Many authors use different types of form to inform their content, enhance their stories, and emphasize the messages they are trying to convey. Yiyun Li uses this technique effectively in her short story collection, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, using repetition as a means to inform the content. The repetition of the word "promise" in Love in the Marketplace and the concept of empty promises versus fulfilled promises in The Princess of Nebraska create meaning in these tales by emphasizing the need for shared values ​​and a mutual understanding of commitment in order to find belonging and true love, as demonstrated by the characters in these stories. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In Love in the Marketplace, the repetition of the word "promise" throughout Sansan's character development shows his belief in the essentiality of a mutual understanding of promise and commitment to keeping promises to truly find love, and how love without these essential components cannot be successful. Sansan first falls in love with a man who makes an empty promise to her, which she discovers when he falls in love with another woman. Sansan feels betrayed, but realizes that because her values ​​were different from his, their love could never have succeeded. He reflects on this realization: “The fact that they both broke their promises, as painful as it is and always will be, no longer matters. What remains significant are Tu and Min's marriage vows to each other” (101). This quote shows how much Sansan values ​​promises and knows that because Tu broke his, he can never love him. She has become aware that she does not belong to You and will never be able to, due to her lack of understanding of the promise. Later in the story, another use of the word "promise" is used to show how Sansan is separated from Tu. others, due to his unorthodox views on love in his society. Repetition is also used to continue to emphasize Sansan's values. When Sansan's mother is planning an arranged marriage for Sansan because she is desperate for a husband, Sansan explains that she wants “a love story [that] is more than a love story with a man. A promise is a promise, a vote remains a vote..." (104). The context of this quote shows how Sansan has not yet found a sense of belonging, due to his unique ideas about love. Furthermore, the language of the quote regarding the repetition of the words “promise” and “vow” highlights the extent to which Sansan believes in these words and the power they hold in his search for true love. , the word "promise" is repeated one last time at the end of the tale, marking the resolution of Sansan's conflict. When Sansan is at the market, he finds someone who shares his values ​​and understands promise and commitment, as illustrated in the quote: ""...After all these years, he finally meets someone who understands what a promise is. As crazy as they may seem to the world, they are not alone and will always find each other” (110). This quote and the final use of the word “promise” in this tale shows that Sansan finally finds belonging after searching and distinguishing for so long. Furthermore, because they both understand the promise, she no longer has to fear empty promises, because she believes that those who share her beliefs understand the promise and commitment the same way she does, which will protect them from breaking their promises. a in Love in the Marketplace, repetition is also used in Princess of Nebraska. There.