A Comparative Study Of The Images Of Intellectuals In Chinese And Russian Literature In The Transitional Period

Jia Pingwa is a representative writer in the contemporary literary world of China,and Yuri Polyakov is also a contemporary Russian writer of classic significance,in their works will be involved in the theme of intellectuals,outlining the image of intellectuals in the two countries in transition.This paper takes Jia Pingwa’s Ruined Capital and Polyakov’s Hopeless Escape as the research texts.In terms of themes,both of the two works touch on the plight of contemporary intellectuals in the crisis of humanistic spirit from the perspectives of social changes during the transformation period,human degeneration,excessive material desire,money supremacy,the difficulty of good deeds and the publicity of evil morals.In terms of writing content,intellectuals are taken as the protagonists,and the evolution of contemporary intellectuals’ spirit in the face of survival crisis is grasped from the perspective of family misfortunes,and various images of intellectuals are shaped.Due to the difference of social background and cultural tradition between the two countries,the images of intellectuals in Chinese and Russian literary works not only show great similarity,but also show the inherent characteristics of the national intellectuals.The thesis consists of three chapters: introduction,text and conclusion.The introduction mainly summarizes the comparability,research status,research methods,objectives and innovation points of the topic.The first chapter discusses the causes and manifestations of the contemporary superfluous people in China and Russia,analyzes how Zhuang Zhi Die and Bismakov became superfluous from the elite of society to the marginal,and compares the cultural factors behind their differences.The second chapter mainly discusses the pragmatists who quickly adapt to the development trend of The Times during the transition period.Either they abandon their spiritual pursuits and become egocentric hedonists;Or in the pursuit of fame and fortune in the army,not only lost the critical consciousness,but also devout the human conscience.The third chapter mainly introduces the intellectuals who still adhere to humanistic ideals and resist the trend in the social turmoil.They raise their voices with sober social critical consciousness.However,due to the differences in cultural traditions between China and Russia,the intensity of their resistance is also different.No matter when,intellectuals will not stop the exploration of their inner world and the attempt of social improvement.The impact of commodity economy in the transitional period,the change of intellectuals’ social status and their sensitive nerves make it more and more difficult for them to explore themselves and the society.By combining the core concepts of Chinese and Russian intellectuals with the historical background of the transition period and through the comparative study of the images of intellectuals,the author hopes to explore the similarities and differences between the two countries’ intellectuals and provide spiritual resources and references for the construction of Chinese intellectuals at present.