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Act 2, Scene 2
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Chimerica, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Representation vs. Exploitation
Corruption and Censorship
East and West
Collective vs. Individual Identity
Summary
Analysis
In his apartment in Beijing, Zhang Lin starts recording on his laptop again. The stage transforms into 1989, and Liuli asks young Zhang Lin to tell her the story of how they met. Zhang Lin weaves a story: he was walking down the street one day when he saw Liuli in the window of an appliance store, advertising a refrigerator. He was so struck by Liuli’s beauty that he had to buy the refrigerator for himself. At home, young Zhang Lin plugged in the refrigerator and went to sleep. When he woke up and opened it, Liuli sprung out, frosty and shivering. Zhang Lin held her hand and had sex with her on the floor of his apartment.
This story underscores the depth of the affection between Zhang Lin and Liuli—and thus, the sorrow he must’ve experienced when she died. This episode also clarifies why Liuli seems to specifically haunt Zhang Lin’s refrigerator: it’s something he associates with their happiest days together. Ghost-Liuli’s emergence from the refrigerator whenever Zhang Lin opens it also directly echoes the story he weaves for her entertainment.
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Back in 2012, Zhang Wei knocks on the door, and Zhang Lin stops recording. Wearing a mask, Zhang Wei enters and gives Zhang Lin a box of castoff dishes from his job at the factory. Zhang Lin tells him he shouldn’t go outside in the smog, and Zhang Wei replies tartly that Zhang Lin can just say “thank you” next time. Zhang Lin calls after Zhang Wei to get him a beer from the refrigerator before he leaves, but the door closes behind him. Zhang Lin opens the refrigerator himself. From inside, Liuli hands him a beer. Zhang Lin takes it and unplugs the refrigerator.
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