The effect of society on the outcome of an individual’s goals in Lao She’s “Rickshaw Boy”
In our present society, the role of an individual may seem to have little significance in the grand scheme of things. However, the lifestyle one partakes is important, and it will shape not only oneself, but will also influence many of those around, as well as society influencing the role of the individual. In the novel “Rickshaw Boy” by Lao She, the protagonist, Xiangzi, is representative of an average man in the lower class of early 20th century China; starting out as an honest and likeable rickshaw puller in Beiping, he has a slow and gradual descent throughout the novel into the self-centered and tragic man he is by the end. This is certainly
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He will not move up in the world as there is no room to grow, and he will not become rich or powerful as there is no way he can build himself up that high when starting off so low. He is, above all, alone in his life, getting attached to material possessions and money, with no real chance of settling down with a family. Closer to the end of the novel, She even states that “he had gradually come to fit into the ‘rickshaw man’ groove of behaviour,” and “What the average rickshaw man considered proper, he did too... you travel with the crowd or not at all.” This is the life of a rickshaw man.
One factor that can be considered a reason for all this is the individualistic point of view that is so common among this sector of society. The rickshaw pullers care for themselves above all, and it’s easy for this to be taken too far. Xiangzi begins to feel fewer and fewer positive emotions towards others and becomes apathetic to most people in his life. He even goes as far to say that “Worrying about other people is a waste of time.” Though they may have dreams of living in a way where they can take time to care for a family, to help out a friend, the rickshaw pullers ultimately work to keep themselves alive. Perhaps if Xiangzi had been less concerned with the outcome of his own life at the beginning of the novel, things would have turned out differently. As Lao She says, “Someone who
THESIS - When evaluating Arnold “Junior” Spirit from Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Jin Wang from Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese, similarities radiate in both characters as their disparity in race deem the two of them as outcasts in the entirety of society. In addition to their lack of social interactions, their uniformity in their impulsive decisions cost them each a dear friend. Although Junior and Jin are quite similar, they share differences in the way Junior tries bettering himself by fitting into both his Indian and Reardan culture whereas Jin changes himself in every possible way to become Americanized.
“It was not easy to live in Shanghai” (Anyi 137). This line, echoed throughout Wang Anyi 's short piece “The Destination” is the glowing heartbeat of the story. A refrain filled with both longing and sadness, it hints at the many struggles faced by thousands upon thousands trying to get by in the city of Shanghai. One of these lost souls, the protagonist, Chen Xin, was one of the many youths taken from his family and sent to live the in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. Ten years after the fact, Chen Xin views the repercussions of the Cultural Revolution internally and externally as he processes the changes that both he, and his hometown have over-gone in the past ten years. Devastatingly, he comes to the conclusion that there is no going back to the time of his childhood, and his fond memories of Shanghai exist solely in memory. This is in large part is due to the changes brought on by the Cultural Revolution. These effects of the Cultural Revolution are a central theme to the story; with repercussions seen on a cultural level, as well as a personal one.
A third narrative thread is created by stringing together the stories of young Chinese students, both men and women. Their optimistic visions of the future contrast poignantly with the stories of Chen Mengjia and Polat, who expose more of the dark side of China especially the Cultural Revolution. Chen Mengjia committed suicide during the Cultural Revolution. Hessler (2006) interviews an old man about the issue of personal responsibility and political activism and reveals the deeply conflicted nature
Mistakes are often essential factors of one’s wisdom and future success. People can always gain precious life lessons from their flaws, which resemble the pebbles that make a stable and perfect road. In the novel Typical American written by Gish Jen, the protagonist, Ralph Chang, makes a mistake in which he shifts and tortures his original American dream to a false and ‘poisonous’ dream that causes his ultimate familial, moral and financial collapse; in other words, he fails to create a ‘China’ with traditional values in America. However, he actually becomes more mature after gaining a valuable lesson from his flaws. Because of his excessive pride and confidence, Ralph is considered a tragic hero as he commits the tragic flaws that lead to
Described as utopian in nature, the Chinese culture is often in pursuit for the perfect individual, a harmonious and structured society where the citizens as a whole create the ideal culture. In a collection of short stories entitled The Bridegroom, author Ha Jin documents this aspect of reality in homeland China. Primarily for the purposes of instruction and satirical verse, Ha Jin, shows how people are trying to find themselves in a society that focuses on the ‘whole’ of the country rather than the individual. He is able to interconnect this theme of individualism through four major stories in the book while presenting ‘Chineseness’ or satire of fictional verse as a way to focus on the changes throughout China
In The Man Awakened from Dreams, Henrietta Harrison describes the life of Liu Dapeng through his diary entries. Highlighting one man’s story allowed the author “to focus on the details of everyday life” in order to “see how social structures and ideologies interacted in practice” (7). Liu lived from 1857 to 1942 and began his diary in 1891, so information about Liu’s childhood and education is dependent on his memories from that time. Harrison depicts Liu as a conservative scholar and argues that his education and Confucian beliefs provided him opportunities even among the modernization changes of China. Harrison also explores the negative impact of modernization on rural areas by recounting the economic and
Lao Dao also realizes that he is not able to move up in class due to a lack of education for him. This furthers Lao Dao’s feeling of estrangement toward a society he’s apart of because he recognizes that he does not matter, nothing more than a rounding error. Dr. Hao is emphasizing that the lower classes of China do not feel significant to the progression of China because they weren’t given equal opportunity of education as the higher classes. Thus, this allows them to not feel united with the rest of China. I agree with Dr. Hao’s stance on education inequality because it sheds light on the complex problem of the detachment of citizens within a society which I believe to be true.
