Butcher

Author: Wang Xiangfu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: The novel reflects the life of the lower classes through the experiences of Bao Gen, a common family in a northern small town. Bao Gen had been a champion butcher in a meat processing plant, slaughtering pigs his whole life. After the plant closed, he sold pork in the market, honest and fair to customers, toiling like an ox under heavy burdens. Whenever anyone in his family faced difficulties, they would turn to him because he was a man of resourcefulness. He sold pork and thus knew many people; those who ate meat were the ones with resourcefulness, and those with resourcefulness were often officials. However, money still had the ultimate resourcefulness. He was determined to see his son go to college and become a man of resourcefulness, believing that his lifelong work with pigs was not in vain. He found solace in hardship and harbored his own desires. Later, he was beaten and disabled by robbers and had to push a handcart to dodegrading work—delivering pig blood. His son also took over his father’s business—becoming a butcher. Yet he did not despair, encouraging his son: "It’s good to be alive; as long as you’re alive, you can see happiness." "You’ll have a son in the future, so let your son go to college. If your son goes to college, then my generation of pigs hasn’t died in vain." The story of ordinary people is filled with bitterness yet tinged with humor, and the humor only deepens the sorrow. The novel portrays a series of characters who are lifelike, believable, and touching, vividly depicting the state of the lower classes during the transition period. The tone is humorous yet bitter, with a rhythmic cadence that conveys the author’s deep compassion.