comment on structure

The novel begins with Happy attempting to transport Wufu's corpse on a train back to Freshwind. The subsequent chapters are a description of chronological events, from their departure from Freshwind to the city of Xi'an, that lead to Wufu's death. It has a circular structure that begins and ends with Wufu's body, and the middle of the novel serves to explain how and why Wufu meets his fate. The novel's focus on the pursuit of money, the difference between city and country, and the loyalty among migrant workers serve as thematic centers that further explain why Wufu died in the matter that he did and the tragedy that his spirit must remain in Xi'an as an unquiet ghost.