Chapter 407 Standing on the Opposite Side of the Elite
Huang Anyi has always felt that Lin Weimin has a unique self-confidence, which is very special, at least she has never seen it among the writers of the same generation she knows.
Six full years have passed since the time at the Institute of Literature.
Although Huang Anyi has had very little contact with Lin Weimin, every time they meet, she is still unconsciously attracted by Lin Weimin's temperament.
Her eyes were on the novel, but her mind was already empty.
She recalled her visit to Hong Kong last spring.
After arriving in Hong Kong, the writer friends who traveled with me were all amazed at the prosperity and wealth there, except Lin Weimin, who seemed to be indifferent.
Every time when everyone chatted, Lin Weimin always spoke very little. He never belittled Hong Kong's achievements, but he never praised Hong Kong either. Huang Anyi keenly sensed the confidence in his heart.
Huang Anyi suddenly thought of a word that Lin Weimin mentioned a long time ago at the Institute of Cultural Research - national confidence.
The more than 200 years of Manchu rule and the history of national humiliation from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China have destroyed the Chinese people's national confidence. This loss of national confidence is all-round.
“It will take a long time for our nation to regain this confidence.”
She still remembers the heavy tone and expression on Lin Weimin's face when he said this.
When she was at the Institute of Literature, Huang Anyi didn't really understand what Lin Weimin meant. It was only in recent years, as she grew older and experienced more things, that Huang Anyi gradually understood what Lin Weimin meant.
Back to the novel "Burning", anyone who reads the novel will see Lin Weimin's naked hatred and criticism of capitalism, including those who fled abroad. Although the criticism is not so harsh, it is still not light.
The design of the character "international student Zhou Weiguo" in "Burning" is very interesting. First of all, he is an image of a cultural person, and he studies Chinese, but he has to go to the United States to study abroad, which is almost a naked irony.
But as far as Huang Anyi knows, there are indeed such people around her, whose majors have nothing to do with studying abroad or who would be better off staying in the country, but they still choose to study abroad.
Of course, the content of Lin Weimin's "Burning" is far more than just criticism.
The issues involved in the novel, such as racial conflicts in Western society, disorderly expansion of capital, and alienation of people by capital, all show Lin Weimin's understanding of Western countries and his thinking on their social contradictions.
Looking at the whole novel, "Burning" may be the least readable among all Lin Weimin's novels, but its ideological and literary qualities reach a peak.
In Huang Anyi's opinion, such works should win major awards and be included in the laurel wreath of the literary world.
only……
Huang Anyi couldn't help but think mischievously that she heard that Lin Weimin went to the United States this year.
What on earth did he experience in the United States that he could write a novel like "Burning" after returning to China?
Huang Anyi thought of this and couldn't help but sigh.
This time, he might get scolded again!
——
The attitude of the novel "Burning" is clear-cut, and every reader who finishes reading the novel can immediately understand what Lin Weimin wants to express.
Just as Huang Anyi understood, this novel is inferior to Lin Weimin's previous works in terms of plot arrangement, but this is exactly what Lin Weimin wanted.
Giving up a certain degree of readability and pursuing the literary and ideological nature of the work is the choice Lin Weimin made.
After all, his purpose in writing this novel was impure, so it's okay to make some choices in order to include his own personal opinions.
But despite all the calculations, Teacher Lin missed one thing.
His novels contain long passages describing the extravagant and decadent lives of the second generation of wealthy Americans, as well as many descriptions of ordinary middle-class and lower-class people in the United States. Lin Weimin's original intention when he was writing was certainly critical.
But for readers in this closed era, it has become a rare encyclopedia that allows ordinary readers to understand contemporary American society with zero barriers.
In this day and age, it is true that ordinary people look longingly upon the West when they speak of it, but after decades of education, everyone can actually distinguish between right and wrong on major issues.
The content of "Burning" is certainly unfriendly to Western society and capitalism, but what we have been subjected to in recent years is unfriendly propaganda and education, and friendliness is only a thing of the past few years.
Therefore, within half a month after the publication of "Burning", the large-scale criticism from readers that Lin Weimin had imagined did not occur.
On the contrary, the sales of the September issue of People's Literature, which published the novel, hit new highs.
It's rare to find a Chinese writer who can describe American society in detail to the Chinese people. Isn't this equivalent to free popular science?
How can you not read a novel like this?
The reputation of "Burning" continues to ferment among readers as time goes by, and sales continue to rise in a strange trend.
Of course, this novel has not been without its critics.
More than half a month after the publication of the article, the people most frequently criticized in the letters received from readers of the Contemporary magazine editorial department were certain intellectuals in domestic universities, many of whom are the public intellectuals of this era.
