Mao II Chapters 1-5

          Well, I guess I am going to be completely honest and say that this is going to be a struggle to finish this novel, personally.  I was very confused the first time I began reading this novel.  I was confused with the tie between the prologue and chapter 1 then there's the random conversations that the characters have.  I feel like some of the novel is written with a stream of consciousness because the narrator begins talking about walking on the street and then a thought comes to mind and then something else comes up.  And then I feel like the narrator gives us information without describing it like when one of the characters says she grabs a cigarette even though she hadn't smoked in years...like why?how come?what's the significance?
         I thought the whole wedding cult thing was really weird and I know we talked about the possibility of the wedding being "communist".  I would have to agree with this idea because these couples are giving themselves completely to this "Master" just like in a communist country the people give themselves to the leader.  The people have no control in both situations and someone else is in power over the other.  These couples barely know each other after a few days and are already getting married and being completely separated from each other.  Call me a romantic but there's something to the dating period and getting to know one another.  A wedding should be something intimate--you are bonding one family to another.  The fact that there are thousands of people at this same wedding just make it more cultish and creepy.
     After discussing these first few chapters I feel like I can understand the chapters a little more; I guess I'm not picking up on their humor--especially Bill's.  I realize that we decided that the book was written in the "modern age" but I feel like it's confusing to find this true.  I guess I am still trying to figure out who everyone is and how they are all connected.  I feel like it would be beneficial to have some kind of timeline or summary to look at for each chapter just to help with knowing what's going on.