My name is Victor Krüeger, and I am a senior majoring in Chinese and International Business. I was born and raised in Sweden, but came here for college to do something different and really learn about the US, which is reported on in a skewed way in Europe. College in the States was also a unique way for me to combine higher education with my passion for tennis; I have competed for the varsity team here all four years.
North Central College has been a very international experience for me. Every year, I have met and made good friends with students from continents all around the world. It has been an enriching experience that I never foresaw before arriving to the States, and it opened my eyes for foreign cultures. This, along with a strong language interest and intense conviction from my China-advocating advisor, I began studying Chinese as a sophomore. The peak of my Chinese studies so far was last semester when I studied abroad in China. That experience added context and a deeper understanding to the Chinese I have learnt at North Central College. It also excelled my language learning process, which greatly aids now when I am taking my final Chinese classes this winter and spring semester.
Implied in the added understanding of the Chinese language while I was in China is that I deepened my learning of the Chinese culture, and I also gained a greater appreciation of it. Fittingly, I am currently taking an independent study class analyzing The Story of the Stone in Chinese. My independent study objective is to examine the actions and motives of characters in positions of leadership and management in The Story of the Stone to better understand factors that determine a good leader in the eyes of the Chinese. My method to do so is to study selected episodes from the novel and then evaluate my findings in Chinese.
I find it enticing to follow along with the work of this group as it may provide additional insight to my study. In August, I will start my first full-time job in China. Before that, I have a work commitment for the month of July. It is therefore unclear in the present if I will be joining the group for all or some of the traveling this summer. However, I am happy to work along with you guys for now.
I have closely studied certain chapters and at this point chapter 3 is the chapter I find most applicable for my focus on leadership & management. My questions below will therefore circulate around this chapter. I first want to draw attention to the character that – according to me – stood out the most in chapter 3: Wang Xifeng. She is an unorthodox character – considering her gender and the time of the novel – with her straightforward ways and self-assured demeanor. Interestingly, her reception among American readers is far better than among the Chinese. I would like to know how each one of you perceived Wang Xifeng when we first got to know her during Daiyu’s reception in chapter 3. Without changing your mind from what I just declared, what were your original thoughts and impressions about Wang Xifeng when she was introduced in the novel?
Chinese and American cultures are quite different. When Daiyu arrived in chapter 3, were there memorable acts that in your opinion any of the hosts in the Rong-Guo Mansion performed? Are these acts in your opinion typically Chinese, or would you expect to see the same in a US American setting?
Throughout the novel so far, have there been any examples of leadership that have made impressions on you? What have made these acts of leadership so compelling?
Lastly, I am generally interested in what opinion you have about Daiyu so far. Please, list three words or two to three sentences that illustrate your stance.
The Story of the Stone 