–The story’s narrator is revisiting a place he once lived. Explain the significance that this “revisiting” has in relation to the themes of the story.
–What is the connection between our narrator and Weifu? Why do you think so much of the story is spent on Weifu’s life, while the narrator shares very little about his own life experiences?
–Explain the significance of the story about reburying Weifu’s little brother?
–Weifu recalls when he and the narrator used to pull the beards off religious statues in the Temple when they were younger. What is the significance of this memory?
–Describe an instance of filial piety in the story. What is its significance?
–What aspects of this short story seem to you to be particularly modernist?
It is fair to say that many modernist’s qualities are exposed in this short story, especially through the character Weifu. Weifu’s characteristics are filled with flaws and many different traits and behaviors. Weifu also exemplifies humanistic traits of lying to please, as well as pondering on what one’s next move is. Lu Sun also promotes modernism by describing our narrator’s simple thought process prior to the arrival of Weifu. For example, our narrator becomes timid as he hears the footsteps of others walking up the stairs. He also desires company because he feels alone, but also does not want the present of others. These mixed, humanistic characteristics and emotions are modernistic qualities.
The two friends pulling off beards from religious statues has significance. the significance is that they used to have a lot of plans to go against the “old” fashioned way of old china and they want to have a new more modern versions of it. also it represents their realization of the real world as they used to think they could change the entirety of china but then they realizes they can’t and they are what they re now. it could also represent their prime years this is because this is when they had the most fire to do things and try to make change but they have lost it over the years.
–What aspects of this short story seem to you to be particularly modernist?
I think that what was particularly modernist in this short story is that Lu Xun writes it after the revolution ended. This is when china turns its back on the western world and accepts communism as a way of life. The metaphorical closing of its doors to the western world. Lu Xun risks a lot by writing about bringing down the old government and the ideals he had in the past as a former member of the republican revolution. He demonstrates those ideas through the characters in the story who reminisce about the days when they did not obey the rules and were actively trying to overthrow the imperial rule.
Explain the significance of the story about reburying Weifu’s little brother?
The significance of the story about reburying Weifu’s little brother is to send his brother off with a proper farewell. The reburying occurs back in the village, where his family is present; Weifu’s little brother is now not existing again as a prisoner of the past.
What aspects of this short story seem to you to be particularly modernist?
I think the point where the modernism is most expressive is when Lu Xun alludes to the changes in the political climate in China. He does this metaphorically through the way the characters reference the past when they were attempting to overthrow the previous government.
The “revisiting’ theme is prevelent in this short story. the narrator bumps into an old friend, and he speaks to him about the bees and the flies, how they move around but always circulate back to their original location, much like the two men which have reunited back in their hometown.