The Ominous Red Beaked Raven

2) Why do you think the author chose to end the novel this way? (Please don't say " to make it more interesting and keep us guessing.")

"He was in a hurry and I almost felt jealous of his assignation with the doom-laden red beaked raven"(page 118). Throughout the book the image of a red beaked raven appears time after time. In Song Of Solomon the motif of a bird, or wings, is a symbol for the freedom the characters are longing for, whether it be physical or emotional. In The Little Chinese Seamstress, the characters on the mountain are each longing for freedom too.
"But before soaring into the sky they dived down alongside the girl's flying body. She had become a swallow"(page 137). Imagery is used throughout the book to portray the Little Seamstress as a bird. Her hair and arms are described as wings and the narrator describes her as flying. The red beaked raven symbolizes the Little Seamstress.
Just as each character's need for freedom is different, each character grasps something different from the western literature. The narrator enjoys Jean-Christophe because he desires individualism above all. Luo's favorite books are by Balzac because he is most passionate about love and sex. The Little Seamstress does not dwell, however, on the western illusions of love and individualism. "She said she had learnt one thing from Balzac: that a woman's beauty is a treasure beyond price" (Page184).
Once Luo begins "educating" the little Seamstress, she is destined to realise her worth and escape a life where she is used for her love and can be bought by suitors. Had the Little Seamstress not fled from her suppressive life to live out the insight she had gained through the literature and her experiences with the two boys, the "ominous" raven would have meant nothing. The end of the novel would not reflect the literature's power.

Ho!

"And out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all (Shakespeare)." Iago manipulates the good qualities of Desdemona to portray her as a strumpet. The friendship, love and sexual connections the characters have with one another are twisted and abused by Iago to really get under every one's skin. The personal weaknesses and relationships between the characters traps them all into the tragic vision.

None of the misery that unfolds in Othello is accidental or coincidence. All of the "misunderstandings" are caused by Iago with the intention of screwing everyone over. When Iago targets Othello in the beginning of the play it becomes inevitable that the play will end the way it does. Because Desdemona is so naive, Othello will believe that she is flirting. Roderigo's admiration for Desdemona marks him a dead man the moment the play begins. These characters are all driven by love and sex.

Sex is definitely a motif throughout the story. Othello is driven to kill Desdemona because he thought she was having sex with Cassio. Roderigo wants to have sex with Desdemona, Othello already is. Iago promises Roderigo Desdemona and every one's fate is secured.

All of the characters have some relationship, whether direct or not, with Othello. Like Oedipus Rex, Othello does everything right, yet the outcome is still horrible. Oedipus' parents were part of the tragic vision because they were affected by the terrible things that happened to Oedipus. All of the character's surrounding Othello are affected by how they will inevitably handle each situation.

Although Iago is the mastermind behind all hell that broke loose, he didn't plan out what happened. Each character became part of the tragic vision based on how their weakness and relationships to Othello and one another were used. Emilia's weakness in love for her husband pulled her into the tragedy when she tried to please him with the hanker chief. Desdemona's innocent brotherly love for Cassio drove Othello to madness when dark thoughts were planted in his mind. Roderigo's desire for Desdemona drove him to attempted murder of Cassio. In Song Of Solomon the complex nature of love drove people to extremes. Iago used the intense nature of love the characters have for one another to destroy the lives of all in completing the tragic vision.