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
When Kai Ying goes downstairs, she finds Suyin rummaging in the kitchen cupboards. She tells Suyin that she only needs to ask for what she needs. Suyin promises not to steal any more food. Kai Ying returns to her bed, where she tosses and turns, worrying now about Suyin in addition to Wei and Sheng. She likes the girl but knows that she won’t be able to let her stay if she can’t trust her. She hopes that giving her a second chance was the right choice.
Suyin steals food because she fears losing the villa’s protection. Ironically, her actions to protect herself make that outcome more likely. Similarly, Wei’s fear of his family’s anger led him to keep his role in Sheng’s arrest silent, making the betrayal worse when Kai Ying and Tao found out. Neither Wei nor Suyin sees family as a source of forgiveness and redemption yet. But Kai Ying’s kind heart makes her generous with her second chances and offers hope that the family will find some resolution.
Themes
