Point of View

The novel’s use of first-person narration from Xishi’s point of view plays a central role in shaping the reader’s experience and understanding of the story. Because the reader sees the world of the novel entirely through Xishi’s eyes, their emotional responses are guided by her perceptions, assumptions, and inner conflicts. This creates a certain degree of intimacy between reader and narrator, but also imposes certain limitations, particularly around what can be known about other characters' motivations. These limitations are particularly apparent than in Xishi’s relationship with Fanli. Because Fanli is emotionally restrained and keeps his feelings hidden, his love for her must be inferred through indirect signs. The novel’s point of view thus prevents the reader from ever hearing Fanli’s inner thoughts, so they are left, like Xishi, to interpret his actions: the tenderness with which he trains...