RyanCole Weldon-Carroll

Webster
Period 3
5-29-2015

The Cigarette Awakening

Mr. Li1, a history teacher at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China2, glanced

at the clock hanging in the corner of his classroom. Only five more minutes until his last

class ended and he was done for the day. Although Mr. Li was very fond of his job at the

university, this was no easy time to be a teacher in China. In fact, this was no easy time

for anyone in China. Maos reforms during the late sixties have proven to be a very

testing time for the nation of China3. But teachers have had it especially rough with the

formation of the Red Guard4. Teacher after teacher have been beaten and attacked and

assaulted by their own students who claim to be enforcing Maos rules5. Most of them

claimed to be entirely loyal to Mao but Mr. Li knew better. So many counter

revolutionaries are hiding in plain sight these days. But Mr. Li has no reason to fear the

Red Guard for he truly is loyal to Mao. Mr. Li marched with Mao during the second half

of the Chinese civil war6. He was a loyal member of the Peoples Liberation Army7. He

was a true communist. After all, that is how he got his job teaching history, for he truly

knows the story first hand. Finally the bell rung and Mr. Li headed up to the roof for his

daily cigarette.

Mr. Lis smoking was the one time of day that he could truly be alone out sight from ever

watchful eyes8. During his time on the roof, Mr. Li let his mind roam free like he could

do nowhere else. No matter how loyal you were, one always had to be cautious in order

to prevent even a momentary lapse in judgment, for that could be as deadly as a knife. As

Mr. Li finished his cigarette, he let it fall to the ground and crushed it with his shoe, just
RyanCole Weldon-Carroll
Webster
Period 3
5-29-2015

as he crushed any and all wandering thoughts, before he packed up his things and went

home for the day.

Mr. Li was a solitary man. He lived on his own, just a few blocks away from the

university. He liked the fact that he could walk to and from his job every day. Mr. Li had

been in love once before, a long time ago. During his youth, Mr. Li had met a girl named

Aeron9. She was beautiful in the eyes of Mr. Li. They became fast friends and soon spent

time together quite often. Mr. Li was never happier than when he spent time with her.

After they had grown to be inseparable, Mr. Li vowed that he would work up the courage

to tell Aeron how he truly felt about her. But alas, it was not meant to be. Aeron had

feelings for another man, and they were soon married. Mr. Li was crushed and had

nowhere to turn except his country. That is how he became a soldier for communism. In

order to drown out his emotions, he became completely dedicated to his cause. He

worked hard enough to put himself at the very top, an advisor to Mao and a leader of the

communist cause. Mr. Li never recovered from his love of Aeron. Even after he left the

army to work at the university, his heart has never been able to move on.

Teaching at the university has its perks. Mr. Li greatly enjoys teaching kids about

the history of their great nation10; in particular, the Chinese civil war. It brings him great

pride to be able to recount stories from his own war experience to be able to share with

his students. And it also brings him great joy at how the students look at him with sheer

admiration when the stories are told. The students hold their breath as he recounts tales of

great Chinese victories and some terrible losses. The students cant seem to get enough.
RyanCole Weldon-Carroll
Webster
Period 3
5-29-2015

Mr. Li fascinates them with other historical tales as well. For his most recent

lesson, he taught them about the uprising of communism in China.

China endured a great deal of suffering in order to become the Communist China

that we know today, Mr. Li explains to his class.

A student sitting in the back of the classroom shouts, Well I am glad that all of

that suffering has ended for good.

Actually, Im sure there are people suffering in many areas of China today, Mr.

Li responded. As soon as those words escaped Mr. Lis lips his entire body froze. It

appeared to Mr. Li that the entire world had frozen around him. All the color drained

from Mr. Lis face as he stood there motionless with the rest of the world. Mr. Li could

not believe that he let those words escape from his lips. Those innocent, meaningless,

unknowingly-harmful, life-ending words. He did the unthinkable and let his guard down.

Mr. Li finally forced himself to look around the room to see if anyone had caught those

words. His eyes finally stopped on a student sitting against the wall. His gaze was

reciprocated with a stare so powerful it was as if those black eyes were borrowed from

the devil and they were looking right through his flesh and into his soul. The ringing of

the bell brought Mr. Li back to consciousness and he finally broke his gaze away from

those eyes. Mr. Li didnt wait for all his students to leave as usual. He left for his spot on

the roof as fast as he could. He fumbled for a cigarette they fell out of his shaking hands

and dropped to the floor. As he bent down to pick them up he saw a figure approaching
RyanCole Weldon-Carroll
Webster
Period 3
5-29-2015

him from behind. As calmly as he could Mr. Li stood up and turned to face his student.

Sure enough he was met with those same black eyes.

Hello Mr. Li, the student said with attitude that was as smug as could be. Or

should I call you traitor instead.

Whatever you think you heard in there, I can assure you that it was completely

misinterpreted, Mr. Li tried to explain.

Oh I know exactly what I heard. After all these years youre starting to doubt

Mao and communism. Youve forgotten its true greatness. And as a member of the Red

Guard, its my job to make sure you remember one way or another.

Thats not true! Mr. Li pleaded. I still trust in communism completely. There is

no need for you to turn me in!

Dont you get it Mr. Li? All those stories that you tell us about you being a war

hero, and its my turn now. Your time is up. Now its my turn to be a hero just like you

were! Once I turn you in, Im going to be a real hero, not just some legend like you 11.

At that moment Mr. Li realized his fate. All his faith in communism and China and

it had gotten him here. It was time he took control of his own life.

Youre not going to be a hero today. Not if I can help it! Mr. Li Charged at the

student before he had time to react, and he reeled backwards. During the split second that

the student teetered on the edge, Mr. Li caught the look of total fear and hopelessness in

the students eyes. Then he was gone. Mr. Li had seen that look many times before during

his time in battle. It brought back a dormant feeling of confidence, control, and
RyanCole Weldon-Carroll
Webster
Period 3
5-29-2015

heinousness that had long been locked away since the war. Mr. Li coolly strolled back to

the middle of the roof. He reached down and picked up his pack of cigarettes. With hands

as steady as a surgeon, Mr. Li pulled one out, lit it, took a deep breath in, and watched the

smoke drift above the sun setting over the buildings all the while hearing screams from

the street below.

1Li was a popular Chinese last name during the time of the Cultural Revolution.

2 The Shanghai Jiao Tong University is a public research university that was founded in
1896, located in Shanghai, China.

3 Maos reforms in China would come to be known as the Cultural Revolution, a period of
unease for the nation of China.

4 The Red Guard was a group of children that terrorized adults by enforcing Maos
extremely strict form of communism.

5 Mao Zedong was a Communist leader during the time of the Chinese civil war, the
Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution.

6 The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Nationalists and the Communists. It was
interrupted for a short time by the invasion of Japan and then resumed.

7 The Peoples Liberation Army was the name of the Communist army that fought during
the civil war.

8 After the end of the opium addiction in China, smoking grew in popularity.

9 Aeron is a Chinese name that means berry.

10 Mao forced the glorification of Chinese history in school as a form of propaganda in

order to expand his popularity.

11 The Red Guard was encouraged to turn in any teachers that seemed to be wavering in
their belief of Communism.