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    "A madman's diary," by Lu Xun has many symbolic meanings that are in the diary. Cannibalism is seen as a metaphor for the oppressive oldfashioned society of China at the time. The setting of the story is also symbolic.

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    "A madman's diary," by Lu Xun has many symbolic meanings that are in the diary. Cannibalism is seen as a metaphor for the oppressive oldfashioned society of China at the time. The setting of the story is also symbolic.

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    24 views2 pages

    Asia004u Thought Piece 1

    Uploaded by

    api-317367988
    "A madman's diary," by Lu Xun has many symbolic meanings that are in the diary. Cannibalism is seen as a metaphor for the oppressive oldfashioned society of China at the time. The setting of the story is also symbolic.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 2

    NathalieSanchez

    AsianLiterature004U
    February14,2016

    InAMadmansDiary,byLuXuntherearemanydifferenttypesofsymbolic
    meaningsthatareinthediary,oneofwhichiscannibalism.Themadmanhadthisbelief
    thatthepeopleofthetownwereplottingtokillandeathim.Thestoryreferstothefact
    thatChinahasalonghistoryofincidentsofcannibalism.DuringoldChinesesociety,
    whenhardtimeshit,thepeasantsgothithardestandfamineswerecommon.One
    referenceinthestorythatwasrelatedtocannibalismwas,thepracticeofexchangesons
    toeat.Withregardstothisitwasdifficulttounderstandwhatthismeantbutwhenyou
    researchaboutthehistoryofChinayoubegintounderstandwhatitmeans.Inancient
    China,whenfaminehit,therewasapracticeoftwohouseholdsexchangingachild,and
    eachhouseholdkillingandeatingthechildthatwasexchanged.Throughoutthestory
    cannibalismisseenametaphorfortheoppressiveoldfashionedsocietyofChinaatthe
    time.Thoseatthetopofthesocietyfedoffoftheworkoftheindividualsbelowthem.By
    usingcannibalismasasymbolinAMadmansDiary,LuXunilluminatestheproblems
    ofthesocietywithoutanoutrightwayofdisgracingitsconceptoffeudalismorits
    practiceinChina.
    Anotherelementinthestorythatisshownisinsanityandwhatisconsideredinsane.In
    thestorythemadmansinsanitymayhavebeenaresultofthelackofbeinganindividual
    andlivinginasocietythatisbackward.Thepeoplethataresaneareunabletoseethe

    truthinsociety,eventhoughtheyareconvincedthattheyaretheonesintouchwith
    reality.Inthestoryitisironicthatonlyaninsanemanisabletorealizethecorruptnature
    ofthefeudalsystem.LuXuncriticizesthesystemoftheoldsocietyinChinafromthe
    perspectiveofsomeonewhoisinsanebecauseitgiveshimtheabilitytospeakhismind
    withouthavingmuchconsequence.
    Thesettingofthestoryisalsosymbolic.Atthebeginningofthestorythemadmansaid,
    Tonightthemoonisverybright.Helaterdescribesthedayas,Thereisnomoonat
    all.Lateroninthestoryhedescribesanotherdayas,Pitchdark,Idontknowwhether
    itisdayornight.Intheendthemadmandescribedthedayas,Thesunhasstopped
    shining,thedoorisneveropened.ThesedescriptionsshowhowthesocietyinChina
    changesfrombrighttodark,thendarker,darkest,andeventothepointwherethesun
    stopsshining.Allofthesedescriptionsofthedayrevealthateatingpeoplebecame
    worseasthesocietyinChinabecamedarkeranddarker.
    AMadmansDiaryreflectstheculture,history,andsociallifeintheoldsocietyof
    China.ThecannibalisminthisstoryreflectstheoldsocietyinChinawherepeoplewere
    tiedtothetraditionalvirtuesandmorality.Themaincharactersinthisstorylivedinthe
    gloomysociety,whichshowedthesadnessandunfairness.Fromthisstoryyoucan
    concludethatLuXunexpressedhisbeliefofchangingtradition.Hehopedthatpeople
    wouldgiveuptheoldvaluesandwouldbringnewthoughtstothesocietyintheChina.
    Heclearlyshowsthisbystating,SavetheChildren.LuXunhadhopedthatthe
    revolutionarychangesinChinaandthepeoplecouldpossiblyliberatethemselvesand
    society.

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