Red Scarf Girl Fear Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"I'm really afraid, Ji-li." An Yi looked straight into my eyes. "If Mom is a little late coming back from school, we're so worried. Dad paces up and down, and I just can't do anything. Sometimes Dad can't stand it anymore, and he goes to school to meet her. I'm so scared. I don't know what'll happen next. Ji-li, sometimes I'm really afraid to go home." The expression in her eyes made me want to cry. (9.78)

An Yi has a lot to worry about. Since her mom is a teacher, she's getting the worst of the struggle meetings and Red Guards' special punishments. Ji-li can tell that her friend is shaken to the core. Even more scary? An Yi's mom was an award winning teacher—in other words, Ji-li is sure she's not out to hurt anybody. And yet she's still a target.

Quote #5

I had wanted to give up. I had almost stopped trying to be brave, to be an educable child. I saw another part of myself, a part full of fear that I had to struggle against. I would not allow myself to stop trying to follow Chairman Mao. (12.45)

Ji-li goes from telling us she's scared early on to describing herself through the fear. It's a big part of her now. She's so upset by everything that is happening during the Cultural Revolution that she thinks of herself as someone full of fear. This doesn't stop her from supporting the cause, though.

Quote #6

I told myself again and again. I repeated Chairman Mao's quotation, "Be resolute, fear no sacrifice, and surmount every difficulty to win victory." (15.43)

According to Mao, fear is a weakness to be promptly pushed through. Fear is directly targeted by his propaganda, and people are told to deny their fear in favor of supporting him.