Summary : The cricket’ is a Chinese story; it presents a detail picture of an authoritarian government. In china, during Mings reign, cricket fighting was very popular among the high officials. The magistrate wanted to win the favor of his seniors by collecting fighting specimen, and he was successful to find the one. So, floral shade was appointed as a royal supplier of the cricket to the court.As a nature of shifting down the responsibility to the juniors, the magistrate shifted the responsibility to the neighborhood head named Make- good who was an honest man. If he became unable to collect sufficient tax, he would supply from his own pocket. So he was bankrupt within a year.
The same happened in the matter of collecting cricket. When Make-good failed to feel quota set by his higher officers, he wished to die. But his wife encouraged him finding cricket himself. The man could not find anything for the whole ten days. So, he was beaten to death. Then, a fortune teller came to the village, so the wife went to visit the fortune teller. The teller issued a sheet of paper out of the curtained room. But instead of written words, the wife got picture only. As guided by the picture Make-good was able to find a very attractive cricket. He kept it properly, and went to work. At the same time, his nine years old son happened to release the cricket. In an attempt of recapturing the cricket, the cricket was injured and it died later. The boy was so terrified that he attempted suicide by jumping into a well. When they were going to bury the boy, there was a faint breathing. So, he was brought home. But the boy was lifeless.
Worried, Make-good went to find cricket. He found one ordinary specimen and brought home. He wanted to test the ability of the cricket, so he set a fight with local warrior cricket named Crabshell Green. To his surprise, his cricket won the fight. So, the cricket was presented to the magistrate. The magistrate again presented it to the governor, and the governor to the king. The cricket won all the fights. So Make-good received a lot of prizes from the governor. He became the rich person.
After a year, Make-good’s son regained consciousness. While he received his spirit, he said that he become a cricket while he was sleeping. He become an expert warrior and learned fighting during the period.
Interpretation : The writer points out the superstitious , belief on fate and coincidence . Based on the real event that was widely practiced and favoured during the Ming reign, the writer connects, fate of Make-good, a common man , who suffers and finally succeeds with great achievement from the cricket fighting. The dead child appears to be cricket that wins all battles and helps his parents with the favours of the authorities and with enormous wealth . That is superstitious and merely a faith on fate.
Critical thinking : I think that this story is a horrible story with death and reappearance of the person to support the living ones. Superstition is just a blind belief, which is supposed not to happen in real life. More interesting aspect of the story is its presentation an imaginary event based on a real event. Though the cricket fighting is still enjoyed in China , it is legally banned.
Assimilation: I have read a similar type of horrible story in which parents wish for some money. A guest came in the evening and gave them a monkey's paw with enchantation . They would have three wishes fulfilled from that enchanted paw. First wish they made for money . The following day a lawyer came and gave them some money as compensation for the death of their only son by the machine in the factory. They had second wish for survival of their son. Their son really came at midnight, but thinking that he might have been a ghost, they were frightened and so wished for the death of their son. Thus, all their three wishes were wasted.
Would the writer of "The cricket" agree that it is better to live in a free country than in an authoritarian one?
Ans: In this story , the writer seems to agree that it is better to live in a free country than in an authoritarian one. This story is based on chinese context . It deals with cricket fighting in china which began during tang Dynasty and it is still a popular pastime today . Through this story , the writer tries to show that there is no freedom but authoritarian rule in china. The ordinary people are suppressed by the authority or power.
This story portrays not only the culture of china but also the authoritarian rule of China . Make-good was beaten mercilessly when he couldnt fulfill the command of the magistrate.
Under the totalitarian communism of china , the ordinary people cant enjoy freedom , rights , equality and justice. The magistrate , governor , emperor and other high class officals dominate, suppress torture and exploit the general people.
When Make-good was unable to fulfill the quota set by the magistrate, he had to face the punishment of one hundred strokes .This event shows the fate of the ordinary people in china. Thus , the writer seems to attack the tyranny , cruelty , dictatorship etc of the rulers.
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