“Broken” by Ha Jin tells a story of railroad company worker, Shen Manjin, and his interactions with his fellow employees. A woman working as a typist, Ting Ting, is very attractive and made out to be “easy” by her male coworkers. They suspect her of having an affair with her boss, Benchou, and several people stay after work to catch them in the act. Adultery is illegal in China, and Benchou has a wife already. The two are caught together and are punished by being transferred to other areas in the company. However, Ting Ting is made out to be a slut and her reputation is ruined; even though it’s proven that Benchou seduced her. Shortly after this situation, Shen decides to go to a movie theatre hoping to see some girls from another department that he is interested in. A girl sits next to him and has him touch her inappropriately before he gets so nervous that he throws up. She apologizes and flees the scene. He tries to follow her and hugs who he suspects is her and says, “Honey, let’s do that again!” The woman is not her and he is arrested by policemen. At the police station he is pressed for details that could cause him to not be charged with the crime. His boss gradually pushes him to believe it was Ting Ting, eventually settling on the fact that the mystery woman had wiped his hands with a handkerchief. They searched Ting Ting’s dorm and find a lavender handkerchief. They accuse her of the crime and she kills herself later that night. Shen continues being a pervert.
The first thing I would like to touch on is the fact that during Ting Ting’s initial interrogation it is made a big deal that she was hired as a virgin. They even claim that she had lied to them and was already “broken.” This puzzled me because I couldn’t think why that would matter. The only thing I can think of is that it relates to how women are seen in China and how their reputation is very important towards marriage prospects. The fact that she is now rumored a slut has ruined that reputation. It will be difficult for Ting Ting to find a respectable marriage now if she is able to find one at all. I believe this is partially the reason she kills herself. Even after Ting Ting and Benchou are initially punished, people say that she got off easy and should’ve had a more severe punishment. This is once again victim blaming. Why should the woman be punished more than the man for the same crime? Not to mention the fact, that Benchou initiated the sexual relations.
In China it is up to society to enforce the rule of adultery and turn their comrades in for the crime. Is it possible that if the genders were switched that Benchou’s coworkers would have rallied to reduce his punishment purely because he is a man?