52 pages 1-hour read

Donna Jo Napoli

Bound

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2004

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Important Quotes

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying, gender discrimination, mental illness, physical abuse, emotional abuse, animal cruelty and death, graphic violence, enslavement, illness, and death.

“The sun glinted red. Only an instant and it was over, but there could be no doubt; her eyes had not played tricks: A white fish with red fins and golden eyes zipped past and under a lotus leaf. She laughed in delight.”


(Chapter 1, Page 1)

The description of the “white fish with red fins and golden eyes” uses visual imagery to depict the unusual carp. By making the fish the focus of the novel’s opening passage, Napoli signals the carp’s importance to the narrative. The fish is a key element of ancient Chinese Cinderella stories and serves as a motif of The Importance of Familial Support and the Harm of Neglect.

“The girl picked up the armful of wood she’d gathered and rushed back along the path. Her hair was tied in two hanging knots that thumped on her shoulders as she ran. Hurry, they drummed, hurry hurry. The cold dirt licked at her feet. Hurry hurry.”


(Chapter 1, Page 2)

In literature, personification is a type of figurative language that attributes human characteristics to non-human subjects. The author personifies Xing Xing’s hair and the dirt by giving them the ability to figuratively tell the protagonist to “hurry.” By personifying the girl’s environment and parts of her own body as entities that urge her to complete her chores, repeating the warning “Hurry, hurry,” the author establishes that Xing Xing’s life is one of bustling toil in service of her stepmother.

“Wei Ping had a face that was neither plain nor pretty, but she was slender as a reed, exactly as men preferred their wives. If she’d had her feet bound at the age of six, when Stepmother had first proposed it to Wu, her feet would be small enough to fit in a man’s hand like a golden lotus blossom, and she’d already undoubtedly be betrothed.”


(Chapter 2, Page 7)

The similes “slender as a reed” and “like a golden lotus blossom” illustrate how thin figures and bound feet are considered highly desirable during the Ming dynasty. Reeds and lotus flowers represent the beauty of the natural world, but to attain the tiny feet their culture’s beauty standards demand, women must maim themselves in unnatural ways. This juxtaposition introduces one of the novel’s central themes, The Violence of Beauty Norms.

“The master sat outside in his courtyard under the tangled branches of a willow, smoothing the hairs on his paintbrushes. The yellow finches in the cage that swung above his head twittered to the sounds of the large arrow bamboo leaves rustling in the breeze. The orchid pots Xing Xing’s own father had made stood grouped together in one corner. Surrounding them were ink green indigo plants.”


(Chapter 3, Page 11)

Through onomatopoeia, such as the twittering of the yellow finches and the rustling of the leaves, and visual imagery, such as the “ink green indigo plants,” Napoli captures the scene of Master Tang at work in his garden. Scenes in which scholars and artists are surrounded by beautiful landscapes were a popular subject for Ming dynasty paintings, and the passage’s literary devices foster a serene, elegant mood that befits a master painter’s craft.

Pear blossoms fall soft white 

Recalling snow past beyond sight 

Revealing warmth ahead in sun’s light


(Chapter 3, Page 15)

Like much of ancient Chinese poetry, the poem Xing Xing copies onto Master Tang’s painting praises the beauty of nature and uses aspects of the natural world, such as the sight of a pear tree in blossom, to reflect on human emotions and experiences, such as the power of memory and the joy of anticipation. The AAA rhyme scheme that links the three lines, and Napoli uses the visual imagery of the “soft white” pear blossoms and diction like “snow” and “sun’s light” to indicate the seasons. The poem was composed by Master Tang’s wife, Mei Zi, a detail that reflects art’s significance as a way for women to exercise self-expression and agency despite the restrictions of societal roles.

Fins like red clouds at sunset 

Eyes like gold tears of joy, sparkling wet 

White fish in cold water, happily met


(Chapter 5, Page 21)

The poem Xing Xing improvises about the carp demonstrates her artistic skill and perceptive nature. The piece employs visual and tactile imagery, such as “sparkling wet,” similes, such as “[f]ins like red clouds at sunset,” and diction, such as “joy” and “happily,” to create a joyful mood that reflects the happiness the protagonist feels with the mysterious fish. Throughout the novel, the art Xing Xing creates serves as a motif of The Struggle for Female Autonomy in a Patriarchal Society.

