“If literature truly possesses a mysterious power, I think perhaps it is precisely this: that one can read a book by a writer of a different time, a different language, and a different culture and there encounter a sensation that is one’s very own” (Hua 61). This quote said by Yu Hua speaks volumes about his feelings for reading and writing. There were many times in the novel that he suddenly remembered a feeling by writing it. There were also times when the reader experienced an emotion that was completely his or her own by reading the words he put on paper. Hua presents the reader with several stories from his early childhood in which he learned to read and write. From an early age he learned that words have meaning and the power to change a person’s life, for better or for worse, and although he did not have the best conditions to become a writer growing up, he still managed to make a name for himself with what he was dealt in life. Although Yu Hua had limited literature to read, he still managed to fall in love with reading.
During the Cultural Revolution, the government
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In the China that Yu Hua grew up in, many people read banned novels, copied novels, and read novels that were in the worse conditions. From an early age, children knew the power of writing; it was evident through the big-character posters. The posters would turn neighbor against neighbor and, rarely, families would fall apart, and the victim would occasionally take his or her own life. Teachers resorted to asking school aged children to defame their character. In China in Ten Words, Yu Hua writes, “…if you don’t write, then you won’t know what you’re capable of creating” (Hua 80). He wrote and he read even when he had nothing and in doing that, it has made all the difference in his
What makes reader to see an feel that ? The literary elements used by author to describe and coll or this main character through his journey to find the answer to all of the question arisen in a upcoming situations.
In the video, Grant Voth explains the main concept of Chinese literature. Unlike Greek literature, which emphasizes the importance of heroism, Chinese stories (e.g. poems) depict ordinary people and life lessons. An example of a Chinese poem is the “Boat of Cypress.” In the “Book of Cypress,” an unknown person (possibly a woman) seemed to be forced to do something she did not want to do. Based on this main idea in the story, it sets a distinctive mood throughout the story, particularly negative feelings and thoughts from the protagonist. Another Chinese story is “The Analects,” which was an assortment of ideas by the Chinese philosopher Confucius and his students. This story mainly shares details concerning human relationships (which
The constant changing of technology and social norms makes difficult for different generations to understand one another and fully relate to each other. Diction and slang change as years pass and what is socially acceptable may have been prohibited in the previous generations.
The idea that resulted in the Little Seamstress leaving the mountain maybe viewed as ironic by the reader. The ideas of being different and individual, that Lou held and put to practice were what communist Leader Chair man Mao Zedong originally feared. This was why the texts were originally banned in the first place, and viewed as revolutionary trash. As it was thought that they may result in an u...
There is no better way to learn about China's communist revolution than to live it through the eyes of an innocent child whose experiences were based on the author's first-hand experience. Readers learn how every aspect of an individual's life was changed, mostly for the worst during this time. You will also learn why and how Chairman Mao launched the revolution initially, to maintain the communist system he worked hard to create in the 1950's. As the story of Ling unfolded, I realized how it boiled down to people's struggle for existence and survival during Mao's reign, and how lucky we are to have freedom and justice in the United States; values no one should ever take for
Tan makes an appeal to emotion with the connections she describes. A connection between a mother and daughter that is wrought with emotion is as relatable as humaneness is to a human. There is a soft declaration to be found in Tan’s statement, “I knew I had succeeded where it counted when my mother finished reading my book and gave me her verdict: “So easy to read.” Tan gains trust by appealing to emotion with something as understandable as the loving and more often than not tension riddled connection between a mother and her daughter. Tan incorporates the intimacy of the “broken” language in correlation to her husband with these words, “It has become our language of intimacy, a different sort of English that relates to family talk, the language I grew up with” (Tan 1). Under the assumption that Louis DeMattei (Tan’s husband) has no prior history with the Chinese Language Tan makes an important point of the use of the “broken” language she learned from her mother. Demattei doesn’t inquire or correct Tan when she switches between the English she acquired from the vast expanses of English literature and the English she acquired from her mother. Tan says, “he even uses it with me,” there is an implied level of comfort within the relationship she has with her husband. Tan shares what is viewed as “broken” and in need of fixing with Demattei and he reciprocates, leaving them
The novel is about two teenagers. "Luo, who is good a story telling and an unnamed narrator, "a fine violin player" who are sent to be re-educated after the Chinese cultural revolution. They are sent to a mountain called "Phoenix of the Sky because their parents were publicly denounced and recognized as enemies of people. The general idea behind the Cultural Revolution was element of control. And Mao thought that all intellectuals were a thread to his power. The reason for that was that most of the intellectuals had the ability to think for themselves. Mao foun...
