Red Scarf Girl Truth Quotes
How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
I was happy because I was always loved and respected. I was proud because I was able to excel and always expected to succeed. I was trusting, too. (P.4)
Ji-li isn't jaded because she's never really been lied to (that she knows of), so she readily accepts whatever people tell her because she automatically assumes it's the truth. This gets her into trouble when it comes to the four olds because she too easily buys everything the Red Guards preach.
Quote #2
Until now I had never doubted that I could achieve anything I wanted. The future had been full of infinite possibilities. Now I was no longer sure that was still true. (1.79)
Nothing makes sense to Ji-li after she has to ditch the Liberation dance troupe try-outs. She's devastated and worries that her whole future is down the toilet, plus she questions whether her family has been lying to her all these years. For the first time, she's not sure if she can trust them any more.
Quote #3
How could they say these things? How could they say them? A relationship between Teacher Ke and me? It's all lies." My voice was hoarse. "It… it… it's so unfair. (3.53)
Just because Ji-li wouldn't lie in a da-zi-bao doesn't mean other people won't. She's shocked when one is written about her and a teacher, not only because it's not true, but also because she expects people to tell the truth. Is that too much to ask? She hates that the Revolution brings out the liar in people.
Quote #4
"This is the true family background," Dad said. "I am not a rightist, and anyone who says I am can go to my work unit and confirm it. As for your Grandpa, he was a businessman and a landlord." (4.37)
As Ji-li's dad explains their family history to her, he emphasizes the fact that this is the truth. Um, okay. That's easy to say when you've been covering up the truth all these years. It's no wonder Ji-li isn't really sure what to believe—she wants to buy it, but at the same time she doesn't want to be gullible.
Quote #5
The Red Guards at her school held struggle meetings to criticize her almost every day. During those struggle meetings they beat her and whipped her with their belts. (9.3)
An Yi's mom (who was a model teacher) gets in big trouble with the government. People say horrible things about her, and while Ji-li knows this isn't the truth, she still feels conflicted. If people are lying about the teachers being bad, what else are they lying about? Ji-li isn't sure whom she can trust anymore.
Quote #6
"Maybe it's really true." It seemed clear to me all of a sudden. "It's just because of fate that we're being hurt. It's just fate that made us be born into black families. And now the wheel of fate is turning. Maybe our families will be free of trouble soon." (9.28)
Even the way Ji-li comes to this realization seems skeptical. She needs answers; she's sick and tired of trying to come up with an explanation for all the bad stuff that's happening in her life. As she clings to the idea of fate, she's not sure if it's just another lie or not.
Quote #7
"So what if I never listened to foreign radio broadcasts? They'll stop beating me if I confess to it, won't they? 'Leniency to those who confess, and severity to those who resist.' Look at my face, Lao Jiang. I can't stand it anymore." (11.21)
Uncle Fan considers just making up some stuff that he did wrong. Even though Ji-li's dad dismisses the idea, Uncle Fan is definitely serious, which shows just how bad things have gotten: He's actually considering fessing up to stuff he didn't do so the pressure is off.
Quote #8
What a terrible man, I thought, worse than a traitor. At least a traitor betrays people by telling the truth. Uncle Zhu tried to save himself by telling lies. (13.3).
Uncle Zhu is bad news in Ji-li's book. He lied. Notice how she calls him much worse than a traitor because he didn't tell the truth? This shows how valuable the truth has become to Ji-li, especially during the Cultural Revolution. There's so much change happening around her and she clings to the notion of truth.
Quote #9
"I am sure you can remember something if you think about it," Thin-Face said. "A man like him could not hide his true beliefs from a child as smart as you. He must have made comments critical of Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution. (14.36)
Ji-li is asked to lie about her dad. It doesn't matter whether she saw him do something bad or not—so long as she testifies that she saw something, it'll be good enough. It seems this sort of thing is happening often since no one is shocked or outraged by it. Well, no one except Ji-li, that is. She still yearns for the truth, even when no one else around her seems to care about it.
Quote #10
In 1980 my father was finally cleared. Not only was the charge that he was an "escaped landlord" dropped, but an old decision made during the Antirightist Movement was reversed as well. Only then did I learn the whole story. (E.10)
When the truth about her dad finally comes out, Ji-li is relieved. She also seems resigned to the fact that the truth doesn't matter all that much—even though her dad did nothing wrong, he was still sent to prison. It makes her question the value of truth.