Ma Jian started as a government propagandist, and became an activist in Beijing who subsequently left China (being that they generally frown on that sort of thing). I initially picked up this book in order to gain some history on China and to understand a little bit of the culture there. I’d been paying attention to the news, and I really wondered how significant this ‘trade war’ could end up being (which we’re not officially in yet), and how China would behave as a newly emerging global power. This was the perfect book for that, since it covered basically the last century of Chinese history, at least that part revolving around the rise and longevity of the Communist party.
This book opened my eyes to the atrocities committed during the ‘Cultural Revolution’. It is staggering to witness an entire society shift gears and turn on each other as quickly as it happened in China, and the absolute and instantaneous introduction of an ‘untouchable’ class of people, forged of all of the free-thinkers and political elites. The cultural revolution and work-reform camps (read: Nazi concentration camps) are horrendous to read about. I also witnessed, through Ma Jian’s craftsmanship, the evolution (and devolution) of power and the struggle for control which can happen within any social group. The hunger strike and the subsequent Tianemen Square occupation by the students especially resonates when I consider the Occupy movements today. Finally, the pervasive adoration of American culture and ideals was staggering in my mind. It was (and continues to be if Ma Jian is to be believed) the idea of what America stands for which was the driving force of the occupation.
There was one vague point in the text which I wasn’t too sure about. When the main character had a strange comatic relationship with his caretaker, she subsequently stopped visiting him and much later in the text, she contacts his mother and casually drops information about having a child. I wonder (and you’d really have to read the text to follow) if the child was supposed to be his? That wasn’t very clear. Additionally, I thought it was clear what happened at the ending, but I have discussed it with others, and now I’m still convinced, but I could definitely see how it could be misunderstood. So, I would like Ma Jian to explain whether or not Da Wei (the main character) awakens from his coma or dies from it. I will keep my opinions on that to myself.
I guess this classifies as fiction. My question to pose to the class would be, to what extent should we accept historical fiction as guidance in our interpretation of other cultures when the author could be significantly biased?
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