Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of domestic violence.

Compare and contrast the female protagonists in at least three of the stories from Love in a Fallen City. What characteristics or motivations do they have in common? How do they differ?

How does Eileen Chang use operatic elements or references in her stories? Cite at least three specific instances from different stories in the collection.

Characters like George Qiao and his half-sister in “Aloeswood Incense” and Wang Jiaorui in “Red Rose, White Rose” demonstrate the multicultural and cosmopolitan cultures in Shanghai and Hong Kong. What challenges do pan-international characters face in these stories?