In the perspective of feminism, the ‘women’s secret writing’ is patently feminist: “My only rebellion came in the form of nu shu, our women’s secret writing. My first break with tradition came when Snow Flower—my laotong, my “old same,” my secret-writing partner—sent me the fan that sits on my table, and then again after I met her.” Lily’s rebellion designates that the content which she reads sabotage the patriarchal outlooks which oblige her to be content with her subordinate grade in her culture. The fan is a noteworthy trigger of Lily’s feminist force for it bears content which censures the outmoded suppression of the Chinese women. Although Lily resolves to outwardly endorse tradition, internally she yearns to implement the feminist ethics engraved on the fan.
The ‘secret fan’ is a figurative summation of Lily’s and Snow flower’s lifespans: “On one fold, Snow Flower wrote, ‘We of good affection shall never sever our bond.’ But on another fold I see the misunderstandings, the broken trust, and the final shutting of the door. For me, love was such a precious possession that I couldn’t share it with anyone else, and it eventually cut me away from the one person who was my same.” The fan is a material icon in Lily’s life for it aids the utility of retelling her of all the reminiscences that it generated for it was the influential mode of communiqué between Lily and Snow Flower. Two- fold memoirs (unhappy and pleasant) are aroused when Lily ruminates about the longevity and repercussion of the fan on her existence. Contents attributed to the fan are embossed in Lily’s unconscious.
The Laotong association follows the approach of a penpal. Lily’s Aunt explains, “A laotong match is as significant as a good marriage…a laotong relationship is made by choice for the purpose of emotional companionship and eternal fidelity.” Evidently, the connection between the “old sames” is anticipated to be companionable since it is among members of the same gender. The Laotongs are projected to remain companions even after they get married. Faithfulness and steady communication are the foremost constituents of the permanency of the association.
In the circumstance of the Queer Theory, Lily is sexually fascinated by Snow Flower: “When I looked at Snow Flower’s interwoven garland at the top of the fan, I thought of the old saying, ‘Hyacinth bean and papayas, long vines, deep roots. Palm trees inside the garden walls, with deep roots, stand a thousand years.’ To me this summed up what I wanted our relationship to be: deep, entwined, forever. I wanted this one fan to be the symbol of our relationship. I was only seven and a half years old, but I envisioned what this fan with all its secret messages would become.” Lily’s wishes of the relationship ( which are contradictory to tradition) insinuate that she obsesses for a lesbian romance with Snow Flower. She considers the bounds imposed on the Laotang association to be injurious to the prospering of a lesbian affair. The confidentiality personified in the fan is a warranty for the discretion of the Queer affection which she has for Snow Flower. It would be impossible for the two women to be romantically passionate with each other considering that their culture obliges them to wed men and bear children.
Gender exposures of the Chinese are categorically deviating: “Girls—so susceptible to weakness from poor food and neglect—never outgrow their vulnerability... Baby boys, so precious, can die just as easily, their bodies too young to have taken root, their souls too tempting for spirits from the afterworld. Then, as men, they are at risk from infection from cuts, food poisoning, problems in the fields or on roads, or hearts that can’t stand the stress of watching over an entire household. This is why there are so many widows.”The leading exposure that womenfolk are anticipated to submit to is bearing of children. Birthing vigorous children is not an assurance due to foetal deaths that are inescapable on some junctures. Furthermore, girls are characteristically vulnerable due to negligence and the authoritarian footbinding. Comparatively, the main elements of the boys’ gender exposures are attributed to the ordinary menaces such as infections and pressure. Women withstand the most punishing burdens considering the widows who are burdened with the obligation of providing for their households after their spouses’ departures.
