This reading report on Cao Wenxuan’s novel Bronze and Sunflower received the following comment from Brian’s teacher: “Reading your reading report is a form of enjoyment.”
Brian first summarizes the plot, following the story of a young girl named Sunflower, whose father was sent to the countryside as a result of Mao Zedong’s policies. Through the course of the novel, Sunflower plays and explores in barley fields, reckons with the death of her father, adjusts to a new life, grows closer to Bronze’s family, and finally is picked up by people from the city. Although fate was unkind to her, Sunflower continued to love life with passion, like grass growing amidst strong winds. Brian quotes the saying that wildfires are unable to burn all, and life returns with the spring wind.
Next is a character analysis of Sunflower. Brian describes her as devoted, taking a risk to work in the city to help her sick grandmother; curious, exploring new places, events, and people throughout the book; and strong, moving forward despite the death of family.
Brian noted the following section as a memorable quote: “Bronze held a paper lantern in his hands. The light of the paper lantern shone on the fresh dirt on grandma’s grave site as well as the dried tears on their faces.” Brian believes that the section movingly describes the feelings and surroundings of Bronze and Sunflower, along with the grandmother’s significance to them and their sense of loss.
Brian then rewrote a section of the novel, noting the author’s flow and word choice. Finally, he listed useful words from the novel and their definitions.
