Analyzing and Understanding Literature: Flower Net and It's Chapter Summaries

Even though we often wish to have a greater understanding of literature and literary processes, it can sometimes be hard to find a simple and easy way to do such a thing. However, one great way to begin teaching ourselves to analyze and understanding literature is to take any given book and look at it chapter by chapter or piece by piece. This can build our analysis skills and help us learn what information we should be picking up on when we read and look at literature. Thankfully, detective fiction is a great place to start doing this, the chapters are short, the information comes quick, and there is much to pick up on. In that spirit, we present here the chapter summaries and analysis from Chapters 13 through 16 of Lisa See's detective novel, Flower Net.

Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen begins with Hulan and David attempting to find out more information about the two boys and what they may have been involved with that resulted in their deaths. The two visit the University of Southern California, where Billy and Guang were both students. They find out that the two had both dropped out of school many years ago and that neither were very dedicated students. They learn that they both spent a lot of time out on the Watson's ranch in Butte, Montana. They call the sheriff's office and find out that Billy and Guang had many parties at the ranch, and primarily invited pretty girls and cowboys. After this revelation, they go to visit Guang Mingyun's brother, and learn some details about the Guang family and what has become of the different members. They learn that Guang Mingyun made his fortune in China and has done very well for himself over the years. Even though David and Hulan learn a great deal of information throughout this chapter, it still seems difficult to put a lot of it together. Surely, something must be significant about the parties in the ranch in Butte, and the cowboys may even have a part of what the two boys were involved with. Also, it may be that the Guang family has more to do with the entire matter than they are letting on. However, only time will reveal the answers to these mysteries.

Chapter 14

Realizing that part of the business in America must have to do with smuggling, David and Hulan go to the Los Angeles International Airport. After a brief struggle, two suspected traffickers are arrested. When their belongings are searched, it turns out that they were both attempting to bring in bear bile, an exotic and illegal substance which has a street value higher than heroin. The team then realizes that this is an excellent opportunity to get closer to what has been going on and finally solve a few of the questions that have been plaguing them. They decide to set up Zhao as a decoy in order to pretend to make the drop. In this chapter, we finally learn what the two young men were involved in and what they were doing that made them so much money. Apparently, the sale and trade of illegal animals has become the next big thing on the market, and stands to make those who are involved a substantial amount of money. However, one cannot escape the feeling that things are not going to go well for Zhao, and that perhaps the matter is not as clear cut as it seems right now. For, we still have to deal with the question of why Billy and Guang were killed when they were apparently involved with this entire scheme.

Chapter 15

Following through with the plan first proposed in chapter fourteen, Zhao is fitted with a wire and sent out to locate Spencer Lee and make the drop that was originally intended to be done by the passengers onboard the plane. After a bit of confusion, Zhao finds his way to Lee's residence and makes the deal for the illegal animal components. We also learn that there is a steady stream of the materials coming in and that Mingyun is somehow connected to the entire thing. After making the deal, Spencer Lee is arrested and put in jail. However, at the end of the chapter, the triads have their revenge. Noel Gardner is murdered and so is Zhao. Although the deaths at the end of the chapter are indeed sad, one cannot escape the fact that they are going to be the first of many that will trail Stark and Hulan as they finish their investigation. Also, we can be sure that Spencer Lee is triad and also that there will likely be a lot of backlash for Stark and Hulan. However, perhaps future chapters will reveal more details and make the situation far more clear than it is right now.

Chapter 16

As predicted earlier, chapter sixteen deals primarily with the fall out from the events which took place in chapter fifteen. First, a trial is conducted for Lee, and he receives the ability to post bail. However, soon after he leaves, he is able to escape and then returns to China. However, it is later learned that he is arrested as his flight lands. After these events take place, Hulan and Peter are recalled to China, and David takes it upon himself to go with them, even though it may mark the end of his career. However, one cannot help but wonder why the three are increasingly fascinated with this case. More and more, it seems as if the mysteries have been revealed and that going on further is not only unnecessary, it is rather stupid. David and Hulan, as well as Peter, are putting themselves into incredible danger, and this danger is only likely to be amplified as the stakes get higher.