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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Old Stories Retold is Lu Xun’s last short story collection of fiction published in 1935. Eight, classic tales were re-written by Lu Xun for certain purposes; however, this collection is underappreciated because of its opaqueness and complexity. The purpose of this thesis is to re-evaluate Old Stories Retold by focusing on, firstly, the reasons this collection has been underappreciated. The ambivalent feelings caused by the trauma of modernization and the personal attitude of Lu Xun’s toward writing will be explained. Furthermore, the opaqueness and complexity will be decoded by exploring different techniques Lu Xun employed in Old Stories Retold. Most crucially, all the examinations prove that Old Stories Retold bears a significant meaning—a way to catharsis.
INDEX WORDS: Catharsis, Facetiousness, Gushi xinbian, Lu Xun, Modernization, Old Stories Retold, Trauma, xiaoshuo.
Old Stories Retold is Lu Xun’s last short story collection of fiction published in 1935. Eight, classic tales were re-written by Lu Xun for certain purposes; however, this collection is underappreciated because of its opaqueness and complexity. The purpose of this thesis is to re-evaluate Old Stories Retold by focusing on, firstly, the reasons this collection has been underappreciated. The ambivalent feelings caused by the trauma of modernization and the personal attitude of Lu Xun’s toward writing will be explained. Furthermore, the opaqueness and complexity will be decoded by exploring different techniques Lu Xun employed in Old Stories Retold. Most crucially, all the examinations prove that Old Stories Retold bears a significant meaning—a way to catharsis.
INDEX WORDS: Catharsis, Facetiousness, Gushi xinbian, Lu Xun, Modernization, Old Stories Retold, Trauma, xiaoshuo.