Lao She The Camel Xiangzi Black and White Li

Author: Lao She
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Lao She devoted his entire life to portraying the modern urban society of Beijing, which laid the foundation for his legacy today. As China entered the era of reform and opening up, the urban society gradually emerged from the horizon, and people began to focus more on his artistic experiences. Although Lao She was not as "intellectual" as Lu Xun, he was undoubtedly a great writer who persistently used cultural criticism to depict the social realities of China. The significance of reading Lao She lies mainly in this. This book selects some of the representative works of the "People's Literary Master" Lao She. Among them, Rickshaw Boy tells the tragic story of a rickshaw puller named Xiangzi in the old Beijing of China. Xiangzi came from the countryside, where the increasingly impoverished rural areas made it impossible for him to survive. He came to the city, hoping to build a new life through his honest labor. He tried various jobs and eventually chose to pull rickshaws. This career choice shows that even though Xiangzi had left the land, his way of thinking remained that of a farmer. He was accustomed to individual labor and at the same time longed for a reliable vehicle like the land. Buying a car and becoming an independent laborer—"this was his ambition, hope, and even his religion." The city seemed to offer Xiangzi the opportunity to fulfill his ambition. After three years of hard work, he managed to buy a car, but less than half a year later, it was stolen by others. Yet Xiangzi still refused to give up his dream of owning a car of his own, despite his doubts and several setbacks. He kept getting back up and striving again. It can be said that Xiangzi's stubborn and resilient struggle against life forms the main plot of the novel. The outcome of this struggle, however, ends in failure, as Xiangzi ultimately fails to realize his dream of owning a car. The realism of this novel lies in the fact that it not only depicts the material deprivation Xiangzi suffers under the harsh living conditions but also portrays his spiritual decline after his life's dreams are shattered. "He lost his heart; his heart was taken away by others." Thus, a hardworking and kind rural youth is transformed into a ghostly, jobless vagrant.