Theme and message

The main theme of the short story “Gon-do-la” by Annemarie Neary is past versus present, accompanied by the motif of nostalgia. The author’s intention is to show that a person who has grown up accustomed to simplicity and tradition will find it difficult to adapt to a modern and sometimes artificial world.

Past vs. present

This theme is entirely illustrated through the character of Zhang, a Chinese woman who struggles to find a balance between her nostalgia for the past days (including the ones under the rule of Mao Zedong) and her current life in a modern world.

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Motif: Nostalgia

Because she tends to dismiss modern things, it becomes quite obvious that Zhang has a special connection to the past. This connection of hers is enhanced by the motif of nostalgia.

First of all, Zhang reveals that she admires the quotes which represented the ideology of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong: “Someone handed the foreman a megaphone as the empty conveyor belts flowed on behind his back. Zhang hoped he had something worthwhile to say. Production is Glory, she thought. Waste no Breath but for Labour.” (ll. 10-12);

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