A Madman's Diary
Lu Xun
China
Through the perspective of a "madman," this story reveals the man-eating nature of feudal ethics. Presented in diary format, the protagonist, in his paranoid delusions, perceives that everyone around him wants to eat him, ultimately discovering that thousands of years of Chinese history is a history of "cannibalism."
Tonight, the moonlight is beautiful. I haven't seen him for over thirty years; seeing him today, I feel exceptionally refreshed. Only now do I realize that the past thirty-some years were spent in a daze...
Discussion Questions
- 1.
Why does Lu Xun use the perspective of a "madman" to tell this story?
Suggested answer: Through the madmans perspective, the author can use exaggeration and symbolism to reveal the cruel nature of feudal ethics, while avoiding the risks of direct criticism.
- 2.
What symbolic meaning does "cannibalism" have in the text?
- 3.
How should we understand the cry "Save the children" at the end of the story?
Teaching Resources
Writing Prompts
- • Try writing a first-person diary-style novel that reveals a social issue through the protagonist's perspective
- - Choose a social issue you care about
- - Consider how to use symbolism
- - Pay attention to the characteristics of diary format
- • Continuation: If the madman truly "recovered," what kind of life would he lead?
Key Vocabulary
- man-eating ethics: A metaphor for the oppression and destruction of human nature by feudal ethics"Thousands of years of history is a history of man-eating ethics."
- madman: The protagonist suffering from paranoia in the story, actually a lucid critic"The madman saw through the hypocrisy of the people."
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