Ripples of Happiness
(Old Miller's stomach)
“Every now and then it disappeared into a roll of skin, but just as it seemed lost forever in the tidal flow it re-emerged, dignified and pristine. A magical waistband” (73).
“We tried to control ourselves, of course, but the giggles inside us mounted and mounted until we exploded. The old miller smiled, too, and went on singing while the skin eddied across his stomach” (74).
The ripples in the old man’s stomach represents his carelessness and optimism. He has so little but he is very content with his life. This conveys coming of age through helping the narrator see life from both perspectives. He becomes more educated by witnessing things through other peoples’ eyes and seeing the world from a poorer perspective.
Your thesis statement is very interesting taking a different turn than all the other groups. It turns away from the idea that coming of age means maturing instead it shows that coming of age is finding meaning in ones self over the years.
ReplyDeleteThe stomach shows how the how poor and emaciated the old miller is. Despite this, he's still so cheerful and content with life. I believe that the stomach shows that despite the situation that a person is in, it is always possible to keep a positive attitude.
ReplyDeleteThe ripples on the Old Millers stomach symbolizes how one does not have to be educated or have everything in life to be happy. I think that even though he lives the simplest of lives, he is still happy, and that it what people should do, be happy with the situation they are in.
ReplyDeletei love the way you use the old mans stomach as a way to show the optimism of the Chinese people.
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