“She swept the floor. She straightened all the bowls and jars on the tables against the far wall. She cleaned the picture over Wei Ping’s bed that had the characters saying, Fine beauty and great wealth, meant to invite luck. She gathered firewood. She emptied the chamber pot onto the dung heap behind the cave. She did all the chores she’d always done.”


(Chapter 7, Page 32)

Anaphora refers to the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of consecutive phrases or sentences. In this excerpt, each sentence begins with the subject “She,” an instance of anaphora that gives the passage rhythm and emphasizes how much of the work of maintaining the household falls on Xing Xing’s shoulders. Physical labor, particularly cleaning, is an essential part of the Cinderella story and one of the primary expressions of the protagonist’s industrious nature. This passage imbues the familiar fairytale trope with historical realism through details like the saying painted over Wei Ping’s bed. Additionally, the mention of the dung heap foreshadows a key moment in the Chinese Cinderella story, in which the girl’s stepmother hides the fish’s bones among the refuse.

“She ran as fast as she could, straight into the cave, and slipped in blood slime. At first she thought it was the blood that dripped from her own elbow, but then she saw brains and lungs and intestine and fur—all that remained of the blind raccoon kit.”


(Chapter 8, Page 40)

Polysyndeton is the stylistic addition of coordinating conjunctions where none are grammatically necessary. The repetition of the conjunction ‘and’ in the phrase “brains and lungs and intestine and fur” conveys Xing Xing’s horror as she takes in the battered remains of her beloved pet and pieces together the brutal scene that unfolded in the cave.

“‘I promise you, my dearest husband.’ Her voice was as humble as that of an orphaned child, and Xing Xing felt like crying for her, who had lost her husband, for Wei Ping, who would lose her second son, for all of them.”


(Chapter 11, Page 59)

The simile that describes the stepmother’s voice as “humble as that of an orphaned child” emphasizes the woman’s desperation regarding her daughter’s health. The simile also speaks to Xing Xing’s strong sense of empathy as an orphan who has lost both of her parents. The repetition of “for” in the last sentence helps to communicate how each of the three surviving members of the Wu family struggles with loss.

“The early summer sun flooded the land in an instant. Already it baked the back of Xing Xing’s shoulders. She thought briefly of the cool of the cave. But she had to hurry to the village—hurry for Wei Ping’s sake.”


(Chapter 12, Page 66)

The contrasting tactile imagery of the heat of the sun and “the cool of the cave” demonstrate Xing Xing’s perseverance through adversity, an essential trait for her role as a Cinderella figure. The repetition of the verb “hurry” underlines the urgency of the protagonist’s errand and the strength of her love for her half-sister.

“People were basically good, despite the pirates on the seas and the brigands in the mountains. Kong Fu Zi’s teachings were clear on that. And what would happen would happen; fate ruled the cosmos. Xing Xing knew all this. But Father had told her that some people were fated to use their heads. And wasn’t a fish fated to hide under a lily pad when a shadow crossed her path?”


(Chapter 13, Page 76)

In the last sentence, the metaphorical language of the fish that knows “to hide under a lily pad when a shadow crossed her path” mirrors the way Xing Xing’s instincts tell her the poultry seller is untrustworthy. The passage’s mood is tense because of the underlying threat of sexual violence beneath the elegant, indirect language. Xing Xing’s father encouraged his daughter’s intelligence and agency even though it went against his society’s cultural norms, and his lessons continue to influence her decisions during key moments like this one.

“There is an order to guidance. A ruler guides a subject. A father guides a son. A husband guides a wife. An elder guides a younger. A friend guides a friend.”


(Chapter 14, Page 78)

By repeating the verb “guides” and using the same simple sentence structure throughout the passage, Napoli gives the summary of Confucian teachings a sense of rhythm and order that imbues the belief system with authority, positioning its teachings as deeply internalized and even inevitable. Throughout the novel, Confucian teachings, which treat women as subordinate to men, dictate expectations and roles at every level of society from the governmental to the familial.

“She was going to call out her thanks when she saw the big fish. Her beautiful fish. It had to be. There were no other fish white as snow, white as pear blossoms. Like in Mei Zi’s poem. And in her own poem.”


(Chapter 14, Page 80)

Napoli uses the similes “white as snow” and “white as pear blossoms” to emphasize the carp’s beauty. Over half of the sentences in the passage are fragments—a stylistic decision that signals Xing Xing’s amazement at seeing the fish outside the pool as well as the exhaustion caused by her long journey. The carp’s ability to appear in improbable places foreshadows the revelation of its supernatural nature as the reincarnation of Xing Xing’s mother.

