Should Nora Leave the Iron House? Revolution and Individual Action in a Collectivist Society Based on Constant Change, 2011, Revista de Estudos Chineses 7 (original) (raw)
The 20th century in China was marked by struggles to implement social changes that would on one hand enable the state to reinforce its national, political and economic strength, while on the other hand bridge the gap between Western modernity and Chinese tradition. A large role in the quest for a modern China was played by Chinese intellectuals after the Revolution of 1911, namely the May Fourth Movement which included both Mainland and overseas communities. The social revolution was followed by literary movements which embodied the rise of individual intellectual consciousness. One of the main concerns of the authors was whether there is any use in attempting a revolution or individual political engagement in a society which is based on a strong collectivist tradition and an ideology that presupposes constant change. A logical step in dealing with this issue was rejecting all tradition and adopting either completely new ideologies, or ideas from the West. However, any social change, although based on individual action, would have to be implemented onto the nation as a whole, which meant that it could only be grafted onto the existing worldview. Also, the intellectuals were aware that completely rejecting the past might weaken the state’s national strength. This meant that modern individuality and revolution had to be considered in light of the traditional view on society and change. In this paper we consider the use of literature as a vessel for social change in China between the two World Wars. Through the interpretation of Western ideas, literature and characters in Chinese writing, we examine the way authors attempted to balance the Western individualist ideals with the Chinese collectivist ideology. We focus on essays and literary works written by prominent Chinese intellectuals in their attempt to find the best possible way to raise awareness for the need for social change. We explore the methods used to convey social issues, while also discussing the actual value and effect of writing as a mode of instigating social change through individual action. The interpretation of Western theories and concepts in the Chinese context is also considered, especially the application of the Western idea of female emancipation onto the idea of the general liberation of individualism. The results of these intellectuals’ struggles are interpreted in the context of the formation of modern individuality in China, which represents an exemplary model of a Western notion with Chinese characteristics – an approach that was later used for the adoption of other ideas and ideologies from the West.
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