The Letters

I am in agreement with Meryn's post about the series of letters being intriguing and his "experiment" being cruel. It seems that the play might be playing with gender roles (especially considering what the back cover reveals!) and the idea that this self-proclaimed ugly man is "experimenting" with a beautiful women, toying with her mind and emotions in order to manipulate her is very interesting. Despite seeming low self- esteem, Gallimard has a wife who he does not love and is playing with Song, letting her write these letters of sorrow and regret without response. She seems to be a beautiful, empowered woman of China and has many admirers, yet she has become a victim of this manipulative game. The first letter is sort of friendly, acknowledging the fact that there might be a problem, but she hopes to move past it. The succeeding letters become more and more desperate, and Gallimard becomes more and more "in control" of the situation. He has made Song feel bad for rejecting his sexual advances and empowered himself. This is also interesting because of the difference in American women and Chinese women. According to Gallimard, Chinese women want to be treated badly. Perhaps this is why he thinks he can act in this manner.
Gallimard's character, based on the account of these letters and his lack of response, until he feels Song is in her most vulnerable position, is one that seems detestable. I am curious to see how he is further developed in the play, and how else David Henry Hwang will use gender roles and different cultures expectations of these.