The Ghost Bride

How does The Ghost Bride illustrate the tensions between British colonial society and traditional Chinese and Malaysian culture? How do these tensions impact the lives of the characters?

The Ghost Bride deeply explores the position of women in Chinese and colonial society. How does it demonstrate the ways that women are subjugated? By contrast, how does it show the ways they exercise their power?

Examine the use of time as a recurring theme or motif in the novel. How are the characters impacted by time and in what ways do they work to control it?

Familial relationships are a central theme of The Ghost Bride. Choose one relationship to analyze, considering its influence on the characters’ motivations and choices.

Though Li Lan is presented as a character who does not conform to tradition, in the end, she must still decide whether to choose Tian Bai or Er Lang as her husband. Does this ending undermine the message of empowerment that pervades the text? Why or why not? Use examples from the text to support your response.

In Chinese folklore, the afterlife is governed by a bureaucratic system that requires the same sort of documentation and official approval to get things done as in the living world. What does this mean for Er Lang and his investigation? How do these rules work for and against the characters?

Identify and analyze some of the literary devices and tropes commonly used in the mystery genre that can be found in The Ghost Bride. How does the novel adhere to the expectations of this genre and how does it subvert them?

How does The Ghost Bride characterize the concepts of Death and the Afterlife across various religious traditions? Use examples from the text to support your response.