Chapter 5: One Centimetre

Answer. The beginning sentence in the story shows the unpredictable nature of rules and how Tao Ying’s understanding of society is based on her values, which didn’t always correspond with the rules and regulations of the outside world. Tao Ying had her own set of rules which she made for herself. Thus, both the theme and the first sentence reflect the exact meaning of the arbitrariness of regulations.

Answer. Tao Ying’s character, as portrayed by the author, is realistic. She evaluates the whole situation in advance and behaves well, keeping her values in mind to make sure her values are preserved, which acts as an example for her son.

Answer. The ambivalent attitude towards ethics is commonly seen in the story when Tao Ying is paying for the bus ticket for her son, which she usually wouldn’t do. The old lady’s scales, which show inaccurate readings to glorify people, are a few instances from the story that illustrate the ambivalent attitude to ethics commonly seen in human life.

Answer. As the author depicts every emotion of all the characters in the story, the readers can experience the feelings and connect to the story very closely. The narrator maintains the unity of thoughts that makes narration more interesting and connective to the readers. Thus, by using the narrative technique, the author builds up a mental picture uniting readers and the characters.