A Comparative Study Of The "Versailles" Phenomenon In Chinese And American Modern And Contemporary Novels

The term "Versailles literature" was named one of the "Top Ten Internet Buzzwords" in the 2020 edition of "Biting Words".The "Versailles literature" on the Internet has become a network carnival with its low-profile and ostentatious discourse pattern that has set off a wave of imitation on the Internet.But in its essence,this carnival implies the general feelings and real thoughts of the public in a specific social context,and is a reflection of real social emotions.This article uses the word "Versailles" as the title,not to make use of the Internet buzzword "Versailles" to gain favor from the public."Versailles" is a network word,a subcultural concept,and a socio-historical phenomenon,which is reflected in every nation and every era.Because before the word "Versailles" was introduced,this phenomenon had already appeared in various countries in China and abroad,and was deeply reflected in the works of different countries and different times.This essay is divided into four main sections.The first part of the essay illustrates the nature of the "Versailles" phenomenon in Chinese and American literature.It exposes the essence of the "Versailles" phenomenon in literature as an act of exquisite aggrandizement,behind which lies vanity and identity anxiety.In the second part of the paper,the content of the "Versailles" phenomenon in Chinese and American literature is discussed.First,we compare the images of "Versailles" with those of "laborers" in Chinese and American literature from the perspective of characterization.The "mortalists" in Chinese and American contemporary literature are represented by the middle class.At the same time,both Chinese and American writers set up the image of "laborers" as the counterpart of "mortalists",who are the marginalized people in the city.While these characters have commonalities,they also have personalities.Secondly,starting from their lifestyles,the "mortal" life in Chinese and American literature has the commonality of luxury and ostentation.However,due to the lack of synchronization in economic development,the "van" life in Chinese literature also reflects Western-style interest.Once again,as an act of excessive secularization,the "Versailles" lifestyle has resulted in tragedy.The protagonists in the novel all experience emotional trauma and mental distress,and have different differences between the "petty dream" and the "American dream" that is shattered.The third part of the main text focuses on the similarities and differences between the writing strategies of Chinese and American literature,starting from the writing strategies.First,they both set their stories in the colorful city.However,American writers also depict the lower and dirty corners of the city,while Chinese writers fail to do so.Secondly,they both choose to use emotions as the theme,and use the love-hate relationship between urban men and women to show the money-worshiping culture of society.However,American writers mostly see the big picture in a small way,reflecting their criticism of the whole materialistic "big time" through their personal emotional problems,while Chinese writers are limited to the "small time" of personal love and hate.Finally,in terms of aesthetic pursuit,they both choose to pursue secularization,writing realistic and realistic life stories.However,there is a difference between playfulness and seriousness in the pursuit of secularization.In the fourth part of the essay,we consider the "Versailles" phenomenon from the level of literary creation and social reality.At the level of literary creation,both Chinese and American writers have produced film and television adaptations of these works.Due to the different times,Chinese writers’ literary creations are more obviously influenced by marketization.Second,at the level of social reality,we discuss the negative impact of the over-secularization of the "Versailles" phenomenon on society.Thirdly,we will consider the specificity of the term "Versailles" in China from the point of view of the difference between Chinese and American personalities.Finally,we are alert to the subcultural symptom of "Versailles" and remind people to resist "Versailles"-style orgies and avoid "entertainment to death".The literary works of China and the United States in the period of social transformation have their similarities and differences.This paper uses the parallel study of comparative literature,and the sociological theory of consumerism to conduct a comparative study of the phenomenon of "Versailles" in the period of social transformation in China and the United States.The study explores the individuality and commonality of these literary works in terms of expression content,creative strategies,and aesthetic pursuits.Through the literary analysis,we hope to give some warnings and inspirations to the "Versailles" orgy in the real world.