The Cricket
-P' u Sung-Ling
Literal Comprehension
During the Ming Reign in China, cricket fighting was a popular pastime for the noblemen at court. Their wishes were fulfilled by the common men who used to supply cricket for them. Though in the writer's county, Floral Shade, the cricket was not common, yet the magistrate's submission of a mighty warrior cricket to get favour from the superiors ultimately brought the responsibility of supplying the crickets as a royal supplier regularly to the court. Make Good, one of the residents of Floral Shade got the post of Neighborhood Head to accomplish the task in this concern too. But he was nearly bankrupt since he couldn’t collect enough taxes from the people and had to make up money from his pocket. The same thing happened in collecting the cricket too. He couldn't fill the quota set by the higher-ups and as a result, was severely punished. So he desired to die rather than to live such dominated life.
Then his wife consulted a fortuneteller who had recently come to the village to know about their fortune. She was provided with one slip of paper where their fortune was mentioned. In fact, there was a picture on the piece of paper which showed where the crickets he was searching for were found. As per the hint, he was able to cage a cricket of the required standard. But as that was brought to his house it was killed by his son. His son, to escape from the action resulting from the father's fury, fell into the well. He was found in the position as he was dead. During this moment of grief, he managed to get one cricket but it was feeble. Yet he tested it with other crickets in the battle but appeared to be the mightiest one since it defeated all other crickets so far. In this way, it was supplied to the court. The noblemen were extremely pleased, As a result, he was given an educational degree as an honour. Similarly, he acquired one hundred hectares of land, a two-story building with thousands of sheep and oxen. Even his son regained consciousness.
Interpretation
The story The Cricket conveys a message that patience, endurance and optimism ultimately carry good luck resulting in success in a man's life. Make Good though fell in difficulties, endured all these and remained patient and didn't forget his duty which gave him unexpected position and wealth. The story has sketched a clear picture of then China when it was ruled by an authoritarian ruler. Making good without his fault gets a penalty which is in fact one of the specialities of an authoritarian rule. All the state affairs are constrained by nobles, governors and magistrates who flatter higher authorities and secure the position. The Magistrate to ensure continuous favour punished the Make good an innocent one.
In some places Make good has been presented as a person who was supposed to be born to face the evil days only, On the other hand, the story also shows that sometimes human beings ensure their good fortune by learning the fortune from the fortune teller. The story Make Good has also given a place to the supernatural elements and their effective practice and positive result out of them. Making good could make his life bright due to the presence of his son's spirit on the soul of the cricket.
Cricket's befooling the rooster is also due to the same reason. This has also given a glimpse of the scenario of the court under an absolute rule in which nobles and other courtiers spend their time in trifles specifically in watching the games like cricket fighting and so on since they have a luxurious and comfortable life. They don't make concern over the hardships of the people since nobody could dare to raise their voice for their wellbeing.
Critical Thinking
The story has several shortcomings that we find as we go through the story thoroughly. The authoritarian rule as shown in the story doesn't have any possible existence in the world as the world has almost been ruled through the democratic system regardless of some countries. The magistrate is presented as an innocent citizen-facing inhuman treatment in terms of punishment without any protest. But people of this era as governed by democratic principles if face this situation would react bitterly and compel the authorities to guarantee their rights to prevent the mistreatment of the innocent ones.
Similarly, we can put question marks over fortune-telling as to whether their prediction would be translated into reality. If so that no people would face hardships suffering and troubles in their life. They would ensure their brighter life by visiting the fortune teller at the beginning of their life. The presence of Make-good's son's spirit on the cricket is a matter of illusion for us. One question arises as to how Make-good’s son could regain consciousness after a year.
Assimilation
As I went through the story, I came to understand that in absolute rule, people experience injustice, inhuman and evil treatment from their superiors. And they always become the victims of mistreatmet.1 also realized that patience and .endurance are rewarded on this earth as Make good was rewarded. Sometimes fortune tellers are also found to be the strongest elements to bring success in our life. The story has made me realize the fact that our life might undergo plenty of obstacles and disturbances, sorrows and hardships but we shouldn't lose our hope, one day we will achieve what we have expected so far.
