"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See Quiz

Answer: China

This book is set in nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county. The author actually visited China before writing the book so that she could do some research.

Answer: nu shu

Nu shu is a type of writing that was developed by the women in that part of China so that they could communicate with one another.

Answer: Lily

Lily narrates the story. She tells the story from her perspective as an old woman in her 'sitting quietly' days.

Answer: Madame Wang

Madame Wang is Snow Flower's blood aunt, and she is also the go-between who arranges both Lily and Snow Flower's marriages and their relationship with each other as laotong.

Answer: True

Up until the late nineteenth century (early to mid-twentieth century in some areas) it was customary for girls of good standing to have their feet bound. It was considered beautiful for women to have small feet which they called 'golden lilies'. The footbinding process involved binding the feet and breaking the bones in order to reshape the foot to the desired size and shape.

Answer: a fan

At the beginning of their 'laotong' relationship, Snow Flower sends Lily the fan. Lily breaks with tradition and sends the same fan back to Snow Flower with her response instead of sending a different gift. They continue to use the fan to document important events and messages during their lives.

Answer: She was stung by a bee

Lily, Snow Flower, and Beautiful Moon were all working on the items for their dowry. It was very hot, so Lily's dad and uncle set up a canopy outside so that the girls could escape some of the heat inside. While they were working outside, Beautiful Moon was stung by a bee and started to swell up tremendously. She died before anything could be done to help her.

Answer: old same

The author gives the meaning of 'laotong' as "old same." The relationship they shared was supposed to be the most special in their lives. To be 'laotong' they had to have eight characteristics (such as foot size, economic situation, birthday, etc.) match up to show that they were indeed the 'same'.

Their relationship was supposed to last forever and they even had to write a contract as little girls when they first began their relationship as 'laotong'.

Answer: Lady Lu

Lily's husband's family was very important in Tongkou. After the death of her in-laws, Lily and her husband become the new Master and Lady Lu.

Answer: typhoid

Once one of Lily's nephews began to show symptoms, Lily took all of her children and enclosed them in her room with her. She swept three times a day to scare any ghost spirits. She also fed her children 'congee' since she figured it was the safest thing for them to eat.