Trace the evolving symbolism of the “golden lilies” throughout the novel. Move beyond their initial representation of patriarchal oppression to analyze how the meaning of bound feet shifts for Little Flower, Linjing, and the other characters. What do they symbolize for each character at various points in the novel?

Compare and contrast Dowager Lady Fong (Maa Maa) and Aunt Sapphire. How do the women, despite their different contexts, function as comparable enforcers of restrictive systems?

Analyze the role of micro and macro settings in the protagonists’ character arcs. How do Little Flower and Linjing respond differently to different settings, and how do these locations influence their senses of self?

Analyze the Celibate Sisterhood’s rules, labor demands, and punishments from a feminist standpoint. How does the organization influence the characters’ regards for marriage, sex, purity, and selfhood? How do its ideals either inhibit or empower Little Flower and Linjing?

Explore how the main characters’ personal conflicts reflect the broader socioideological tensions of late Qing China. How do the debates surrounding footbinding, the introduction of Western ideals by Miss Hart, and Noble Chan (Siu Je)’s business ambitions dramatize the national clash between tradition and modernization?

Analyze the different models of female community presented in the novel, from the muizai friendship of Little Flower and Spring Rain to the formal Celibate Sisterhood. What does the novel ultimately suggest about the potential and the limitations of sisterhood as a tool for resistance?

Linjing’s transformation from a cruel mistress to a self-sacrificing ally is a central arc in the novel. Is her redemption fully realized and convincing? Analyze the key moments in her development, from the loss of her status to her final confrontation at the river, to argue for or against the authenticity of her change.

Identify three symbols not explored in the guide and analyze their significance to the novel’s wider themes. For example, what do Little Flower’s dowry, the lotus shoes, or the love knot represent?