In the story "A Decade" the speaker begins by recounting the incidents of his life in a matter-of-fact way. He tells us of his childhood in China, and of how the Communist policies that were implemented in the country impacted his life and that of his neighbours. He continues telling us about his teacher, and the role that he played in sending her to a reeducation camp. He has now come back to look for her and apologize. However, the woman he finds has been completely destroyed by her experiences, and is clearly bitter and unhappy. The tone of the text towards the end of the story is one of deep regret.
