This film is adapted from the novel of the same title by RuthAnne Lum McCunn.  It tells the story of a young woman, Lalu, sold into prostitution by her father in China.  Lalu is eventually sold to a slave merchant and taken to the American West, where she is auctioned off to a saloonkeeper in Idaho.  The saloonkeeper intends to sell or offer her as entertainment to miners of the area, but Lalu refuses to become a prostitute.  Later known as "Polly Bemis,"  Lalu navigates an often brutal world of physical and emotional abuse in this country of "white demons" and ultimately regains her self-respect and personal dignity.  According to the author, this is essentially a true story, though a few ficticious characters and events have been added for dramatic effect.
 

 Questions:

1.  For many Chinese immigrants, the American West was known as "Gold Mountain," a place where with hard work and luck they could achieve the "American dream" of wealth and security in the mining districts of the region.  How does Lalu -- and other young Chinese women like her -- experience "Gold Mountain"?  What other difficulties did Chinese immigrants face as they attempted to fully achieve the "American dream"?

2.  Does this film offer a realistic portrait of racial relations in this small mining town?  Does the film depict accurately the relationships between women and men in this mostly male community?  What are some of the challenges that women in particular faced in such a setting?

3.  In what ways does Lalu sever her ties with her Chinese background?  Even though it seems that she can never completely be an "American," why does she make those efforts to be "less Chinese"?  What do her attitudes toward whites and Chinese tell you about the larger immigrant experience in the West?

4.  Describe the relationship between Charlie and Lalu.  How does this relationship permit Lalu to regain her self-respect and dignity?