“A Thousand Pieces of Gold”-And The Racism and Sexism Encountered by Lalu Nathoy

By: Bhurawala, Huma

MW 2:315, AAS 201OL

Prof. Steven Ropp

Polly Nathoy: A life of struggle and endurance

Sexism in Rural China:

Polly was born into a poor farmer’s family

ingrained with the notion that men were inherently superior to women, for instance we can see in the beginning that her brother A Cai goes to school, whereas she

must stay home and take care of the house.

Symbolism Obscured

Lalu’s feet are bound so that when she marries

she may have small feet that a) inhibit movement,

b) embody sexual innuendo and c) are a

sign of beauty and submission to her

husband. However, her mom must remove the bindings… so that she

can help her father in the farm.

Irony and Tragedy Enfold

Lalu’s dad calls her his “thousand pieces

of gold”, yet when bandits raid their village he must

accept fate and sell his daughter to the bandits in order for their family to live in

peace…

Lalu is sold to the bandits for two bags

of seeds- a stark contrast to her

father’s accolade that she was his thousand

pieces of gold.

A Failed Plan

Lalu tries to escape the sexual

harassment of her captors, but ends up

as a pawn to their manipulations. Her

failed plan to escape is all the more tragic

for she “cannot escape her fate”.

She is then sold to a brothel where she finds out she will be going to America, again she has no control over her own destiny as it slips out of her hand like so many grains of sand in an hourglass.

Auctioned Off

Lalu then boards a ship and is auctioned off like chattel, stark naked in Chinatown,

San, Francisco. She is then transported as “property” with a kind man named Jim,

whom she falls in love with. Though their love is mutual, Jim cannot free Lalu and

“make her, her own woman” as promised, because her owner Hong King won’t allow

Lalu to be sold for her own freedom!

A Lack of Dignity

As Lalu or rather Polly- as this is the new name given to her-, toils day after day for her “master”

Hong King, she contemplates murder as the only way to rid herself from forced servitude.

However, Jim’s (who is now deceased) old friend Charlie Bemis comes to Polly’s rescue by winning her in a poker game. Though Polly, is

now free from Hong King she feels like a trophy moving from one shelf to another.

A New Beginning?

Charles promises to help her gain her freedom both financially and socially, but the only way to do this was through betting or buying her out. Polly is grateful for Charlie’s help, but doesn’t

understand how a land of freedom and opportunity can allow Asian women to become slaves or concubines and restrict Asians from buying land. Yet, Polly restores her sense of

self-worth with the help of Charles and is finally able to fulfill her dreams.

Finis

Lalu’s story is one of courage, persistence, and incomparable dignity- as she scratches out a name for herself in the Western Frontier and

leaves an indelible mark upon the Eastern societal mores she left behind. Her fiery

determination serves as an inspiration for us all, for she was and is a beacon of hope for all who perceive only darkness around them, she is our

thousand pieces of gold.