ни намират за смешни?“
В основата на всичко обаче стои любовта. Любовта на Куей-Лан към мъжа ѝ, която ѝ позволява да се откъсне от закостенелите устои. Любовта на брат ѝ към чужденката, която ще преобърне живота на цялото им семейство. Но най-вече любовта към детето, към собственото дете.
At first glance Pearl Buck’s book “East Wind: West Wind” is about the women’s place and role in Chinese society. But after a while the reader starts to think that there is something more. Although the story is told from the perspective of Kwei-lan (Chinese woman) the book deepens in themes such as extreme traditionalism, the duty to one's parents and the intercultural conflict. But most of all “East Wind: West Wind” is about the transforming power of love. How love can alter the boundaries of tradition, to oppose the oppression and finally – to win.
In the beginning we may guess that Kwei-lan is Quay-Lan must be oppressed, tortured, and unjustified by circumstances, but here writer Pearl Buck shows otherwise. The main character, like her mother, like all the other women around her, accepts her role as a wife. It is more than unthinkable for her when her husband tells her that they can be equal.
Pearl Buck describes very well the role of upbringing and the effect it has later in life. If in contemporary fiction we are used to seeing strong female characters, here that is not the case. But this does not mean that we do not have skillfully constructed and multi-layered character.
Perhaps there are in fact no male or female qualities, only those that have emerged throughout history. Hundreds of years of moral dogmas that separate the masculine and the feminine. Is there a natural order then or is it a simple delusion? The patriarchy has remained as an echo of past ages, but when did it first emerge and why?
But if the first part of the book deals with the position of women in society, the second talks about alienation and the clash between different cultures. But at the heart of everything, however, is love. Kay-Lan's love for her husband, which allows her to break free. Her brother's love for the foreigner, which will turn the lives of their whole family upside down. But most of all the love for the child, for one's own child.
***
Книгата на Пърл Бък разказва за Китай и положението на жената в него. Или поне това е на пръв поглед. Защото макар разказана от гледната точка на китайката Куей-Лан, книгата всъщност разглежда теми като крайният традиционализъм, дългът към родителите и междукултурният сблъсък. Но най-вече „Източен вятър, западен вятър“ е книга за трансформиращата сила на любовта. Как тя и само тя успява да размие границите на традицията, да се противопостави и накрая да победи.
Може би бихме предположили, че като образ Куей-Лан трябва да е потисната, измъчена и да се чувства онеправдана от обстоятелствата, но тук писателката Пърл Бък показва друго. Главната героиня, също като майка си, също като всички други жени около нея, приема ролята си на съпруга и за нея е повече от немислимо, когато мъжът ѝ казва, че могат да са равни:
"Аз равна на него? Защо? Не бях ли негова жена? Ако той не ми каже какво да върша, тогава кой?"
Пърл Бък много добре описва колко сериозна роля има възпитанието върху човека. Ако в нашето съвремие сме свикнали да виждаме силни женски образи, то тук случаят не е тук, това обаче не значи, че нямаме умело изграден и многопластов характер, тъй като под слоевете на потисканата психика започва да изплува много повече.
Може би в действителност няма мъжки или женски качества, само такива, обособили се през историята. Стотици години на нравствени догми, които разделят мъжкото и женското. Има ли тогава естествен ред или и той е една проста заблуда? Патриархата е останал като ехо на отминали епохи, но от къде първо се е появил и защо? Толкова много интересни въпроси, все будещи любопитство.
Но ако първата част на книгата се занимава с положението на жената в обществото, то втората говори за алиенацията и сблъсъка между различните култури. Кей-Лан е омъжена за лекар със западно образование, който не веднъж се противопоставя на традициите и я повежда по пътя на духовното ѝ израстване.
„Ох! Какви смешни неща ми разказва за отвъдните страни и за техните жители! Той се засмя, когато възкликнах:
‒Колко е смешно! Колко е странно!
‒Не по-странно, отколкото ние им изглеждаме – каза той, като при това кой знае защо му беше много весело.
‒Какво? – извиках аз още по-смаяна. – Нима те ни намират за смешни?“
В основата на всичко обаче стои любовта. Любовта на Куей-Лан към мъжа ѝ, която ѝ позволява да се откъсне от закостенелите устои. Любовта на брат ѝ към чужденката, която ще преобърне живота на цялото им семейство. Но най-вече любовта към детето, към собственото дете.
neverunderstoodabookinmylife's review against another edition
4.0
Εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρον ανάγνωσμα . Δεν το περίμενα να με συναρπάσει τόσο. Αρχικά παρουσιάζει ιστορικό ενδιαφέρον αντικατοπτρίζοντας με υπέρμετρο ρεαλισμό την έσχατη θέση της γυναίκας στη φεουδαρχική Κίνα και την απαρχή της γυναικείας χειραφέτησης με τη σταδιακή δυτικοποιηση της . Πολλες αντιλήψεις και πρακτικές συγκλονίζουν (όπως το δέσιμο των ποδιών των γυναικών ,τα λεγόμενα πόδια του λωτού) ενώ η γυναικεία υποτακτικοτητα ειναι διάχυτη σχεδόν σε κάθε σελίδα του βιβλίου. Έπειτα ,από λογοτεχνική άποψη είναι γλαφυρό και σε ταξιδεύει στις παραδοσιακές πλουσιοπάροχες κατοικίες των αρχοντικών οικογενειών και ο,τι αυτή η αφάνταστη πολυτέλεια συνεπάγεται. Θα το πρότεινα ανεπιφύλακτα σε κάθε ηλικία καθώς δεν αποτυγχάνει να συγκινήσει εξίσου κάθε αναγνώστη.
ele_b's review against another edition
5.0
“[…] I wish to regard you in all things my equal. I shall never force you to anything. You are not my possession – my chattel. You may be my friend, if you will.”