A Comparative Study Of Mo Yan And Zhang Wei's Family Novels

In the process of growing up with the literature of the new period,Mo Yan gradually becomes matured and a shining banner in the literary world.In the interaction between his works and the society,including in the bridging of the spirit of era and the aesthetic taste,Mo Yan releases his outstanding imagination and profound thinking ability,and achieves self-transcendence and the shaping of the unique literary style.“Red Sorghum Clan" embodies Mo Yan' s call for the expecting of the traditional spirit and return of rationality by depicting the vigorous vitality or wildness,showing his concerns about" ethnic degeneration"."Big Breasts and Wide Hips " stands in the perspective of national culture,in an original form,showing changes of the political environment and human nature,and stripping form the dualistic narrative way,to restore the historical scene by the diversified and humanized perspective." Life And Death Are Wearing Me Out " uses the insight of innovative animal reincarnation to present the impermanence of destiny from a non-human narrative point,especially the subversive narrative of land reform,which is far-reaching and refreshing.In " Herbivorous Family" Mo Yan uses animals and myths to build a family that has not completely evolved to criticize the strangulation of human nature in the modern civilization and call for a return to nature.Zhang Wei is one of the contemporary influential writers.His experience has three progressive steps including depicting the tranquil pastoral scenery,reflection on reality as well as constructing the moral high ground of intellectuals with holding the banner of ideals."The Ancient Ship" is rich in contents and profound thoughts.By setting up the conflict or opposition of traditional culture and commercial culture,it depicts the important events and historical changes of Wali Town for nearly half a century."Family" uses the encounter of several ordinary families in a complex revolutionary environment to continue the traditional concept of the family,but it is beyond the definition of blood relationship,and regards the individual's value choice and spiritual character as the distinction between different families."You Are on the Plateau" is known as "the longest purely literary work in the history of Chinese and foreign novels" with a volume of more than 4.5 million words,which is another peak of Zhang Wei's novel creation.The protagonist Ning Jia wanders between the city and the countryside,and gets social criticism and humanity thinking by searching for the family history and truth.The "plateau" that Ning Jia has been searching for in the book is the destination he has been running for several years,as well as the base of the civilizations and beliefs he adheres to and confrontation between the traditional humanistic spirit and secular ideas.The family culture is an important part of Chinese traditional culture,and it mainly includes blood-bound fetters,profound ethics and high-level family ideals.The Chinese unconsciously internalize the family culture into ideological norms,which also affects the writers'literary creations.Mo Yan and Zhang Wei are key figures in the history of Chinese family novels' development.Zhang Wei upholds his literary ideals through family narrative novel such as "The Ancient Ship" and "You Are on the Plateau",abandoning temptations of the outside world,and transmits a strong subjective value orientation.Mo Yan uses the majestic volume of his works to stand on the "land of his hometown" through a profound grasp of the typical Chinese family and social conditions,and expresses the Chinese 20th century experience world.Mo Yan has created characters with blood and flesh,full of wild vitality,temperature to love and hate.Zhang Wei is based on traditional moral standards to divide different families.From their novels,you can see whether it is the original desire or the sin they bear all have the color of family inheritance,such as the bravery of Sima Ku and Sima Liang,as well as the guilt of Sui Baopu and Sui Yingzhi,which are all consistent and inseparable.It is worth noting that Zhang Wei and Mo Yan use the important writing method——image writing in shaping family characters with complex personalities and conveying heavy ideological connotations.Mo Yan's images are varied and diverse,showing "the purest and the dirtiest" world.Zhang Wei's meticulous creation of images help him find a breakthrough in his inner emotions and build a spiritual building of ideals and morals.Whether it is the shaping of characters or the use of images,Zhang Wei and Mo Yan consciously deconstruct traditional narrative views from outside.The animal perspective in " Life And Death Are Wearing Me Out" and Zhang Wei's opposition to over-industrialization's alienation of people have both impact on traditional narrative methods,and convey the value orientation of Mo Yan and Zhang Wei's desire to return to the authentic traditional folk culture.Under the influence of similar cultural background,they try to find a way forward in the current cultural environment,and return to the folk environment without thinking.The difference is that Mo Yan insists on treating himself as a common people while writing,while Zhang Wei is a representative of intellectuals towards the people.Such a diverse cultural standpoint makes their works look different.