Lu Xun’s Diary of a Madman (狂人日记): Theme, Symbolism and Social Criticism
Q. Discussion on 鲁迅's “狂RENJPY记(Diary of a Madman)
Answer: 鲁迅 (Lu Xun)'s famous work “狂RENJPY记 (Diary of a Madman)” is a very important
story in Chinese modern literature. This story was written in 1918. It is
considered to be the first modern white (Baihua) language story in Chinese
literature. Through this work, Lu Xun has deeply attacked the old thinking,
superstition and rigid social system of Chinese society.
This story is written in the form of a diary. It depicts the thoughts of
a person who is considered “mad” by society. But in reality only that person
understands the reality of the society best. The story begins with an
introduction, in which it is told that the author has found the diary of an old
acquaintance. After this, the mental condition of that “mad” person and his
fears are shown in the pages of the diary.
The main character of the story begins to believe that the people around
him “eat humans”. He starts doubting his neighbours, doctors and even his
brother. He feels that the entire society is part of a system in which the weak
are oppressed. This idea of “eating a man” is actually a symbol. It means
that the powerful people in the society exploit the weak people.
History books are also mentioned in the story. A mad person sees the
words “仁义道德” i.e. morality and religion written in those books and
the words “吃文” i.e.
“eating humans” hidden behind them. By this the author wants to show that old
moral rules and traditions look good on the outside, but on the inside they are
harmful to people.
The character of brother is very important in this composition. The
brother appears kind and understanding on the outside, but he is also part of
the same “man-eating” social system. This makes it clear that exploitation
exists not only in the outside society but also within the family. Family also
sometimes destroys a person's freedom.
The madness of a “mad” person actually reflects his awareness. Those who
call him mad, themselves follow the bad traditions of the society without
questioning it. Lu Xun wants to show that a person speaking the truth often
seems abnormal to society, whereas, in reality, he is the most intelligent one.
The most impressive sentence of the story is – “Save the children”. This
sentence comes at the end of the story. This means that the new generation
should be freed from old and rigid traditions. The author hopes that children
can create a better and more humane society.
This story is very simple from language point of view. Common spoken
language has been used in this. Due to the diary style the story seems more
real and impressive. Short sentences and direct language make a deep impact on
the reader.
In the end, it can be said that “狂People中文” is not just a story, but a work that shows
the mirror to the society. This story forces us to think whether we too are
part of a system that harms others. This work is important at the university
level because, along with literature, it also presents deep thoughts on society
and humanity.
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