Politics and Persecution

The dominant theme of the book is the politics and persecution of the time. Yue Daiyun considered herself a good Communist. She was obedient to the Party and tried to do the politically correct thing. She believed in the Revolution and was willing to do whatever she had to for a better China. As such, Yue Daiyun and others were never prepared for what happened. Following the Party's encouraging openness and criticism, she was bitterly denounced by her students and fellow workers and labeled a rightist. She was separated from her family for two years and returned to Beida at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. She and Lao Tang were caught in between the warring factions on the campus. He was denounced and paraded around campus. Their Beida group was sent to establish a cadre school in Liyouhoz where they would work, live and teach...