Reading this story for the first time confused me a lot. The shifting narration made it hard to follow the first time, but once I re-read it, it wasn't a bad story. Basic plotline is, a Chinese girl gets hit by a train. And it seems like the shifting narration is just to get everyone's different opinions, and to show how everyone is affected by a tragedy. In a small town, everyone knows pretty much everyone so when something happens the news gets around pretty fast. Worst part is, the girl's boyfriend finds out when he's sitting in a coffee shop and overhears a conversation. What a terrible way to find out about the death of the person you love. I'm pretty sure I'd have a breakdown if that's the way I found out about something that terrible... I can't even imagine.
The person most affected in this story seems to be the machinist who couldn't stop the train. I mean, there's nothing you can really do to stop something that huge. Especially if it was way too late by the time the driver spotted her. In my opinion, that would be an absolutely brutal way to go. Drown, catch fire, or get run over by a train? Pretty sure I'd rather catch on fire, THEN drown. No way I'd want to be reemed by those wheels. Would it cut you in half? Well, I suppose it would cut you in three if there's only one of you and two sets of wheels. Again, terribly brutal.
Anyway, it seems that the Chinese girl, Su Lin, was unstable. She was away from her family, and it was evident that she was unhappy in what she was doing. She was in the hospital, and then just decided she was done with life I guess. I bet she didn't want to suffer anymore, especially since she had a mental breakdown and didn't have any family around to support her. She did have a boyfriend, but I mean that only goes so far in comforting a person. I'd love to have the person I'm with by my side, but I'd much rather have family too. The narration in this story shifts from person to person, and it's interesting to see just how much everyone really is connected. All in all, I did like this story.
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