Chapter 38 Nobel Prize in Literature At lunch, Li...
At lunch, Li Daohua thought the food in Peking University’s cafeteria was quite delicious and there were many dishes.
I've been eating at home for a while now, so it's nice to change the taste.
Even the students who come to eat are in a hurry. This is also the case at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. People like Li Daohua who eat slowly are a minority. For the teachers, eating is like a war.
Zhang Ming is a young teacher, and it was precisely because of his youth that he was sent here to receive Li Daohua. Young people can communicate more easily with each other.
"After the exchange meeting, some students may ask you for an autograph. If possible, I hope you can sign it."
“That’s not a problem.”
The exchange meeting started on time at 2:00 p.m. To prevent any accidents, Li Daohua and his team started heading to the venue at 1:40 p.m.
Before they arrived, they saw a lot of students on the road going to the same place as them.
When they arrived at the venue, they felt that they had come too late. The entire venue was surrounded by students, and those who came late could not get in at all.
"Make way, make way, let us in."
"Didn't you see that we didn't go in? Even if we made way for you, you couldn't go in. Just listen outside."
"Then we have to let Teacher Daohua in." There were only two entrances to the venue, and both were blocked, so they could only squeeze in among the students.
The students around who heard this turned their heads and stared at the two of them.
"Classmates, please make way and let Teacher Daohua in!" a student shouted, then stood in front to help Li Daohua and the others clear the way.
By taking advantage of the excuse of paving the way for Li Daohua, this student successfully squeezed into the venue. Of course, Li Daohua, who followed behind him, also finally got in.
The weather in September was not particularly cool. Even though there was a fan overhead and all the windows around were opened for ventilation, the room was still very stuffy.
Li Daohua was wearing a white polka-dot dress and white cloth shoes, and looked younger than most of the students here.
It was also the first time for the students to meet Li Daohua, and they were all talking about it, causing the entire venue to be buzzing.
There is a microphone on the podium, and someone needs to be seated to use it.
"Hello? Hello? Everybody, be quiet." The effect was not very ideal. It was difficult for so many people to stop at the same time.
Li Daohua changed into a comfortable sitting position, leaning forward with her arms on the table.
“I actually don’t want to come to this exchange meeting.”
Ah? Zhang Ming beside him was shocked: "Teacher Daohua, this... the students are just excited to see you."
The students in the front row were the first to hear Li Daohua's words. When they saw Zhang Ming speaking for them, they stood up in indignation and asked, "Teacher Daohua, why don't you want to come to Peking University for the exchange meeting?"
The rest of the students also reminded each other to quiet down and want to hear Li Daohua's answer.
"I only graduated from elementary school, and everyone here is a college student. I can't help but feel that if I'm on the stage, the students might not be convinced by me."
The students who asked the question felt embarrassed instantly. They had been talking before and seemed a little unconvinced.
"Teacher Daohua, there is always one teacher among three people. Your achievements in the field of literature are obvious to all. This has nothing to do with your academic qualifications."
Li Daohua smiled and said, “Girls, it’s not easy to control you guys, just flatter me.”
"That's a good saying. If three people are together, there must be one person who can be my teacher. Before I came here, Teacher Zhang told me that he hoped I could talk about foreign literature. I think this is what everyone wants to hear."
The students nodded.
“In fact, not all of my novels have been published overseas, which shows that overseas publishing is targeted.
I know that many of you here have come into contact with foreigners. The more you come into contact with them, the more you will find that their way of thinking and their perspectives on things are different from ours. "
There are international students from many countries in Peking University, and these international students often play with other students in school.
In order to learn about other countries and practice speaking, students are also happy to talk to them.
"On this basis, if you want your novel to be accepted by foreigners, you have to adapt to the market and cater to their values."
Immediately, many students raised their hands to express that they had questions.
Li Daohua picked a girl at random. She looked shy, so it should not be easy for her to raise her hand to express her opinions. She could be encouraged. At the same time, the questions asked by such a person should not make her too embarrassed.
The girl hugged the book in her arms tightly. It was a book called "Back to 18".
"Teacher Daohua, in order to make your novel sell well overseas, you have to cater to the market and cater to other people's values. Isn't that too much of a lack of your own stance? Isn't that servile? Can success that is obtained by kneeling down and begging still be considered a success?"