“I don’t want to be part of this kind of denying reality. We live in this time. We have to speak out” (Klayman). Ai Weiwei is an internationally known Chinese artist as well as activist, and his motivation and determination can be summed up by this quote. In all of his pieces, Weiwei critically examines the social and administrative issues facing China today. Many of his works exhibit multiple themes that can be interpreted in various different ways. This lends itself to the universal appeal of his art and makes it a more effective medium of conveying his messages to viewers. Ai Weiwei’s activist artwork—and activist artwork in general—is important to society because it effectively forces the viewer to engage in a self-reflective process that makes the viewer critically examine his or her own beliefs and world. Nevertheless, censorship greatly hinders the dissemination of the critical and thought provoking messages of Ai Weiwei’s art and makes his artwork less effective. In order to gain a better understanding of the relationship of Ai Weiwei’s activist art and the Communist Party’s subsequent censorship, I will examine Ai Weiwei’s influential childhood, his specific brand of activist artwork, the censorship of the Chinese government and the effects of censorship on the effectiveness of Ai Weiwei’s art.
In the library she would alternate what types of books they would read. Whenever she would read to him she would read in a way that made you cling to every word the author wrote. In times like these, Rodriguez would become engaged in these books. “I sat there and sensed for the very first time some possibility of fellowship between reader and writer, a communication, never intimate like that I heard spoken words at home convey, but nonetheless personal.” (Rodriguez 228). During this part of Rodriguez’s life, his view towards books changed.
Often in novels the author 's use of style, technique, and structure create a greater meaning in the novel. In Paradise of the Blind by Duong Thu Huong, the use of style, technique, and structure work in tandem to emphasize Hang’s journey to find her own individual purpose. By using circular writing, symbols, and setting, Huong establishes the theme that one must find one’s own purpose.
For as long as language in its most rudimentary form was created, people have never stopped writing stories. Before people wrote things down, stories and legends were passed down by the elders of a family or tribe. Over time, things can be forgotten, and that is why it is important to write these things down. Stories were created to teach children good from bad, to inspire people to do great things, and for general enjoyment. These stories have taken many forms ever since the original spoken tale. Movies, comics, television shows, and much more have been introduced in order to tell more intricate stories. One of the best, and original mediums for story keeping is a book. A good book can elicit any emotion from you, just as a film or television show could. A good writer knows how to take hold of an audience, and allow them to explore a whole new world as they are sitting on a couch. Both Shakespeare's Hamlet and George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords are considered to be amazingly written stories. It is interesting to see how two highly pleasing books relate to each other, a...
This novel tells the story of Wang Lung. He is a man who rises from being a poor farmer to a very wealthy man because of his faith in the good earth. In the beginning of the story Wang Lung tries to see as little water as possible because he feels safest with his land under his feet. His family is very poor so he must feed his father corn gruel and tea.
The literary element characterization played a major role in this novel. In the story there
the writer allows the reader to see what he sees, to hear what he hears, and to feel what he feels, and thus experience his sensitivity to the sights and sounds of nature. This way both the writer and reader are now in harmony with one another.
Reading comes alive as the reader falls into the author’s voice and connects to the protagonist. When individuals read they involuntarily relate themselves to the protagonist. Therefore, a slightly different meanings of the story is created based on the individual’s personal experiences and beliefs. For instance, a novel could be considered a humorous parody of chivalric romance, but another individual could view the work as containing a serious philosophical message. This is a common scenario for Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote in which individuals can conclude many different meaning, and character analysis. Miguel de Cervantes constructed a complex character, who over time has been regarded as a madman, dreamer, or a man in the midst of