On The Reflection And Construction Of National Character In Lao She 's Educational Novels

Lao She is a famous writer in the history of modern Chinese literature. Meanwhile, he is an educator as well. As a writer, he described the traditional life and spirit of Chinese people with a deep national emotion, and made deeply cultural criticism of national character in his works; as an educator, consciously or unconsciously, he integrated the different education scenes and characters into his realism novels, with the profound and systematic education thought. Education is people-oriented, and has a close relation with personality cultivation, and so does Lao She’s modern educational thought and his literature of reflection and transformation of national character. Modern educational thought had provided a modern vision for him to have an observation on national character. From the perspective of modern education, children’s traditional characters and young students’personalities are backward and deformity. Lao She analyzed the causes of the national character, and tried to solve the problems in an educational way of "knowledge and personality". In his educational novels, Lao She involves the identity of educator and writer to reflect his social responsibility. This paper makes an effort to explore the reflection and reconstruction of the national character education in Lao She’s educational novels in four aspects. Firstly, Lao She’s educational thought is the theoretical basis of national character. Secondly, the image of the educated is the window of exploring the national character. Thirdly, rethinking the educational causes of national character is the dimension of reason. Last but not the least, thought of saving the nation through education, from reconstruction to disillusion, is shown. This paper clarifies two clues in his educational novels according to the theories of Education, Psychology and Sociology. One is about ideal character, and the other is about thought of saving nation through education. Only in this way, we can have a deep exploration of the unique the e value in the history of education and literature.In chapter one, this paper has a study on Lao She’s educational thought which provides a theoretical basis point on examining the national character. Having a systematic analysis on the close relationship between the personality cultivation and educational thoughts including the thoughts of family education, school education, social education, this paper shows that the modern educational thought has provided a modern vision for Lao She to have an observation on national character.In chapter two, this paper shows Lao She’s view on the national character. Take children and young students as educated person for example, this paper analyzes "Chu Wo Lao" and the anomie personality on the educational vision.In chapter three, this paper discusses the educational reasons of national character in three aspects: the family education of adult-oriented, the school education blended with old and new factors, and the social education under social transition.In chapter four, this paper researches the educational salvation ideal. By analyzing the "knowledge and personality", provided by Lao She in his novel, to know his thought of saving the nation through education, and clarify the clues from reconstruction to disillusion.Only in this way, we can have a good knowledge of the complex relationship between the Lao She’s educational thought and his literature. He kept a perfect identity balance of writer and educator. Naturally, his educational novels have double values in the history of education and literature.