Coincidence Inherited And Innovation And Variation

Through a comparison between Stories of Hong Kong by Shi Shuqing andLegends of Hong Kong by Zhang Ailing on characterization, themes interpretationand means of literary expression, this paper draws a conclusion on the internalrelations of metropolitan culture and Chinese modern writers as well as Chinesemodem literature. The following aspects are taken up one by one in this paper:1.Both Zhang Ailing and Shi Shuqing were irrevocably committed to HongKong. The former won her earliest reputation and population in the literary world ofShanghai in the 1940抯 through the publication of Crumbling of Eaglewood I and II,Jasmine-scented Tea, A Chain of Linked Rings etc, all of which were back groundedwith Hong Kong before World War II; and about 40 years later the latter became anoutstanding representative of her contemporary writers whose novel are based onHong Kong with the publications of Stories of Hong Kong and A Trilogy of HongKong. Since Shi has claimed herself as disciple of Zhang? they are related to eachother as Teacher and pupil? For limits of times, experiences and personalities,Zhang'S Legends of Hong Kong couldn have certain Hong Kong characteristicswhile in a different emotion, for a different purpose and from a different angle ofwriting, Shi'S Stories of Hong Kong are charged with distinct Hong Kong features.32.Because of their shared connection with Hong Kong and theirTeacher-and-pupil relationship mentioned above, characters in their books appear tobe individually or collectively, partly or wholly coincident as they always have similarpersonalities and fates, the most outstanding of whom involve Ding Kuifang and GeWeilong, Huang Deyun and Nixi as well as Bai Liusu etc. Besides, Suzy and Emily,Yihong and Mrs. Liang etc are partly coincident. Furthermore, as times and theemotion of writing have changed, Shi adds bold and interesting creations inportraying these coincident characters. The coincidence and creation of charactersbring about that of themes interpretation. As for themes, both Zhang and Shi revealthe doomed tragedy of women in the money-oriented society and people抯 morbidpsychology in the shadow of the money-based culture. On this basis, Shi illustratesthe themes in a more realistic and historic sense and remains more optimistic aboutthe characters?fates in her books.3.In 慼er Stories of Hong Kong, Shi makes full use of the words which aretypical of Zhang and she also adopts Zhang抯 unique methods to create specialfictional atmosphere, including using properly changes of colors, contrasts of lightsand shadows and filming-like narrating. However, their means of literal expression ingeneral still differ evidently. Zhang抯 Legends of Hong Kong, together with her otherrepresentative works, basically follow the style of modernism, which are essentiallycharacterized by numerous and complicated images and meticulous psychoanalysis.On the other hand, Shi抯 Stories of Hong Kong attempt to reappear the history andreproduce the life in them by means of realism.4.The changes of metropolitan culture of Hong Kong exert an importantinfluence on the creation of characters and themes and the variation of means of literalexpression. The undeveloped political, economical, natural and cultural conditions ofHong Kong in Zhang抯 days lacked enough attraction for her and even causedrejection in her mind, but nearly 40 years later, the highly developed conditions of allaspects here have a strong appeal to Shi and arouse an approval and an at-homefelling in her thoughts. The sameness of Chinese modern writers?metropolitanexperiences impel them to create coincident characters and to describe coincident4themes in their works while the difference of their experiences bring Shi's newcharacters and themes into being. The changes of metropolitan culture also influencemeans of literal expression. The relatively naive and shallow culture mad...