Notes

Jimmy LouieÂ’s sudden emergence in WeiliÂ’s life could very well be compared to God descending on earth to save mankind. Just when life seemed to be bleak and dry to Weili, Jimmy comes as a ray of hope.

The backdrop to Jimmy Louie’s entry in Weili’s life is just perfect. After years of fear and times of ‘taonan’ the reader is refreshed with the sight of celebration of the Christmas time. There is gaiety and joy everywhere in the party hosted for the American success in saving China from one of the Japanese air raids.

As a translator, Jimmy Louie is the link between the Chinese and the Americans. Jimmy is skilled in the art of giving new names to the people. The Chinese girls are thrilled with Americanized names like Peggy, Susie, and Maggie, which are easier to spell as compared to their real Chinese names. He volunteers to name Weili as ‘Winnie’ and Hulan as ‘Helen.’ Wen Fu also asks for a new name and Jimmy names him ‘Victor’ and Jiaguo as ‘Jack.’ But Wen Fu insists on a better name and this time, Jimmy names him as ‘Judas.’ Wen Fu instantly likes the names unaware of the biblical denotations of ‘Judas.’ Jimmy has purposely given Wen Fu this name and Weili is aware of it.

Jimmy falls in love with Weili the first time he sees her. For Weili, Jimmy appeals to the deepest core of her heart. Never in her life did Weili expect that she would meet a good-humored man like Jimmy after her traumas with Wen Fu. Little did she realize then that Jimmy would be her future husband. It seems that there is some connection between her falling down and meeting the man she likes. Later, in her life she once again faints on seeing Dr. Lin who had proposed her much early in her life. In this case with Jimmy, Weili has problems with her heel, which had come off from her shoe. Her problematic heel could be compared to her arrogant husband, Wen Fu. Just at the ripe time, when her married life is further deteriorating, Jimmy Louie enters her life as a silver lining. For the brief moments of happiness with Jimmy, Weili has to pay a heavy price - torture in the hands of Wen Fu.

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