After many days of travel, they reached a more bountiful countryside, untouched by drought, where the moi-yun lived in a house grander than any Ju-Lin had ever seen before.
“Ju-Lin,” explained the moi-yun the next day, “I am not as young as I used to be. That is why you are here. First, when I am at home, you must help me with the cooking and cleaning around the house. When I am traveling, you must accompany me to help carry my things. In return, you shall have enough to eat and a small allowance each month. Is that understood?”
“Yes, most honorable Mistress. I am so very grateful. I will do my best to help you in any way I can.”
Faithfully, Ju-Lin kept her promise. After finishing her chores, she often had time to observe the moi-yun as she dealt with her many clients. Ju-Lin listened closely and admired how the old woman was able to choose the right people for each other every time.
Finally she had to ask:
“What is the secret of your amazing success, Mistress?”
“There is no magic to this, Ju-Lin,” she said. “Helping people make the right choice in a partner is my passion in life.”
Use what you have learned about interacting effectively to discuss the universal theme in Message in a Bottle with your Learning Coach. (You may agree with Max’s view or Elle’s view—or you may think that another universal theme is a better fit. Whatever your choice, support it with ideas from the text.) Be sure to tell whether you think the modern story updates the universal theme.
“Ah!” said the young man as he emerged from behind his writing desk. “You can read the words of poets and scholars. That was one of my requirements, and I see that you walk gracefully and freely, too, without the unnatural mincing gait of someone with bound feet. Not only that, you are lovely! How is it that my mother has found you and yet she still complains about my impossible expectations?”
“You are mistaken, Master Yuen,” interrupted Ju-Lin. “I am only the matchmaker’s assistant.”
“Never mind who you are. You can be anything you want to be, but you are the one.”
“But you don’t understand. I was sent by the moi-yun to tell you in person to look closely at those around you. She said that the one you seek may be right before your eyes and that you must know when to follow your heart.”
Suddenly, becoming aware of the meaning of the words herself, Ju-Lin flushed in warm embarrassment as his face lit up.
“You are very close, and if I follow my heart now, it says that I have just found the one person I would be honored to share my life with for the rest of my days … if you will have me.”
“Y-y-yes, I will!” said Ju-Lin, gasping in surprise at her own words.
Question 1
MAX: I really liked Message in a Bottle! I thought it was exciting and suspenseful. When the story shifted its focus away from the shipwreck, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.
ELLE: I felt the same way. It was clever of the author to use parallel structure at that point in the story to increase suspense. But let’s focus on the story’s theme. Which universal theme do you think applies to it?
MAX: What are my choices?
ELLE: Universal themes include the hero’s journey, the battle of good versus evil, coming-of-age or loss of innocence, and renewal/rebirth.
MAX: The story is a coming-of-age story. Christy and Blackie are both young teens who head out into the world on their own. The story tells how they grow and mature. So, that is loss of innocence. What do you think?
ELLE: Well, I disagree.
MAX: But . . . !
ELLE: Wait! Let me finish. The story is a hero’s journey. Christy and Blackie are on a quest for a better life in a new land. They face obstacles on the way, including a monstrous storm just as they are within sight of land. At first, I thought that the universal theme of the battle of good versus evil fits the story because that storm seems evil. But, then I realized that the theme might be renewal and rebirth. We think that Christy and Blackie die in the shipwreck, but we later find out that they are alive!
MAX: That’s an interesting interpretation. Here’s another question for you. Do you think the story updated the universal theme? I mean, the story is modern because of its use of parallel structure. The shift of the focus onto other characters isn’t traditional at all. But what about the theme?
ELLE: Yes, the story doesn’t have a traditional structure, although the character types and story pattern are like other quest stories. I think the theme has been updated because the characters don’t literally die—we just think they do. It’s a clever choice by the author.
MAX: Great point!
Use what you have learned about analyzing literary texts to write an analysis of the stories The Invisible Red String and Message in a Bottle. Use the prompts below to guide your response. Write your analysis in your notebook.
Write a paragraph in which you summarize The Invisible Red String and Message in a Bottle and compare and contrast their structures.
Write a paragraph in which you analyze how the stories The Invisible Red String and Message in a Bottle update character types and story patterns from older stories. Explain how your analysis helped you understand the modern stories. Cite details from the stories to support your ideas.
Write a paragraph in which you identify and analyze the universal themes in the two stories. Cite specific universal themes and provide details from the two stories to support your analysis. Explain how knowledge of these universal themes can help readers deepen their understanding and appreciation of modern
literature.
In The Invisible Red String, the story focuses on Ju-Lin, a young woman who finds herself in the service of a matchmaker and ultimately discovers love herself. The story is structured around Ju-Lin's journey to self-discovery and finding her place in the world. On the other hand, Message in a Bottle follows the story of Christy and Blackie, two teens on a quest for a better life in a new land. The story is structured as a hero's journey, with the characters facing obstacles and ultimately experiencing renewal and rebirth.
The character types and story patterns in The Invisible Red String and Message in a Bottle both update traditional elements from older stories. In The Invisible Red String, Ju-Lin serves as a modern interpretation of a protagonist who defies societal expectations and finds love on her own terms. Similarly, in Message in a Bottle, Christy and Blackie defy traditional roles of passive victims in a shipwreck story and instead showcase resilience and survival. Analyzing these modern characters and story patterns helps readers understand how contemporary literature can reimagine traditional tropes in new and refreshing ways.
The universal themes in The Invisible Red String and Message in a Bottle revolve around love, self-discovery, and renewal. In The Invisible Red String, the theme of love is central as Ju-Lin navigates her relationship with Master Yuen. The theme of self-discovery is also prevalent as Ju-Lin learns to follow her heart and pursue her own happiness. In Message in a Bottle, the theme of renewal and rebirth is prominent as Christy and Blackie face seemingly insurmountable odds but ultimately overcome them to start a new life. Understanding these universal themes can help readers connect with the characters and their journeys on a deeper level, allowing for a richer appreciation of contemporary literature.