The Search For The Lost Homeland - Wang Anyi Theory

Ever since his birth, man has 1ong been concerned with his fate,never ceasing in his effort to explore his inner wor1d with the viewto estab1ishing the home1and for his soul. In the 1ong history ofChina, home1and consciousness as a historical heritage has itstradi t ion.Home1and consciousness first finds its roots in thehome1and--based cu1ture in the Qin and Han Dynasty. Yet with thedeve1opment of history, it has changed fundamenta11y. Back to the1ate 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the shockand the invasion of the western civi1ization brought to thesuper--stab1e socia1 structure fina11y 1ed to the co11apse of China'sfeudal system. The stark rea1ity forced China out of her old wheeltrack, which followed by many literary productions which expressedthe bitterness of these Chinese who lost their home1and and were1onging for returning. Home1and consciousness finds its bestexpression in the 1iterary works of the modern Chinese writers.Entering the contemporary era, the change of this sense can berepresented by the change of the identities of the inte11ectua1s andtheir 1oss of free thought and free speech. The modern times makesit capab1e of a new expression which is not on1y ref1ected in thesuppression and invasion of material things towards minds causedby the exDansion of the hedonism in the present market system, moreiffiPortant1y, reflected in the intellectua1s' reflections on theirinherent e1 ite--consciousness and their attempt to reconstructinte11ectua11y their spiritua1 home1and after they 1ost theircentra1 position po1itical1y. Wang Anyi shows in her works herattempt to bring back the spiritua1 tradition to them and toreestab1ish it in the present cu1tura1 context which is a1so theembodiment of home1and consciousness in the new period of time.This thesi s discusses the expression and characteristics of herhomeland consciousness in three aspects.The first part dea1s with her questioning for man's nature ofexistence and her effort in saving man out of troubl ing circumstances.In her works, Wang Anyi not on1y reveals to us man's iso1ate existingcondition through her story, but a1so tru1y shows her questioningand ref1ecting on man's existence and fate through the characters'thinking. In the characters' attelllPt to get rid of hard existingcircumstances, it revea1s Wang Anyi's effort in saving man out oftroub1ing circumstances in spirit.The second part dea1s with Wang Anyi's pondering on theinte11ectua1's identity and position in the modern era. Through herref1ections on the spiritua1 tradition of inte11ectua1s and herattempt to reestab1ish their idea1 and be1ief she tries to he1p themfind a proper position in the new context, then describe their socia1and historical mission. A11 this shows her firm stand as aninte11ectua1 in guarding her spiritua1 territory.The third part mainly discusses the tragic traits of thecharacters as a perceiver and the writer's own destined so1 i tary fate.As a writer, she fee1s and bears the lone1iness of her characters,what's more she has to face the i11usions and the 1one1iness hercreation has brought to her. But it's her who has chosen to 1ivesuch way of 1if e and to assume such carriage of 1if e.From the point of view of home1and consciOusness, Wang Anyi noton1y inherited the cu1tura1 traditions of China but she herse1f withher unique perspective has become the best interpreter of thehome1and consciousness in the modern era. Her 1iterary works havefa11en into a section of the who1e deve1opment of the traditiona1home consciousness. Therefore, to expound the features of her worksfrom the perspective of the home1and consciousness and to define itshistorica1 position is what this thesis aims and means.