Magpies

I found this story to be very intense, filled with lots of charged emotion ranging all over the place. This story let us glimpse into the early life of An-Mei and the mystery behind her mother. We learn that she left with her mother after Popo dies to live in Tiensten and as soon as An-Mei leaves, she becomes dead to her family. This relates a lot to Scar, involving the drama surrounding her mother, personal sacrifice, and the suppression of emotion. An-Mei’s mother was not happy being a concubine for that old man, but she had no other choice. It turns out that her baby she had with Wu Tsing was taken from her at birth and disguised as one of his other wives children. I cannot imagine the heartbreak she felt at this and it is obvious that it hurt her deeply. I also feel that her mother was ashamed in a way for bringing her daughter there to witness the degrading life she lives. Both Scar and Magpies bring about the aspect of hiding one’s sadness because it only feeds upon other’s happiness.