Ties That Bind, Ties That Break (theme1)

This story has a very important theme: You should never let go of your dreams. Ailin was jeered at, teased, and had her engagement broken because she didn't want to have her feet bound, but she still held onto her dreams.
Just as Ailin eventually found success, if you hold onto your dreams and work hard towards them, you will find success. When Ailin found a friend (James Chew) who supported her, the two of them started a restaurant in America where women were free of bound feet. Ailin's dreams came true, since she had always wanted to become independent. If you pursue your dreams, you can always have some sense of achievements. Even if the dream may not become true, you will find friends who have the same beliefs as you.
Another theme is that being unique is not always a bad thing. Ailin didn't have bound feet, so she could work and support herself. Also, she could run and jump freely, something that people with bound feet couldn't do. The poster on the door to Rm. 17 says, "What is right is not always popular. What is popular is not always right." The story in this book echoes exactly the same idea. Having bound feet basically paralyzes the person who is getting bound feet. Ailin's refusal to bind her feet was like trying to sail a sailboat against the wind, since she was just one girl against many others around her. It was hard for her, but that struggle let her dreams come true and become free.

Ties That Bond, Ties That Break (plot)

The author told a story that occurred in 1911 Nanjing, China. The Tao's, a respectable Chinese family, had 2 daughters and a son. At the time, there was a Chinese tradition that all girls had to have their feet bound before they got married because people thought small feet were beautiful.

When Ailin, the youngest daughter of the Tao's was 6 years old, her parents started to prepare to have her feet bound. Ailin, however, was an adventurous girl who really enjoyed running.
Ailin knew from her older sister that having her feet bound was very painful and wouldn't let her run anymore. When her parents were trying to bind her feet, she tried to walk. Doing that caused her legs and feet to hurt immensely. From then on, she bit the maids and refused to have her feet bound. Unfortunately, in 1911, China had very few options for a strong-willed girl with unbound feet. Ailin's family would no longer support her, since she couldn't be married off. It seemed that Ailin's uncle didn't think she was worthy of the title, "Daughter of the Tao family" anymore. Luckily, her father was an open minded man. He eventually supported Ailin to attend a public school run by Christian missionaries. This was her happy time.

Tensions between Ailin and her family grew after her father died of tuberculosis. After her father's death, her uncle became the head of the family and acted strongly against Ailin's pursuit of freedom with unbound feet. He stopped paying for Ailin's tuition. She could not go to the school anymore. Ailin continued to hold to her ambitions of getting a job as a woman with unbound feet. Fortunately, Mrs Gilbertson, who taught Ailin in the school, was very sympathetic to her. She continued to teach Ailin at her home where Ailin met the Warner's one day. The Warner's were an American missionary family working in Nanjing that were in need of an amah (nanny). Ailin was more than happy to take this opportunity. This year she was thirteen years old. The Warner's family and kids really liked her. When the Warners' family went back to America, they asked Ailin to come with them, and to help with the children. Again, Ailin bravely took the opportunity because she believed that America might have more possibilities for an unmarried woman.

When her uncle found out about this, he actually gave her some money, so that Ailin could get some "accommodations suitable for a daughter of the Tao family" on the boat going to America. Ailin's uncle had seen her work hard and was proud of her. It appeared that Ailin's family had forgiven her in the hope that she could stay in China. Unfortunately, it was already too late, since Ailin had made up her mind to go to America: a new world, and hopefully, a new life. On the boat, she met James Chew, a kind, young man who helped his father run a restaurant. The two enjoyed each other's company immensely.

Once it is time for the Warner's to return to China, Ailin decided to stay in San Francisco and marry James Chew. Together, they started a restaurant. Even though she worked very hard (harder than any woman would have worked in China), she was very proud that she was able to fulfill her dream: to get a job and marry without a bound feet. At the end when Ailin talked with an old friend who had also come to America, she realized her dream had finally come true.

I really enjoyed this book, since it is a book about determination, ambition, and working hard to make your dreams come true.

Ties That Bond, Ties That Break (character1)

Ailin comes from the respectable Tao family. As a slender young girl, she is determined and never gives up. After seeing her sister's bound feet, Ailin knows she doesn't want bound feet. She saw that her sister's toes had been completely folded over through a long and painful period. She could not even walk properly, not to mention running. Unfortunately, Ailin's refusal to bind her feet has the unpleasant consequence of the Liu's canceling the engagement between Ailin and Hanwei. Still, Ailin doesn't back down.
Her father was an open minded person because he works at the customs office, which allowed him to interact with many foreigners. He supported Ailin's desire for the freedom to run. With the support of her father, Ailin goes to a public school. Her uncle, however, does not support this action. He thinks that the school teaches useless subjects. Ailin's father believes in the public school. Although Ailin's grandmother does not support Ailin going to the public school, Ailin still knows that her grandmother is a good and caring person. Ailin visits her grandmother as often as possible. Then, sadly, Ailin's father dies of tuberculosis. Ailin's uncle immediately stops her from going to the public school. Miss Gilbertson, the English teacher at the public school, continues to give Ailin tutoring sessions every week at her home. Miss Gilbertson is the only person that supports Ailin. Nothing could stop Ailin from learning. Still, she knows that she will never be able to graduate from school. She will never grow up to be a teacher. Ailin is sad, but tries to be optimistic and study hard. As the tension between her uncle and Ailin grows, I wonder: what will happen next?

Ties that Bind, Ties that Break (Setting1)

Ties that Bind, Ties that Break is written by Lensey Namioka. It is a story about a young Chinese girl called Ailin. Living in China, circa 1900, she is expected to have her feet bound. However, she refuses to undergo the painful procedure. Ailin is an active girl, and she knows that having her feet bound will stop her from doing everything she likes to do: run and jump.
Obviously, the Tao's, Ailin's family, disapprove of her actions. They have followed the tradition for many generations, as have many other Chinese families. Then Ailin's sister shows Ailin what bound feet look like, and this strengthens her decision against having her feet bound. The Liu's have proposed marriage. Hanwei Liu is to marry Ailin. The two of them like each other immensely. However, the Liu's insist on having the wife's feet bound, like many other families at the time. This setting has a great influence on the development of the story in the book. However, the 1900's were still in the period when small feet were thought as beautiful, so Ailin is expected to bind her feet. If she doesn't, the Liu's will break the engagement. Ailin and Hanwei might be separated forever. This book uses the setting to build up the tension and attract the reader to keep reading.