Ha Jin- Saboteur

While reading the short story “Saboteur” I had a picture in my mind that this was an event that took place kind of a long time ago. Between Mr Chui being arrested for something as silly as spilling tea- especially because it was not even his fault. Or because he was in prison, very sick, due to not receiving medication for his Hepatitis. I thought this story took place a long time ago, but in the story, it said after the cultural revolution. I looked up when the cultural revolution took place, and it said from 1966-1976. So this story took place sometime after this, meaning that it was not that long ago. It’s hard to imagine someone going to prison for multiple days basically for doing nothing except eating outside and then the having the police come up and bump your tea- and then arresting you for it. The story seems so outdated, and like this is such a crazy thing that could never happen, especially in a country that does not have an authoritarian government that tries to control the people. But, I guess things like this happen even today, in the United States. Stories come out often about a police officer planting drugs on people and then arresting them for it. So, although the story seemed absolutely ridiculous and totally unfair and unjust, things similar to what happened in the story happens today, in the United States. It’s interesting to do the readings and find connections between ancient china- modern china to the United States today.