“They stood up eating bowls of rice floating in bean curd whey—white rice of the quality Xing Xing had only on holidays. They ate fried dumplings filled with pork liver. They ate fried bread with sugar sprinkled on top. Sheng ate everything Yao Wang ate, just as though the dog were a person.”


(Chapter 15, Page 91)

The passage teems with descriptions that appeal to the sense of taste, such as “fried bread with sugar sprinkled on top.” The repetition of “They ate” is an example of anaphora that reinforces the passage’s sense of abundance. The characters’ relationships with food offer insight into their personalities and socioeconomic statuses. For example, the note that the protagonist only eats “white rice of [this] quality […] on holidays” offers a reminder of how Xing Xing’s family’s finances have suffered after Wu’s death. Napoli reveals the doctor’s kindness and generosity through the way he ensures Xing Xing and his animal companion eat the same meals that he does.

“‘Kong Fu Zi is the master teacher of us all,’ he said humbly. ‘And Kong Fu Zi says that lack of talent in a woman is a virtue.’ The words bit like ants in Xing Xing’s ears.”


(Chapter 16, Page 101)

The simile that compares Yao Wang’s words to biting ants shows how hurt and betrayed Xing Xing feels that someone she trusts would espouse a common misogynistic belief. The passage emphasizes the society’s patriarchal norms and the novel’s historical and cultural context by providing another example of how Confucian teachings demean women. Additionally, the passage is an example of dramatic irony because Xing Xing doesn’t immediately realize that Yao Wang is quoting Kong Fu Zi to leverage the officials’ sexism and protect himself from the pharmacist’s accusations, rather than because he really thinks that Xing Xing’s calligraphy shows a “lack of talent.”

Wood slipping through waters 

Wind in passion with sails 

Many-layered mountains hold red trees 

Some are gone 

Some have returned 

I grow used to the search for madness


(Chapter 17, Page 108)

The poem’s first three lines follow ancient Chinese poetic conventions by providing observations of nature and imagery, such as “Many-layered mountains hold red trees.” However, the last three lines shift from the conventional to the unexpected, much like the personality of the eccentric captain who composes the poem. Xing Xing’s appreciation of the dramatic and mysterious quality of the captain’s “search for madness” reflects her understanding of art as a liberating force that allows people to challenge restrictive expectations.

“A thick stench stopped her as firmly as though she’d met a stone wall. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. Stepmother sat with her arms wrapped protectively around Wei Ping on the kang. Their hair hung down stringy. Their eyes burned at her out of haggard faces.”


(Chapter 18, Page 112)

The simile comparing the “thick stench” to “a stone wall” hints at the deterioration of Wei Ping’s health as well as her and her mother’s mental health even before the protagonist sees her family members back at the cave. Napoli’s use of precise adjectives like “haggard” emphasizes how the two characters have declined while Xing Xing was away, underscoring their utter dependence on the protagonist despite their frequently dismissive behavior toward her.

“She dressed them in clean clothes. She scoured their teeth with river sand. She scrubbed the kang. She swept the floor and emptied the chamber pot and washed every surface with rice vinegar. She gathered wood and fanned a fire with the big bamboo fan and got the stove going and made a gruel from rice powder, which she ladled into bowls, then fed them, spoonful by spoonful.”


(Chapter 18, Page 114)

By starting each sentence with the subject “She,” the author uses anaphora to add emphasis to the lengthy list of tasks that the protagonist performs in caring for her stepmother and half-sister. The passage resembles an earlier scene in which the Cinderella figure cleans the family home, but this excerpt signals that her relatives depend upon her even more than they did before due to their decline. In the last sentence, the polysyndeton in the phrase “gathered wood and fanned a fire with the big bamboo fan and got the stove going and made a gruel from rice powder” and the use of commas create an intentionally long sentence that evokes the endless tasks Xing Xing completes to restore her relatives and their home to a sense of order and dignity.

“The two of them circled around each other like white ribbons, making the water swirl behind them. They slid past each other, touching wholly, like mother and child. And at last Xing Xing understood. Oh, she should have known all along: The beautiful fish was the reincarnation of Mother. They were together again, at last.”


