#ReadingTheStone discussion centered around Chapters 91-95, though we began the conversation where we left off the previous Saturday, on Daiyu willing her own demise by refusing to eat. The group discussed how Daiyu is absolutely the main character of the final 40 chapters, and whether this is yet another element that marks the difference of the Gao E sequel from the Cao manuscript, or whether this Daiyu-centric narrative was there all along. We also chatted about Xifeng’s daughter Qiaojie (and Grandmother Jia’s view of how girls should be educated), Baoyu and Daiyu’s “Zen koan” exchange, and the great reversal of fortune for the Jia family in Chapter 95.

A bit of our Zoom chat:

Mel: Chess and Pan You-An feel like an even more melodramatic mode of You Sanjie and Liu Xianglian
Vivian SF: The handkerchief passing between Bao-Dai has more emotional connection, between soulmates
Laurie: It does feel like, in these chapters, Daiyu has changed her view of herself to being Baoyu’s wife.
Elena/ @DowntownLou: I’m wondering how much of the drama in these chapters is dependent on Daiyu and Baoyu being the only two characters in the dark about the marriage arrangements. Baochai knows, it seems odd that these two wouldn’t.
Stephanie Carta: And then Lan writes that wonderful poetry that shows his new maturity
Laurie: I did send my daughter a photo of the embroidery phrase!
Vivian SF: Do not know or do not care to know. Daiyu would be the kind of person that only cares about Baoyu’s heart, not legal status.
Daiyu intentionally wasting away is a silent protest in the situation, she’s helpless and she’s protecting her dignity
Stephanie Carta: Taking Grandmother Jia to visit the dying Imperial Consort is even more shocking in our age of Covid
Mel: Something about girlhood –>womanhood = increase in materiality?

[Originally recorded on 2-4-23]

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1974761/12205944