Her story is unusual first because she was such a rebel in her conservative family, and second because her life in China shows how difficult it is to be a woman, even today to an extent, in many foreign countries. She simply was not given the same opportunities as men, and even other Chinese women were. If she had stayed in the States, it would not have been easy, because Chinese-American journalists were not common, either, and then the war broke out, and Asians, especially Japanese, faced heavy persecution in America. However, it is hard to believe that her life would have been as difficult, or as short as it was because of her marriage, and it still seems odd that she threw away her education and her strong desire to succeed for a man.

Flora Belle's story is unique because she was so rebellious at a time when most young women were not, and the ones who were, were "scandalous" and shocking. It seems most Chinese-American households are much more strict than Flora Belle's was. (for example, Amy Tan discusses her youth at a later time, but with a much stricter family, who actually urged her to get an education as a doctor, and balked at her choice to study English and eventually write.) it seems Flora Belle's family was too busy to keep her under control, and so she ran wild, but was not a "bad" girl, except in her own community. She was a very unique individual, and it would be interesting to read more of her letters, poetry, and essays, perhaps published in a full-length book. Her life was sad, but even through hardship, she was able to accomplish a lot more than many other women of her time, and she is both inspiring and a puzzle at the same time. Her life is very different from many Chinese-Americans, and so it is valuable to study what she did and how she accomplished what she did. She could be a role model for many young Asian girls today it seems, if her story was more well-known.

Her story is quite valuable from...

Asian-American Pacific Islanders would appreciate her story, and it seems that if it were more famous, such as Amy Tan's life after her first book, that more people would see how exceptional she was, and how she could be a hero for many young Asian girls. Actually, she could be a hero to just about any young girl who hoped for a better future, and especially young women who hope to be journalists, as she did. Her life is quite interesting, and she really did accomplish a lot, even though she died young and gave up much to follow her husband to his homeland. The history of her life is unique, and yet it is filled with the hatred and persecution of racism, and that could be a valuable lesson to AAPI's, too. Sometimes it is easy to forget what our ancestors went through when they came to this country, and sometimes it is not so easy to ignore the veiled prejudice that still exists in many people. Her life is unique, and yet women and Asians still face difficulties in many areas, and face hatred from people who do not know, or do not care, what it is like to be "different" in a country of whites. Flora Belle's life is inspirational, but it is also representative of the restrictions placed on women of color all over the world. Many things have changed since Flora Belle lived, but sadly, many things are not that far different, either, when it comes to difficulties between the races.
In conclusion, this essay was interesting and inspirational, and it seems it would be even more powerful if Flora Belle's life became more well-known, and her story was expanded into a book, a film, or a documentary. I think I would have liked to have known this woman who fought so hard for what she believed in, but in her heart, was more traditional than perhaps she herself ever realized.