Chapter 18 Summary and Analysis

The older four children are involved in varying degrees with the Red Guard and are spending most of their time away from home. One day, Jung is home alone when her father reappears at the doorway. Yu-Fang, her mother, and youngest child return from Peking and Chang Shou-yu is taken to a hospital to be treated for depression. Before Jung returns home from Peking, she'll learn that her parents are being criticized as "capitalist-roaders".

Jung travels to Peking, hoping to see Mao, but ends up in endless military drills and living in deplorable conditions. Everywhere they go toilets are backed up to overflowing and people are crowded into every conceivable nook and cranny. During a train trip, Jung desperately needs to use the restroom but there are people traveling in the toilets on the train. When they stop at a station...