Factory Girl

Study Guide

Chang, L. (2008). Factory girls. From village to city in a changing China. New York: Spiegel & Grau. ISBN 978-1-60751-885-3 (paperback)

Directions: Before beginning this assignment, please read the book, “Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China”. Then, answer the questions posed below. Your answers should be reflective, indicating a clear understanding of the book’s content, and demonstrate a level of understanding and discernment appropriate for a global HR professional.

1. The author, Leslie Chang, contends that “the history of a family begins when a person leaves home”. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Tell why, and then give examples from your own life or from published material outside this book to defend your opinion.

2. Chang informs the reader that migrant factory workers “use a simple term for the move that defines their lives: chuqu, to go out. There was nothing to do at home, so I went out. This is how a migrant story begins”. The story’s two protagonists, Lu Qingmin (Min) and Wu Chunming, both left home to work in the city. What was life like for the girls in their home villages? How old were they when they initially left home, and why did each choose to go out into the world?

3. Each girl faced significant challenges upon her arrival in the city, and also faced difficulties in her respective factory. What do you think were the most difficult aspects of their new lives in the city, and which of these aspects would be most difficult for you?

4. Describe the benefits of leaving home to become a factory girl. Even though their lives seem unstable and full of never-ending challenges, both Min and Chunming mature and develop in exceptional ways from their experiences. How does each girl change—physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and financially, as a result of leaving home? What are the clear advantages of taking control of their own...