Title of the Story and a.

A Country Boy Who Left School

Author b. Lao Hsiang
Characters (classify) a. Boy (Protagonist, Dynamic)
b. Baldy (Static)
c. Hsiao Lin (Static)
d. Mother (Dynamic)
e. Father (Dynamic)
f. Grandmother (Dynamic)
g. Grandfather (Dynamic)
h. Teacher (Static)
Setting (time and a. Time - The story may be set way back 20 th century where China imposes
place) 9-year compulsory education
b. Place - The story may be set on a country town in China. Moreover, the
story is portrayed at either home or school
Plot a. Exposition The story starts by describing a boy in the country is at least
a. Exposition half as useful but an ordinance that requires a boy at least 6 years of age
b. Rising Action to be sent to school.
c. Climax b. Rising Action - The boy acquired books which displays family members
d. Falling Action and unusual stories in which the family is pondering who are those. The
e. Denouement father told the boy to study hard. The boy sincerely took this instruction to
heart and set out for school. The boy was eager, he came early to the
school. The porter said that the boy was too early and the teacher is
asleep yet. The boy came home and he was seen by his grandfather and
thought that he is truant. The mother gave him slaps. The father wonders
about the strange ways of foreign schools. The boy kept reading the book,
mentioning This is Mama or This is Papa.
c. Climax The mother was excited to know the Mama or Papa in the
picture, seeing only a lady with leather shoes, bobbed hair and long dress.
Grandmother, grandfather, father, and the mother talks about the pictures
on the book which reinforces the imagination of the boy.
d. Falling Action The other day, the boy asked the teacher if the ox that can
tend the fire is a foreign ox. The teacher cleared up the things. The boy
encounters the things such as bread, milk, park, ball and others and he is
puzzled. The boy wanted to bring oranges to hold the tea party and ask his
family about it.
e. Denouement The truth came out when they heard Baldys crying and
Hsiao Lins unclevoice. The boys father aimed a kick at him but the table
prevents it. The father decided to take the boy out of school even though
he would go to jail to end the distress of the family. After discussing things,
they still let the boy try school for a few more days and the boy tried his
best to study harder to recover the lost respect in the family.
Conflict a. Man vs. Man The family is against the will of the boy to go school but
they cant oppose the ordinance or else a family member would go to jail.
b. Man vs. Self The family members, even the boy, never understands
what is on the book and the school system.
Point-of-view a. Non-participant Narrator/Third Person
- The narrator is not part of the story.
Symbols and their a. scholar of a boy educated man
meanings b. Heaven and Earth destiny
c. Intended for the hoe planting jobs
d. vampire-like mama a light-colored woman, American or British
Theme a. The lack of education has proved that it could affect our lives. Also,
financial difficulties hinders the access to education especially in the rural
areas.