The Undercurrent Of Rationality And Non-rationality

Western initiation story originated in the Age of Enlightenment in Germany, initially known as the " education novel" , " self-development novel" and " cultivation novel" and so on. Generally, initiation, as a process in literary descriptions, denotes the disillusioning process of the discovery of the existence of evil, which is depicted as a confrontation of the innocent protagonist with guilt and atonement and often has the notion of a shocking experience. This confrontation usually includes a progress in the protagonist' s character or marks a step towards self-understanding. Filled with a unique spirit of optimism of the Age of Enlightenment, most of the protagonists are more like a striver. However, with the development of the times, especially since the twentieth century, the initiation story has concerned more about the human subconscious and non-rational world, criticizing the rational principles and the traditional moral value. They are different from the traditional themes with emphasis on the rational shape, education and cultivation of the human beings. The extension of their creativity has been much higher than the initial "education novel" . This change is closely related to the Western philosophy' s shifting the focus from the rational to the non-rational and its impact on the development of human self-awareness.