The Leavers

Polly narrates her own account to Deming. She is currently an English teacher in Fuzhou married to a businessman called Yong. Despite claiming to be self-made, Yong possesses a coveted “urban hukou” (114), or registration that gave him considerable social advantages that now Polly has through their marriage. Polly mentions being on her way home when she hears from Deming. She is experiencing her usual restlessness and a feeling of inauthenticity, as her life feels artificial: “In my gray suit and leather shoes I could pass for a city person” (113). Polly likes walking and travel for the freedom she feels but is aware that her life has been decided now at 40 years old. She met her husband seven years ago when he was her student and believed that she studied English abroad in a university before working as an English teacher. Polly says that now that she is married “the illusion and the reality are one and the same” (114) with respect to her class, but her life remains precarious. She has not told Yong about Deming.

That night, she goes out with Yong and his colleagues, playing her part as an urbane English teacher while Yong’s colleagues speak badly about urban migrants.