Week 5 Analysis: Close reading of "Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger"

For this close reading I chose the middle paragraph on page 513 beginning with "Now we turn to Du Tenth" (513). This excerpt reflects on the doubts that multiple characters in the story had regarding the sincerity of Du Tenth's feelings for Li and the integrity of their relationship. Du Tenth was eager to spend the rest of the night with Li, waiting for him to return from talking with Sun Fu. They were supposed to be celebrating their new life together, but instead he's off talking with a stranger while she waits in the room on the boat by herself. She had set the table to "share a small banquet" with Li and drink wine with him, but he "failed to return all day" (513). I thought this was an interesting occurrence throughout the story. Li is a bit of a flake, even if it isn't necessarily his fault given the difficulty and impracticality of his dilemmas. I couldn't help but wonder if Du Tenth was growing tired of constantly waiting around for him and him never appearing. Earlier in the story with the ten days he had to gather the money to buy her freedom from the madam, he spent the first six days avoiding her out of shame because he hadn't accomplished anything or made any progress at all. Despite this, she genuinely cares for him and has the patience to deal with him. When Li doesn't return in time to share the banquet with Du Tenth, she doesn't just give up and go to bed without him. She "trimmed a lamp and sat up waiting for him" (513). It's such a small gesture that went unnoticed and unappreciated. Li is having doubts about how genuine her love is, and how faithful she is to him. If he were only able to see the effort she put into preparing that night to spend with him, and if he were able to realize the significance in her staying up late just to be with him then he might not have doubts. Of course, if he had just returned to the room in time, there would be no need for her to stay up waiting for him. But, his delay does put her in a situation that tests her love and allows her to demonstrate how long she would wait for him. Du Tenth "rose to greet him" when he arrived. I thought this was an interesting detail when I really thought about it for this close reading. As opposed to just saying "hello" or something from where she sat, she was so eager to see him that she stood up to approach him. It shows a great deal of respect and reflects on her desire to be with him. But again, it's a small detail that's easy for Li to not notice, especially in his current gloomy state. She practically babies him after he refuses to talk and go straight to bed. She helps him undress and I presume she prepared the bed for him to lay in as well when I read "make ready to sleep" (513). Du Tenth ends up losing more sleep because of Li. She couldn't fall asleep because of her feelings. She's obviously worried about what made Li so sad, but I gave it some more thought. She must also be disappointed with how he ignored her attempts to spend time with him. He couldn't put aside his own gloom to bond with her. She must feel sad and possibly even having her own doubts because of how different this situation is from their past experiences. The same man who blew all his money to spend every night with her is now refusing to even speak to her before bed.

Feng Menglong. "Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger." The Norton Anthology World Literature,
edited by Martin Puchner, third Edition, vol. D, W. W. Norton, 2012, pp. 513.