Ji Li's Identity Transformation in Red Scarf Girl

Ji Li is the protagonist of the memoir "Red Scarf Girl" by Ji-Li Jiang. The book recounts her experiences growing up during the Cultural Revolution in China. As a young girl, Ji Li was a model student who excelled in her studies. However, with the onset of the Cultural Revolution, Ji Li's identity undergoes a significant transformation. This essay will explore how Ji Li's identity changed throughout the memoir from a model citizen to a struggling person facing an identity crisis.

The Beginning of the Transformation

At the beginning of the memoir, Ji Li is a proud and patriotic student of Mao's China. She dreams of becoming a Red Guard, who are citizens who are devoted to Mao and his ideology. She is proud of her family's revolutionary and believes in Mao's vision for China. In her eyes, Mao was a savior who liberated China from the evils of feudalism and capitalism.

However, her identity transformation begins when her father is publicly accused of being a traitor. This event shatters her world, and she struggles to reconcile the image of her father as a loving parent with the accusations against him. Ji Li's once rosy perception of Mao's China begins to crumble. She questions the righteousness of the government and realizes that the propaganda she has been taught to believe is flawed.

The Identity Crisis

As the memoir progresses, Ji Li's transformation intensifies, and she faces an identity crisis. She is torn between her loyalty to her family and her devotion to Mao's vision. Ji Li's dilemma is exacerbated when she is selected to audition for the propaganda film, The Red Detachment of Women. The character she is supposed to portray is a Red Guard fighting against counter-revolutionary forces.

Ji Li struggles to fulfill the role, knowing full well that she does not believe in the ideology anymore. Her internal conflict between her family and national loyalty is illustrated in this passage: "I felt like a rag doll being pulled in opposite directions by two children. One end was my family, the other, the Communist Party."

The Resolution

Ji Li's identity crisis deepens when she is forced to denounce her father publicly. She undergoes significant changes, both physically and emotionally. She loses weight and becomes unrecognizable to her friends. She also becomes emotionally unstable and often finds herself struggling with insomnia and panic attacks.

However, with the support of her family, Ji Li begins to regain her strength. She finds the courage to stand up for herself and her beliefs. Her father becomes her role model, and she is proud of him for standing up for what he believes in, even at the cost of his safety.

Ji Li's transformation is complete towards the end of the memoir when she vows to never allow the same thing to happen to her children in the future. She accepts her identity as someone who rebels against social injustice and fights for democracy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ji Li's transformation from a model citizen to a struggling person facing an identity crisis was remarkable. She goes from being proud of her family's revolutionary heritage to questioning the righteousness of the government and Mao's ideology. Her internal conflict leads her into a profound identity crisis, where she struggles to reconcile her loyalty to her family and her devotion to the government's ideals. However, with the support of her family, Ji Li finds the courage to stand up for herself and her beliefs. She discovers her identity as a person fighting for democracy and social justice. Her transformation is an excellent lesson to readers about the importance of standing up for what they believe in, even if it means going against their society's norms.