Lín Hǎiyīn 林海音 “Candle” 《烛》[Zhú] (1962)
1. How does Grandma feel about her husband having made Autumn Girl his “unofficial” concubine? Was she
surprised? How does she handle the situation?
2. Explain the title of the story, which is “Candle.” What might the candle represent/stand for (i.e. a metaphor) in
the story ? What can we say of candles, how do they “behave”?
Qí Jūn (Ch’I Chün) 琦君 “The Chignon” 《髻》[ Jì ] (1969)
1. Why do you think the mother, after Aunty joins the household, insisted on wearing her hair in such an oldfashioned style?
2. What do mother’s and Auntie’s hair symbolize? How do hairstyles reflect the physical, emotional, and mental
states of their respective women?