Lao Tzu once said that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”, which means that no matter how difficult the task, determination requires a necessary prelude for accomplishment (Tzu). People generally perceive accomplishments as the most important aspect of an individual’s value, but ultimately, only oneself can determine their worth and beliefs. The fading of one’s ideals is bound to occur eventually, but the only legacies considered inerasable are deeds. Great men and women are rarely remembered for their beliefs or thoughts; instead they are judged depending on their actions and the resulting consequences.
Mao Dun, or rather his true name Shen Dehong, was a 20th century novelist and later the Minister of Culture of the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to 1965. He is considered one of the most well-known and celebrated left-wing realist writers of modern China and is best known for two of his stories, Ziya and Spring Silkworms, the latter which will be referenced throughout this essay. Spring Silkworms tells the story of an elderly man named Old Tong Bao, his family, and his village as they prepare for the coming silk worm season. Throughout the story, we are able to get a sense of the desperation and turmoil that Old Tong Bao’s village is experiencing. From learning about the debt that his family has, how they had to sacrifice food in
All through time, successive generations have rebelled against the values and traditions of their elders. In all countries, including China, new generations have sought to find a different path than that of their past leaders. Traditional values become outdated and are replaced with what the younger society deems as significant. Family concentrates on this very subject. In the novel, three brothers struggle against the outdated Confucian values of their elders. Alike in their dislike of the traditional Confucian system of their grandfather, yet very different in their interactions with him and others, begin to reach beyond the ancient values of Confucianism and strive for a breath of freedom. Their struggles against the old values
In William Bell’s novel, Forbidden City, Alexander Jackson, a 17 year old Canadian teenager who accompanies his father, Ted, to China for his job as a cameraman. Alex’s experiences during the trip involves learning, protests, and death, demonstrating his positive characteristics. As Alex travels to China, his curiosity in Chinese history and the protest for democracy improves his capabilities as a reporter by relating to the protestors. His selfless nature proves his loyalty to friends and families by putting his own life on the line when they need help. Alex’s wisdom and hardworking skills also make him dependable when others rely on him to help. As a 17 year old, Alex, has many positive characteristics which are shown during in the novel, Forbidden City.
Confucian moral doctrine that placed people into a hierarchical canon is attached by Lu Xun in the novel who advocates for equality as the new philosophy of life. The work is intended to identify feudalism as cannibalism in China and instead call for freedom of
Our Currency, Your Problem is a case involving the issue of exchange rate regimes and the impact currency manipulation has on economies and trade. The United States and Europe argued that the Renminbi (RMB) was undervalued and claimed that the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) deliberately manipulated the exchange rate to lower the prices of exports, which caused the US and Europe to run huge trade deficits with China.
Secondly, in Wang Anyi’s short story, “The Destination,” Chen Xin experiences the changes in his home city, Shanghai, following a ten-year period of life in rural China. In returning home, Chen Xin embarks on a never-ending journey to find true happiness. As a young man, he volunteers himself to move to the countryside in order to avoid the repercussions of the Communist government. The Cultural Revolution,
Jack’s predicament with finding himself being stuck between his original lifestyle and new desire to fit in was cleverly established in the story, drawing my sympathy, as I have also personally experienced this struggle. In the middle of the story when Jack began to realize that his Chinese life was different from others’, he narrated, “Mom learned to cook American style. I played video games and studied French” (4). These succinct sentences stood out, as the surrounding