Red Sorghum, by Mo Yan, is a fascinating read playing with time and effectively displaying early twentieth century China. Aside from the obvious tantalizing description of how events conspire in the book, there is a clear definition of what society is going through at this time period. War affected all of China, including the lives of peasant famers trying to make a living. In context, the novel offers plenty of information form symbolism to the gore that war brings which eventually either takes the lives of many or has a strong impact on all of China. Early twentieth century China was covered in turmoil as several forces at war created chaos, this chaos would also make it hard for the ordinary Chinese national to make a decent living, and
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Yu Zhan’ao, which for the most part carries the surname of Granddad throughout the novel, is a good example of what life in China was like in this specific time period. Losing his father at a young age, Yu and his mother were forced to make a living out of, “Three mou – less than half and acre,” exposing the poor background and reality of people in China. (Yan, 103) Another exposure of Chinese society at this time period in the eyes of the protagonist was the chaos that brewed in china before the war with the Japanese. Magistrate Cao is an example of this cleansing China was attempting to pursue, “I have worked to stamp out opium, outlaw gabling, and annihilate bandits.” (Yan, 123) China consisted of a large population even at this time period, about four hundred million, for the people this was confusing and demoralizing concerning the fact that a small country like Japan was taking over the home land as quickly as it was, “If we take on the Japs, one on one, how do you think their little county will fare?” (Yan, 133) All of this turmoil came with destruction, mostly from the Japs invading the area, but the inconstancy of the Chinese mindset during this time created shifts in groups and these shifts brought infighting, …show more content…
The color Red, Green, and Black are reoccurring throughout the story, even describing the everlasting sorghum that grows in the region. The chapter starts with a simple, but cunning phrase, “The glorious history of man is filled with legends of dogs,” possibly referring to major characters like Granddad and Grandma in the story. (Yan, 169) Three major colors are represented by dogs, paper decorations made by Grandma, and marbles in the story, “They were led by the family’s three dogs: Red, Green and Blackie,” and “A boy in green on the left, a girl in red on the right,” and lastly “All they found was a couple of marbles, one bright green, the other bright red.” (Yan, 209,245) This connection might be a representation of the family Granddad, Grandma, and Father, Grandma being the first to die (Blackie the dog dies first), Father represented by Green, and Granddad showing Red like personalities. Aside from this the importance of the sorghum is key to the story. The everlasting sorghum is a symbol of the persistence the Chinese endured even through constant hardship. As long as the sorghum kept growing things would persist and fight
Yu Zhan’ao, which for the most part carries the surname of Granddad throughout the novel, is a good example of what life in China was like in this specific time period. Losing his father at a young age, Yu and his mother were forced to make a living out of, “Three mou – less than half and acre,” exposing the poor background and reality of people in China. (Yan, 103) Another exposure of Chinese society at this time period in the eyes of the protagonist was the chaos that brewed in china before the war with the Japanese. Magistrate Cao is an example of this cleansing China was attempting to pursue, “I have worked to stamp out opium, outlaw gabling, and annihilate bandits.” (Yan, 123) China consisted of a large population even at this time period, about four hundred million, for the people this was confusing and demoralizing concerning the fact that a small country like Japan was taking over the home land as quickly as it was, “If we take on the Japs, one on one, how do you think their little county will fare?” (Yan, 133) All of this turmoil came with destruction, mostly from the Japs invading the area, but the inconstancy of the Chinese mindset during this time created shifts in groups and these shifts brought infighting, …show more content…
The color Red, Green, and Black are reoccurring throughout the story, even describing the everlasting sorghum that grows in the region. The chapter starts with a simple, but cunning phrase, “The glorious history of man is filled with legends of dogs,” possibly referring to major characters like Granddad and Grandma in the story. (Yan, 169) Three major colors are represented by dogs, paper decorations made by Grandma, and marbles in the story, “They were led by the family’s three dogs: Red, Green and Blackie,” and “A boy in green on the left, a girl in red on the right,” and lastly “All they found was a couple of marbles, one bright green, the other bright red.” (Yan, 209,245) This connection might be a representation of the family Granddad, Grandma, and Father, Grandma being the first to die (Blackie the dog dies first), Father represented by Green, and Granddad showing Red like personalities. Aside from this the importance of the sorghum is key to the story. The everlasting sorghum is a symbol of the persistence the Chinese endured even through constant hardship. As long as the sorghum kept growing things would persist and fight