Ties That Bind, Ties That Break

Consider the choices that Ailin makes in order to preserve her own Identity and Self-Respect. How do other characters in the novel respond to her decisions? How does Ailin influence others? Explain.

Teaching Suggestion: It may be beneficial to review the theme of Identity and Self-Respect before introducing this prompt; students might suggest a variety of scenes and situations that reveal this theme, compiling them on the board or display. Over the course of the novel, Ailin begins to have a greater sense of identity and more self-respect, which stem from her decision not to have her feet bound. Although her family is distraught over her choice, she ultimately learns more about herself and becomes connected with less traditional people who admire her forthright decisions.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with attentional and executive functioning learning differences, students who are visual learners, and English learners may benefit from the use of a graphic organizer instead of a prose response. Students can create a chart, table, or other organizer that includes a list of the characters and two columns, “More positive reaction” and “More negative reaction.” Students can use text details to determine which column should be used for each character’s reactions to Ailin’s choices, then note their rationale in the space.