Lamenting Somniloquence

As a typical representative of Chinese avant-garde novelists,Can Xue has made breakthroughs in the exploration of survivals of human beings.Her unique style lies in the creation of living hell of scenes of life as well as inward world of characters.She interprets Kafka with the sensitive artistic mind.To some extent,she achieves the inheritance and transcendence of Kafka.The Yellow Mud Street launches the writing journey of Can Xue.Despite its imperfection,it has aesthetic values with the absurd narration,which is the research aim of this essay.As one of the classic writings of Kafka,Metamorphosis depicts the absurdity of the world and misery of the inward world of human beings.This essay revolves around the exploration of the aesthetic values and characteristics of The Yellow Mud Street,compared with Metamorphosis under the perspective of absurd narration.There are three major parts in this paper.Part One focuses on how the trend of absurd narration is spread into China in the 20~thh century and the reaction from the circle of literature.Part Two analyzes the artistic effects of The Yellow Mud Street from structure,metaphors,characters,plots and aesthetics,compared with Metamorphosis.Part Three illustrates Can Xue’s inheritance and development of Kafka.It is Kafka who exerts the influences of absurd literature on Can Xue.While inheriting Kafka’s absurd narration,she also explores the way to create pure literature through experimental creation.To some extent,she completes the development of Kafka.This kind of development is embodied in the historical and regional aspects of her writing.It is characterized by the reconstruction of women’s identity,the reexamination of traditional culture and value by the description of the dream-like daily occurrences.Can Xue absorbs the critical spirit of some western writers like Kafka in western literature.The creative style is accomplished by reference to Metamorphosis.With the integration of eastern and western aesthetic values,The Yellow Mud Street becomes a classic work with worldwide influence and popularity.