(Chapter 18, Page 117)

The simile comparing Xing Xing and the carp to “white ribbons” adds to the surreal beauty of the scene, which marks a significant shift from the grim tone and descriptions of the filthy cave that appear earlier in the chapter. The protagonist’s revelation that “[t]he beautiful fish was the reincarnation of Mother” is foreshadowed by the way the carp watches over her during her journey as well as the sense of comfort and connection between the girl and the fish.

Feathers flutter and brush and slice through the air 

Claws scrape and grasp what they dare 

Beaks poke and dig and scoop and click 

Songs brag and flatter and flick 

There’s nothing quiet about birds among flowers 

Aren’t we glad, aren’t we lucky, to witness these powers


(Chapter 21, Page 131)

Xing Xing’s poem has an AABBCC rhyme scheme and contains onomatopoeia (“click”) and alliteration (“flatter and flick”). These literary devices support the piece’s joyful, playful mood, but there’s tragic irony to the poem: Xing Xing’s stepmother sent her out to compose verses so that she could kill the carp.

“Xing Xing wanted to shout the whole story. She wanted Wei Ping to wake up and hear it all and scream words of hate at her mother. She wanted Stepmother to lose the love of the person she cared about more than anything else. She wanted Stepmother to feel a loss like the one Xing Xing felt now. But she wouldn’t do that. Not for Stepmother’s sake. For Wei Ping’s sake.”


(Chapter 22, Page 139)

By starting three consecutive sentences with “She wanted,” Napoli uses anaphora to underscore the protagonist’s movement from deference to defiance. The author reveals that Xing Xing’s compassion remains the same despite her evolution by including the closing fragment in which Xing Xing resolves not to give into her fury “[f]or Wei Ping’s sake.”

“If only these perfect shoes would fit. Her breath suspended, Xing Xing gingerly tried one foot in a shoe. It nestled there like a chick under her mother’s wing, not at all strange, though it had been more than a year since she’d worn even loose hemp shoes.”


(Chapter 25, Page 154)

The author raises dramatic suspense during the scene when Xing Xing first tries on the golden shoes through the passage’s opening fragment and descriptions of her “suspended” breath. The detail that Xing Xing hasn’t worn shoes in “more than a year” reinforces her narrative function as a Cinderella figure. The simile comparing Xing Xing’s foot inside the shoe to “a chick under her mother’s wing” emphasizes their significance as a gift from her mother.

“She put her finger into almost every dish. She ate spinach, cucumber, eggplant spiced with jasmine and cardamom and star anise. She smiled at the bite of black pepper, chili, lemon, coriander, fenugreek, Mediterranean olives. She loved the nuts: almonds, walnuts, pistachios. She reveled in the fruits: figs, bananas, pomegranates, star fruits, coconuts, pomelos.”


(Chapter 26, Page 158)

The author uses vivid gustatory imagery, such as “the bite of black pepper” to describe the lavish delicacies at the festival. Asyndeton, the deliberate omission of a coordinating conjunction between words or phrases, emphasizes the feast’s abundance by distilling it to a list: “figs, bananas, pomegranates, star fruits, coconuts, pomelos.” The way that Xing Xing “loved” and “reveled in” the food speaks to the way that the impoverished girl’s most basic needs have been neglected since her father’s death.

“Everything became as clear and sharp as a sword point. Her choices boiled down to marrying this prince or wandering far and wide, saying crazy things, becoming the person Stepmother accused her of being. Without a plan and without logic, she leaped into the fire, the freedom and risk rendering her euphoric.”


(Chapter 29, Page 180)

The simile “as clear and sharp as a sword point” emphasizes Xing Xing’s awareness of her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and enhances the decisive moment’s suspense. The repetition of the word “without” and the metaphorical language of “leap[ing] into the fire” underscore the boldness of the protagonist’s choice to speak to the prince. Through diction like “freedom” and “euphoric,” Napoli portrays the moment as a triumph for the main character.

“‘I need none,’ said the prince. He stepped closer, and his face grew tender. ‘Leave this cave now. Leave this woman and her daughter. Come, dearest Xing Xing, come with me. We have the rest of our lives for the rest of your list.’”


(Chapter 29, Page 184)

The prince’s dialogue contains multiple instances of repetition, such as “the rest of our lives for the rest of your list” and “Leave this cave now. Leave this woman and her daughter.” This repetition adds to the artistry of his speech and emphasizes the sincerity of his offer to help Xing Xing escape from her life of toil and neglect. The prince’s way with words appeals to the protagonist because of her love of art and language, a sign that they’re kindred spirits and will find happiness together.

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