M. Butterfly

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual content, gender discrimination, racism, and emotional abuse.

Gallimard complains to Helga about the arrogance of the Chinese. Helga points out that they’re bound to disagree with the Chinese because of the differences between Eastern and Western culture. Gallimard explains that he enjoyed a performance of the death scene from Madame Butterfly but was incensed by the singer’s reaction to the material. Helga is annoyed that the Chinese would even look at opera through a political lens rather than enjoy its beauty. She wonders if the Communists treat their own opera the same way.

Spurred by curiosity over the state of Chinese opera, Gallimard attends one of Song’s performances a month after their first meeting. Song spots him immediately because he’s the only white man in attendance and tells him that she wants to leave because she hates the smell of the masses in the audience. They exit the opera house together and walk through Peking.

Song wishes that Peking had cafés and jazz clubs like a Western city. When Gallimard points out that the Chinese are never allowed to frequent nightclubs, Song points out that this restriction applies only to men; women are allowed inside to entertain the white club owners.