Not only did they write curse letters, they also wrote curse articles in newspapers and magazines.
These days, cultural figures in universities are treated with unprecedented courtesy, so it is not difficult for these people to speak out in the media, which is much easier than for ordinary people.
In addition to colleges and universities, there are also many people in the cultural circle who criticize Lin Weimin. The focus of their attacks on Lin Weimin is the "left" character he showed in his novels.
These people used the current trend of reform and opening up in the country as an argument to severely criticize Lin Weimin, with each accusation being more severe than the last.
While criticizing Lin Weimin, they did not forget to peddle their own views, which is to learn from the West in all aspects, or even to westernize.
Therefore, as time goes by, there are more and more negative comments about "Burning" and Lin Weimin himself in various media.
Although the vast majority of readers have given positive and complimentary reviews of the novel "Burning", due to the narrow information dissemination and sluggish information exchange in the 1980s, a small number of cultural figures have mastered the media discourse power, and criticism of Lin Weimin and "Burning" has tended to become the mainstream in the media.
This time, Lin Weimin completely stood on the opposite side of certain elite groups in society and became the target of their condemnation.
Apart from the above-mentioned people, there were few criticisms of him from literary figures during this wave of criticism, and they only appeared sporadically.
This phenomenon occurs, firstly, because the mainstream of the domestic literary world has not yet completely moved toward the West. Therefore, even if some people are dissatisfied with Lin Weimin and the novel "Burning", they will not criticize him directly without restraint, but they will certainly scold him in private.
Another reason is that Lin Weimin now has another identity: Vice President of the Chinese Literature Foundation.
This identity may seem insignificant and usually remains low-profile, but in the Literary Association, he seems to be superior.
Many people within the system learned of Lin Weimin's identity and became more cautious in their evaluation of him.
In any case, it is a gratifying thing for Lin Weimin that "Burning" has a good reputation among readers.
As for whether the descriptions in the novel would fuel some readers' yearning for and favorable impression of the United States, Lin Weimin let it go after hesitating for a moment.
If a person finishes watching "Burning" and not only does not have negative emotions or comments about the United States and capitalism, but instead feels a yearning for them, then Lin Weimin does not think that there is a problem with his work.
This only proves that the person is hopeless and worships foreign things at heart. Such people are not within the consideration of Teacher Lin.
——
"Hey, look, look! That's enough for you, Professor Mizuki. That's too harsh!"
Liu Yin was flipping through the newspaper. The expression on her face couldn't be described as gloating, but it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as "watching a good show."
"Sister Liu, why are you so happy when Teacher Lin is scolded?" Tong Zhonggui asked.
Other colleagues in the office smiled when they heard this.
Liu Yin said earnestly: "Xiao Tong, you are still young, don't be fooled by the leaders' sweet words and treacherous hearts. They are a group of people with evil hearts!"
Tong Zhonggui said nothing, Liu Yin became more and more excited as he spoke, and the others had subtle expressions, trying hard to hold back a smile.
Lin Weimin patted Liu Yin's shoulder helplessly.
"Sister Liu, can't you restrain yourself?"
Liu Yin turned around and saw Lin Weimin. He instinctively felt guilty for a moment, then he said confidently, "What's the matter? Outsiders can scold us, but we can't?"
Lin Weimin was speechless for a moment.
Colleagues burst into laughter at Liu Yin's wit, and even after laughing they did not forget to tease Lin Weimin.
"That's right. Outsiders can say it, but we can't say it, right?"
"Weimin, you don't treat us as your own people!"
…
Lin Weimin stood where he was, calmly waiting for everyone to finish laughing, making jokes and teasing.
Then he said to everyone with a smile: "It has been a year since our last series of books was launched in Contemporary. From now until the beginning of next year, in addition to our monthly magazine, your most important task is to complete the compilation of the selected short story series. I have discussed it with the publishing house and it is tentatively scheduled to be released in January next year. Is everyone ok with it?"
The happy atmosphere is always short-lived. The editorial office, which was cheerful just now, suddenly became as if it had lost its parents after Lin Weimin finished speaking.
"What did I say? It must be bad news for him to come to the office!"
"This is almost a retribution!"
"Editor-in-Chief Lin, let's take a step back. Let's take back the jokes we made on you, and you take back your job, how about that?"
Lin Weimin shook his head and said sternly, "Don't say that. I don't assign tasks just because I say so. This is all for the good of our editorial department!"
Pooh!
Everyone spat in their hearts.
Liu Yin whispered to Tong Zhonggui: "What did I tell you? These leaders are just black-hearted maggots!"
(End of this chapter)
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