Nnmao's last dancer book analysis

Now i knew, with absolute certainty, that i had been manipulated by chairman mao s communist propaganda for many years. In a village of china named quingdao in the book, the eleven yearold li cunxin is selected by the communist party to study ballet at the madame maos dance. It is about a young boy who lives in a family with 6 brothers, in poverty in china, and cunxin, his name, is chosen, when he is 11, to be part of the beijing dance academy. Throughout the novel li finds himself in conflict between his sense of innate freedom and the restrictions placed upon him by his communist society. Li, cunxin, the author, was an acclaimed ballet dancer before he wrote the book. Maos last dancer movie tiein and millions of other books are available for. Maos last dancer is a memoir written by chineseaustralian author li cunxin and first published in 2003.

Summary from a desperately poor village in northeast china, at age eleven, li cunxin was chosen by madame mao s cultural delegates to be taken from his rural home and brought to beijing, where he would study ballet. I was just one of over one billion people used as a political puppet and i felt deeply betrayed. Maos last dancer maos last dancer is a fantastic book. My personal contribution to communism had never been important. It recounts his journey from a young, impoverished village boy destined to labor in the fields of china to a worldfamous professional dancer. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of maos last dancer by li cunxin. Maos last dancer is the autobiography of li cunxin. Bruce beresfords latest movie is based on a true story about a chineseborn ballet dancer who ends up as a principal dancer for the houston. To ask other readers questions about maos last dancer, please sign up. From a grueling apprenticeship as a classical dancer in communist china, to the glory of creative freedom in america. Maos last dancer captures the intoxicating effects of first love and celebrity, the pain of exile, and ultimately the triumph of individual endeavour over ideology. This clash of ideology between individualism and communism is symbolised as a clash of moral authority between the teachings of lis family culture through fable and the teachings of mao, expressed in his little red book. Maos last dancer, the autobiography of li cunxin, is told in a simple, straightforward manner, principally because english is not the authors native language. Maos last dancer by li cunxin has become a favourite of mine and i read it again between christmas and new year.

Maos last dancer was published in 2003 and quickly became a best seller in australia. Mao s last dancer li cunxin, 2003 penguin group usa 451 pp. It recounts his journey from a young, impoverished. This fact shouldnt deter anyone from reading this moving account of a chinese peasant boys rise to fame as a ballet dancer and subsequent defection to the west. Buy maos last dancer first uk edition first impression by li cunxin isbn. It tells his gripping tale of growing up in a poor family of six boy s. At age eleven li cunxin was plucked from school by visiting officials to attend ballet school in beijing. Li cunxins memoir tells his incredible story of rising from extreme poverty and the politics of fear in communist china to becoming one of the worlds most wellknown ballet dancers. Is it ok for a year old to read this full version book not the young readers one. Maos last dancer movie tie in and millions of other books are available for. Many people, especially young readers, get the book as it is either required by the school or the book club they join, including my daughter. Maos last dancer by li cunxin meet your next favorite book.