I miscalculated. This girl looks shy but is quite aggressive.
However, before Li Daohua said this, she had already thought that someone would ask this kind of question, but she didn't expect it to be so heartbreaking.
Zhang Ming also looked at Li Daohua with some concern, ready to take action at any time to ease the situation. After all, the students were still young, and it was normal for them to be passionate.
Li Daohua was not angry. She waved her hand and asked the students to sit down. She said a lot more next and it was not good to let the students stand all the time.
"Teacher Daohua, please answer my question first." The girl stubbornly refused to sit down.
“I am going to answer your question next.
Following the market and catering to the three views does not mean giving up one's own position. On the contrary, giving up one's own position is what people should despise. "
"Let me give you an example. Take the book '18 Again' that you have in your hand. I actually wrote another version of '18 Again' and published it in America.
In the American version, the protagonist's ultimate success is to become one of the world's top capitalists, with a fortune as rich as that of a country."
The students were a little agitated again. They both achieved success, but one achieved it by sacrificing himself, while the other only cared about money.
Zhang Ming did not expect that the American version of "18 Again" would be like this. This is indeed inconsistent with domestic values.
“I know that people in China have always been ashamed to discuss money, but what I want to say is that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone needs to eat and live. We can’t just ask people to contribute without letting them have enough food and clothing.
In the American version, Connor Lee is indeed rich enough to rival a country, but all his money is earned through legitimate business. After he became rich, he also founded his own charity to help the poor. Does it mean that he is guilty just because he is rich? "
"But what about your stance? You wrote this to please America!" a boy shouted.
"My position is very simple. Good people should be rewarded and bad people should be punished. I love my country and my compatriots, and this position will not change.
I will change the narrative style of the novel, change the emphasis, make the novel more in line with America, but I will not cater to them, insult my country, my compatriots, I will not make good people bow down and let bad people prevail. "
Some students have understood and started to think about it, and there is some silence at the scene.
The girl who had been standing said, "Teacher Daohua, I understand, but I just want to write stories that I like. I don't want to change myself even a little bit for the market."
Li Daohua encouraged: "Of course you can write the stories you like. You live in the best era. This era is very inclusive and has a broad market. Every story has its own readers.
It is good to be able to publish overseas, but not being able to publish overseas does not mean failure. The success or failure of domestic literature should not be judged by foreigners. What do they know about Chinese culture? "
Li Daohua's last words were full of confidence.
For people of this generation, the days when the country suffered have not been too long gone. Coupled with various natural and man-made disasters, the country's development has been slow, and there is a huge gap between it and foreign countries, especially Western countries.
It is for this reason that we have an inexplicable admiration and awe for foreign countries.
Li Daohua traveled through time from the year 2024. In 2024, all aspects of the country have developed to world-class levels. Even some people who hate the country, when making comparisons, compare the country with the strongest, and believe that if they cannot achieve the strongest, they will be a failure.
In such a social environment, young people and children have innate self-confidence, which is given by the country.
Coupled with all the outrageous operations happening abroad, it is extremely easy to demystify foreign countries.
“So you’re also writing an American version of 18 Again?”
"It's not shameful to make money. I am also making foreign exchange for the country and making a contribution to the country."
There is nothing wrong with this.
Zhang Ming didn't expect that such a sharp problem could actually be solved by Teacher Daohua.
"Then Teacher Daohua, do you think you will have a chance to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in the future?" When the student asked this question, his face was full of excitement and his body even trembled a little.
The Nobel Prize in Literature is recognized as the highest international literary award, at least in this era, everyone thinks so.
"I don't think so, because I don't meet the award criteria, and I won't cater to their award criteria, which is inconsistent with my position."
The students felt like they were poured with a bucket of cold water. In their opinion, Li Daohua was the most likely winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. After all, her novels were really popular in America.
"Why not? Your novels are so good!"
"There are many reasons for this. In short, I will not slander my country and my compatriots. Otherwise, I will not be regarded as one of their own. This award will not be given to an outsider like me."
"You are being too biased. The Nobel Prize in Literature is fair and just. Your statement about insiders and outsiders sounds like you are forming cliques."
"Hey, you're right. I'll put it this way. I will never win the Nobel Prize in Literature. As for the reason, maybe you'll understand it in 20 or 30 years. You're still young now."
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