The Cricket

The Cricket

P.U.  Sung -ling, China (1640-1715)

The fortunate person will have always the successful achievement at the end. Nobody can snatch their luck from themselves. For instance make-good was once in the ocean of poverty, when he wasn’t able to collect adequate taxes from the villagers to meet the amount set by the officials of the state. Even though be continued his effort to accomplish his responsibility. As a result at the end of the story, he was richly awarded by the governor.

 b. Write the summary of the story “The Cricket”.

The story “The Cricket” deals about Cricket Fighting in China began in Tang Dynasty (618-907) and become much popular during the Ming reign (rule). Cricket used to be taken as fighting specimen and could be sold in high price. As the narrator point out ordinary people used to collect crickets and give to the magistrate and the magistrate made Floral shade as a supplier of crickets. Many neighborhoods’ heads were given the duties of providing crickets by the officials. The officials gave much tensions and looted locals in the name of search.

Among other Make-good was a neighborhood head who had to fulfill the number of quota crickets otherwise he had pay from his property. Make-good couldn’t complete the quota and lost his property. He couldn’t find good crickets so he was beaten badly as punishment. Being much wounded make-good was just waiting for death. But his wife had still suggested him to go on searching the crickets. 

Once a hunched- back fortune teller came in that village who gave a picture to male-good’s wife that told about where good crickets could be found. Made-good make a journey towards Buddhist temple as suggested by the picture. Lastly, he found a nice (quality) cricket. He kept the cricket on the box in his house and went out. Make-good’s nine-year son unfortunately released (opened) the cricket from the box. As he started to catch it back, the cricket was killed. Make-good and his wife scolded the boy much because that cricket was only hope for their living. The sad boy was found unconscious near the well. The unfortunate couple of Make-good brought the child to bury. But the boy was breathing slightly. They kept the boy sleeping at home. The main attention of make-good was the cricket more than his sick son. While searching the crickets he found a small size cricket. Being less hopeful, he fought it. When Make-good brought that low size cricket in fighting it won all fights at local level. The cricket was sent to the magistrate to the governor to the emperor. The cricket fought very actively and won all the battles. The champion cricket was awarded giving good degree and lot of property to make-good. make-good Was given 100 hector farmland, a two storey building and many more sheep and oxen. He got the standard of any noble person of that time. Actually, the cricket was the spirit of his sick-child which converted into cricket to help his helpless parents.

c. Write the four levels of meaning to the text “The Cricket”.

Literal Comprehension: Cricket fighting was a popular culture in ancient china. The village Floral shade was made a main supplier of crickets. Make-good of the local area was made a neighborhood head by officials. Make-good had to fulfill the quota of cricket but he couldn’t fulfill rather ready to die. The officials made make-good get wounded. Make-good’s wife advised him to go in search of cricket taking a picture given her b a fortune-teller. Lastly, make-good found a cricket and brought it home keeping in a box. Unfortunately, the cricket was released by his nine-year son and killed in catching it back. When the boy was scolded much by his parents he left home. Later, the boy was found dead near a well. As the parents wanted to bury it, the child breathed slightly. They kept the boy at the home sleep and busied themselves in looking for cricket. With much difficulty make-good found a small sized cricket and brought to different local competitions. The cricket became a champion among all. Later it was sent to the magistrate to the governor to the emperor. When the governor was awarded and magistrate was praised make-good was also awarded with high education degree and lot of respect and property. Later, his son woke up from his unconscious situation because he had shifted his spirit to help his helpless parents into a cricket.

Interpretation: This story has clearly given a past history of china during Ming Reign. In the absolute rule of Ming reign common rural people were controlled and dominated in the name of culture. There was no freedom to people in bed Reign system. Make-good like innocent and honest people were punished for no reason. At that time, the value of human being was less than an insect (The cricket). It also focuses on the ideas that cultural exercises have both constructive as well as destructive results. It might also be trying to say that one should keep on doing hard work to meet our goal. Sooner or later happiness comes in everyone’s life. It has also clearly pictured the authoritarian ruling system and its bad impacts on common people. At the time of problem the children can be supportive as make-good son’s spirit turns into cricket to save his father can be another interpretation of this story.

Critical thinking: The ups and downs of make-good is really heart touching idea in this story. “The Cricket”. When there is authoritarian ruling system many poor and lower class people are victimized. We shouldn’t be pessimistic when we get problem is moral of the story which is acceptable. Still, there are some disagreeable points. Is it good to commit suicide or want to die when we are in problem? Do present world’s people believe on tantras and mantras?  How can a boy’s spirit turn into a cricket? Can a tiny cricket be a champion among bigger ones? Can anyone forget serious child giving more focus on work? But the bad impact of bad rulers and cultural exercise pictured is agreeable to all.

Assimilation: After reading the text “The Cricket” I got the idea that our life is not only a blooming rose rather it is mixed of happiness and sorrow. Sometimes we can be unsuccessful in achieving goal but sooner or later we will meet our aims. One shouldn’t shed tear in tension and jump p with happiness in successes. We must be evergreen in life. Our duty is to do our work and success is sure to follow us like to make-good in this story” The cricket”.

d. Would the writer of “the cricket” agree that it is better to live in a free country than in an authoritarian one?

Every human being wants to live freely without anyone’s control over him/her. By inner wish everyone likes to live without somebody’s bad rule. A free country had democratic environment where humanity, personal freedom and right are given. Such types of country is accepted and liked by all. But, in the authoritarian ruling system rulers dominate common people. Powerful, rich and high-class people can be safe but other ordinary people are oppressed by them a lot. Make-good like common but honest and dutiful people are always dominated. There is rule of single person or few persons in authoritarian ruling system. There is no free election and selection of rulers rather everything is done by power.

In this story “The Cricket” officials gave tensions to make-good like persons with their personal wish. He was beaten badly when he was not able to provide good crickets. The duty of poor and humble people becomes to satisfy the desire of rulers and work for them. There is no chance of personal happiness. So, it is far better to live in the democratic and free country than the country with authoritarian rulers. Such dictatorship is not acceptable to anyone in the present world.

e. Why do people enjoy watching animals or people fight to the death?

There are different cultures and cultural exercises in different countries or societies. Some are good but some can be bad to exercise. On the background to this story "The cricket" the people’s interest in watching cricket fight is unique cultural exercise. On the one hand, by nature human beings are greedy and selfish who like to torture other and enjoy. The writer wants to say that the cricket fight in the Chinese background is an exercise made for the controlling way to common people by the rulers. If people see others’ ruin or death then they become happy and satisfied. As we see in the story, make-good got punishment by the ruler not fulfilling the quota of cricket. But again after getting the champion species of cricket he was awarded by the same ruler.

In short, we can say that the main reason behind people’s interest in watching animals or people fights and enjoy is their inner bad selfish desire. Again, this can be the use and control of power to powerless people. They never think that they will also die one day like the wounded or dead persons or animals in fights.