Symbolism

Eric Daniels

Mr Chiu's Hepatitis and the Government

An important piece of Saboteur is Mr Chiu's hepatitis. At the beginning of the story, his disease is in remission, but as it progresses, and his situation gets worse, it relapses, and he begins to get sick. The story then ends with a hepatitis outbreak, although no cause is given.

Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver. The liver is an important part of the body, as its main function is to filter the blood and fight infections. Mr. Chiu's hepatitis may represent the government in China at the time. The Communist Party is now in power after the Cultural Revolution, and the public servants are abusing their power which leads to the events that cause Mr. Chiu's health to decline. The liver (the government) isn't doing its job which causes infection (corrupt officials and police).

The hepatitis could also represent a greater negativity surrounding the people affected by the corrupt government. As Mr. Chiu's situation and health steadily declines, he gets more and more angry and begins to promise revenge. By the end of the story, he is described as an ugly man whispering to himself about vengeance. The story ends as a hepatitis epidemic breaks out in Muji City, where Chiu ate at a series of restaurants following his release from custody. Mr. Chiu's feelings of negativity and hatred towards the government are spreading with the disease.

Raymond Cunningham. "Medical." Flickr, 30 Jun 2009.

Mr and Mrs. Chiu

At the beginning of the story Mr. Chiu is happily married to his new wife. They are at a train station returning home from their honeymoon before he is wrongfully arrested. As the story progresses, he begins to hate his wife, even growing to feel glad that he is imprisoned and not with her. When she tries to help by sending one of his students to get Chiu out of jail, it fails and the student, Fenjin, is arrested. In response Chiu calls her a stupid woman.

His relationship with his wife mirrors his relationship with the Communist Party. Chiu begins the story as a member of the party and a firm believer in Maoist ideology, but by the end he comes to hate it.