Adapted from a novel of the same title, this film depicts a young woman’s transformation from housewife to loyal Communist. This process is presented as “natural” – possessed of inherent logic rather than merely “incidental”. Hence, the film is really about Communist revolution that won over the hearts and minds of Chinese youth.
Mei
During the Lantern Festival, mother took her daughter Xiaomei to a temple fair. Mother bought a beautiful doll for Xiaomei, and asked the master in the toy store to repair the little wooden figure that Xiaomei had damaged. Not long after Xiaomei returned home to play, she burned the legs of the little wooden man, stained the dolls, and threw them in the corner in disgust. Xiaomei falls asleep and dreams of the toys.