Between The Dream And The Reality

On the market of popular culture from 2007, A Story of Lala's Promotion is a very shinning star. The recomposed drama, film and TV play, together with the three original novels, have already earned about 340 million yuan and drawn a lot of public attention. As the core of the prevalent "Du Lala Phenomenon", the figure "Du Lala", a girl who is well educated but not extremely beautiful and wellborn becomes a member of the middle class through her own great efforts, has gradually become a proper none with certain meaning, the three most important aspects of which are "workplace", "middle class" and "female". The main purpose of this thesis is to find out the different social consciousness reflected by this phenomenon and those related realities, from the above three interlaced but not overlapped points of view.In the first chapter, compared with the novels on the business wars, I will point out what A Story of Lala's Promotion talks about is the ordinary persons'wisdom in the workplace. It is formed by various vivid short stories focused on different typical problems in the workplace. And through the figures'conversations and mental processes, the novel tells the readers clearly the knowledge on career step by step, which makes the reader feel interesting and useful. Meanwhile, I will show that the main function of the office novel is to output useful knowledge, information and skills which will increase the human capital of the new middle class. Although the plot that the CEO's appreciation accelerates Du Lala's promotion is quite heterogeneous, it helps us understand the eagerness for valued social capital of the new middle class.In the second chapter, I will talk about the different images of the middle class between the film and the novels. The film emphasizes the high consumption level of the middle class in order to attract the advertisers and reduce the costs. But the novels emphasize their "individual struggle" and "professional consciousness". Here I will discuss that China's Reform and Opening and globalization gave birth to China's middle class. And China's high development during the decade before the international financial crisis reinforces people's confidence in becoming a member of the middle class by own efforts. What's more, I will point out it is the international financial crisis that aggravates the anxieties about station of the middle class and finally increases the novels' circulation.In the last chapter, I will discuss that the market economy promises male and female a fair competing environment. As long as female is competent, she can gain the same opportunities and achievements as male. Du Lala is greatly encouraged by this discourse about gender. And she earns her professional prestige and financial independence through her excellent performance in the workplace. Then work becomes a very important part of her self-identity. However, the strong regulation of femininity and the role of women by the traditional culture always interferes the middle class women's career pursuits. But the dream that the middle class women can keep balance between job and family becomes true easily in the film and the TV play. And then "Du Lala", who can not only pursue her achievements in the workplace but also enjoy the sweet love in the family, replaces "strong women" who are lack of family happiness. Nevertheless, the second and the third novels present clearly the great difficulties in keeping balance between job and family.