Oh, 'The Vagrants' is one of those books that lingers. For discussion, I’d zero in on
The Women—Nini, Bashi’s mother, Mrs. Hua. Their struggles are so different yet tied together by societal expectations. How does Li critique gender roles here? Also, the violence isn’t graphic, but it’s suffocating. Does that subtlety make it more disturbing?
Then there’s the title itself. 'Vagrants' could mean the literal homeless, but also those adrift in life, like Teacher Gu. And the collective guilt theme—how everyone’s complicit in some way. I’d ask if the book feels like a warning or just a mirror. Personally, I finished it feeling heavy but
grateful for the honesty.