Surging Spring -- Modern and Contemporary World Literature Series

Author: (German) Walser (Walser, M.) wrote, translated by Wei Maoping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The novel is set in a small town on the shores of Lake Constance in Germany, narrating the protagonist John's experiences from age 6 to 18, reflecting the dark and barbaric history of Germany from 1932 to 1945. The author was once recommended for the Nobel Prize in Literature for several consecutive years. Wolves were at the helm, and the family was poor. At a young age, John helped out in his mother's restaurant and transported coal for the villagers, but it still couldn't change the family's financial struggles. The business was dire, the market was depressed, bringing endless worries and fears to the whole family. For survival, the virtuous mother had no choice but to join the Nazi Party. The father was a pacifist, always dreaming of unrealistic things, trying to establish a breeding farm, raise silver foxes, and even partner with friends to produce magnetic therapy devices for healing. His failures and incompetence made him feel guilty towards his family, and he died young. John grew up, fell in love with the circus performer Anita, and his physical intimacy with the girl made him mature both psychologically and physically. During a Nazi raid on the circus, he bravely stood up for the victims, even breaking ties with his friend Adolf. To visit the beloved girl in a distant place, John skipped school and stayed out late, even disregarding his mother's worries. The war intensified, and the small town lost its former tranquility, filled with refugees whose hearts were broken. John was forced to pursue his dreams of becoming a singer and poet but enlisted in the war,. After a brief period as a prisoner of war, he returned home to reunite with his family, only to find that his brother had died in battle. Time passed, Anita fell in love with someone else; John finally found his life partner, Lena. The intoxicating love life helped him enter another stage of maturity.