Describe the character of the professor in "Saboteur." Give at least three details from the story to support your description.
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In the short story "Saboteur" by Ha Jin, the protagonist, Mr. Chiu, is a professor who can be characterized as initially reasonable, but ultimately vengeful and willing to harm others for personal satisfaction.
1. Reasonable: At the beginning of the story, when the police officer falsely accuses Mr. Chiu of being a saboteur, he tries to act rationally by offering a calm and logical explanation for the argument that had taken place. He says, "We were having tea there. We didn't say anything to hurt you. People at the other tables can testify to that" (Jin). This shows that he initially attempts to defuse the situation by providing a reasonable explanation of the events that took place.
2. Vengeful: After being unjustly imprisoned and mistreated by the police, Mr. Chiu's personality shifts towards vengeance. He becomes determined to take revenge on the corrupt police officers who falsely arrested and tortured him. This is seen when he says, "Now I must do something to get even with that " (Jin).
3. Willing to harm others for personal satisfaction: Towards the end of the story, Mr. Chiu knowingly spreads his hepatitis to numerous innocent people in a local restaurant as a means of revenge against the police. He says, "Let's walk around a bit and eat, […] After that, we can discuss how to deal with these s" (Jin). Here, it is clear that he is driven by malicious intent, and he is willing to harm innocent people just to exact his revenge.
Overall, Mr. Chiu's character transforms from a reasonable individual into a vengeful and dangerous person as he seeks retribution for his mistreatment by the police.