Customer Reviews

Family

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pa Chin's "Family" is an excellent, absorbing account of one family in early 20th century China; through the conflicts between the generations, we see the larger conflicts about to engulf the entire country. The family is the Kao clan, five generations living in one complex headed by the Venerable Master Kao, the ultimate autocrat, monarch of all he surveys within his walls, unwilling and unable to admit that his country and his family are changing before his eyes. The story centers around three brothers in the younger generation; Chueh-Hsin, married against his will to a woman chosen for him by his family, stuck in a job he hates, also chosen by his family, trying to navigate through life with his "compliant bow" philosophy which dictates that he must not oppose his elders under any circumstances; Chueh-Min, the second brother, determined to marry the girl he loves despite his family's opposition, and the youngest brother, Chueh-Hui, who sees his family as a ball and chain, loathes everything they represent, and is chafing to break free and live his own life. Pa Chin clearly identifies with Chueh-Hui; he rails against the stifling conformity of Chinese family life, which determines that everyone subordinate their will to the family elders; but in this reviewer's opinion, he doesn't give enough credit to the strengths in the same family life that held Chinese society together for thousands of years. However, this is a minor caveat. "Family" is a totally absorbing account of a family in crisis; on the one hand we sympathize with the bind Chueh-Hsin is caught up in as the oldest son, able to please neither his elders who demand his total compliance with the family traditions nor his younger brothers who need his assistance in their efforts to break free of the confines of those traditions, and on the other hand we empathize with the youngsters' efforts to live their own lives and realize their own destinies. "Family is the classic struggle of the individual vs. the collective good, and the outcome, as seen in the unfolding story of China, is still in doubt.

I read this book for a college class on East Asian History. I don't often enjoy required books, but this was an exception. "Family" filled me with many emotions; while reading it I cried (or would have if I hadn't been in a public library), I was overjoyed, hopeful, despondent. Pa Chin is especially good at showing how his characters influence and are influenced by society. He makes you really care about his characters and believe what they believe. "Family" is a good choice if you like novels that focus on society; for example, "Middlemarch","Vanity Fair", "The Jungle", "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn". It is indeed a classic.

Pa Chin's Family is a remarkable portrayal of the inter-generational struggles in pre-Communist China. It is one of the best books that I have ever read. All young people will be able to identify, at least in part, with one of the Kao brothers.

A knowledge of the brutal treatment the author received during the Cultural Revolution only serves to deepen the poignance of his work.

I had to read this out of print book for Encglish class my junior year in high school and since then have been searching for a copy. The characters are well drawn and it gives an intimate view of daily life in pre-Communist China. It's a book that draws you into the plot and you become engrossed in the characters' lives. Extremely well written and the translation stayed true to how Chinese people would write.

I had to read this book for a modern Chinese history class in college and found it very enjoyable.

It focuses on a time in time that many of us in the West do not really think much about - when the Chinese were wrestling with entering the modern world, a time when the empire was collapsing and the foundation was laid for the rise of both the Chinese Communists and the Chinese Nationalists.

The story, of the generational conflicts that exist as traditional family roles are stretch by modernization, is also relevent in today's world.

The author, Pa Chin, was an active member of the May 4th Movement - this modernization movement in China around the turn of the century - and I believe this book plays some historical significance to the development of modern China.

Family has an undying, infinite longevity. First published in 1931, its message still has vital importance. It tells people, young or old, male or female, not to suppress themselves due to external influences, including their own family. At the same time, this is not to say one should negatively rebel against their own people, but to strive and accomplish one's own goals. Ideally, one's achievements should benefit others as well. Family is a story of romance, tragedy, endurance, and victory.

This is a wonderful novel read for pleasure, not class. I would recommend it to anyone interested in reading about chinese youth during the cultural revolution, because it is simply a touching story.

I had to get this book for my modern lit class. I must say, however, that the teacher was right when she said we'd find it interesting as a stand-alone book! I'm only through the first 100 pages, but it's a very good read, especially for a book written in the 1930's. It could have easily been written by someone from this decade! I can't wait to read the rest.

I did read this book for a class, but as a major in History I realize that this book is ideal for any person interested in Social History, not just of China, but of any country. I personally am not interested in social history, but I still found the book to be rewarding and educational. It really helped to demonstrate the way young people react to situations as opposed to the older generations reactions. A Definite must have.

an exceptional work of literature and a book of great historical significance. a good means of understanding the emotions and attitudes behind the may 4th movement.