One of the most striking aspects of the book is the vivid expression of the characters' feelings. The main protagonist, Jia Baoyu, is a sensitive, introspective young man who feels deeply about everything around him. From his childhood friend Lin Daiyu to his cousin Xue Baochai, Baoyu is torn between conflicting emotions and desires, struggling to understand his own heart and the world he inhabits.
The relationship between Baoyu and Lin Daiyu is the most poignant and tragic in the novel. They share an intense, almost mystical connection that transcends the boundaries of ordinary friendship. Their love is pure and profound, but also fraught with sorrow and pain. Daiyu is a fragile, melancholic girl who is often misunderstood and mistreated by others. Baoyu is her only confidant and source of comfort in a world that rejects her. Their bond is so strong that they seem to share the same soul, but ultimately they are doomed to suffer the cruel fate of separation and death.
In contrast, Baoyu's relationship with Xue Baochai is more stable and pragmatic. Baochai is a practical, down-to-earth young woman who is admired for her beauty and intelligence. She is the ideal of Confucian femininity, and many people expect Baoyu to marry her and become the heir of the Jia family. Baoyu is both attracted and repelled by Baochai's virtues, and he can't help but compare her to Daiyu. He finds Baochai's company soothing and comforting, but also dull and uninspiring. In the end, he chooses to marry Baochai because of his obligations to his family and society, even though he still loves Daiyu deeply.
Apart from the main characters, many other figures in the book also win the readers' hearts with their complex and fascinating emotions. For instance, the arrogant and ambitious Wang Xifeng, who is both loved and feared by everyone around her, is a tragic heroine in her own right. Her love for her husband Jia Lian is genuine, but also tainted by jealousy and possessiveness. Her fierce loyalty to the Jia family is admirable, but also undermined by her cunning and manipulative nature. She is a woman of contradictions and conflicts, just like every other character in the story.
In conclusion, Red Chamber Dream is a masterpiece of emotional expression. Its characters are not just figures on a page, but living, breathing human beings with all their strengths and weaknesses, joys and sorrows, hopes, and fears. Through their stories, the novel speaks to the deepest parts of our hearts and souls, reminding us of the timeless truths of love, loss, and redemption that bind us all.