Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Hundred Flowers, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Redemption
Journeys and Growth
Suffering, Strength, and Resilience
Home and Family
The Promises and Failures of Communism
Summary
Analysis
In her garden, Song harvests yu choy and bak choy, taking less pleasure than usual in the task. She hears a noise, and she looks up, hoping to see Wei coming to visit her. He hasn’t come in the two days since Kai Ying told Song about his confession. Song approached Wei in the courtyard that day, chiding him for his unwillingness to forgive himself, reminding him of Sheng’s strength. But when she walked away, she still saw despair and sadness in her eyes. And she hasn’t seen him since.
Song sees Tao’s, Kai Ying’s and Wei’s pain clearly. But planting and harvest teaches her a comforting lesson: life goes on. Whoever in the family chooses to face and weather the current storm will find themselves stronger and wiser because of it. She tries to offer this wisdom—as well as insight into Sheng’s character—to Wei, but he cannot yet face or forgive himself.
Themes
