Can a flower not bloom

Author: Deng Yiguang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-05-01
Features: This is a coming-of-age novel that tells a story about the right to life. The beautiful and healthy protagonist, Tong Beidi, was violated by others during her teenage years, which made her an outcast in the eyes of the public and a life burdened by guilt. As a result, she suffered from people's contempt and constant ridicule. She transferred schools, went to the countryside, moved to Koucheng, got married, divorced, remarried, and divorced again—all beyond her own control. It is a tragedy of life. In nature, a flower blooms or withers naturally due to sunlight and rain. But if society forces a life to open in a way it does not desire, does that life have the ability and right not to open? From the very beginning of her life, the protagonist lacked the right to her own existence. The evaluations from society, under the guise of sunlight and rain, dominated her life, making her live as someone she no longer recognized. The world is vast, with ever-increasing possibilities for how one can live. Why should we not accept each other? Moreover, humans are like countless grains and flowers—life has its own logic. Where there is reason, there is right, and right is the very essence of life. It is something we should preserve and cherish in the cramped and pressing world we live in. The novel features delicate and vivid language, an engaging and dynamic plot, and lifelike characters, leaving readers moved and deeply reflective.