44 pages 1 hour read

Wu Cheng'en, Transl. Arthur Waley

Monkey: A Folk Novel of China

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1592

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Essay Topics

1.

Kuan-Yin is the only major female character in Monkey. What is her significance in the text? Why might Wu Ch’êng-ên have made the choice for her to be the only major female character?

2.

Of all the central characters in the text, Monkey receives the most in-depth backstory. Why is Monkey so important—even more than Tripitaka?

3.

What similarities and differences does Monkey share with traditional folk stories of Western cultures?