Harrie! C. Mills writer's task is to react and fight back immediately against what is Tarmful...to resist and attack.” “Works,” he added, “which are Opiates will perish along with those who administer or take narcotics ‘The essays which live on must be daggers and javelins, which, with their readers, can hew out a bloodstained path to a new life.” In the inid.T9a0s, Lu Xun strongly opposed a movement to promote the "humorous essay’ led by his former friend, Lin Yutang, and his own brother, Zhou Zuoren, two of China's best-known essayists. Initially, these two proposed “humorous criticism” of society and public figures, "Humorous criticism,” Lu Xun charged, was a contradiction it tems, especially a humor that Lin insisted had to be detached, Charitable, and not indignant. Lu Xun warned that in China, “humor rust become satire directed against society or degenerate Into... common ‘joking’ ”” He was right, Almost immediately, Lin aarmgunced his retirement from active commentary on the world to let us mind roam over all things great and small, from fies to the this was a reprehensible attempt to avoid reality lity." Their work, he predicted, rather like party snacks, universe. To Lu Xun, and an abdication of social responsi Would degenerate into literary bric-a-brac, which, while tasty, do one no good."** ‘During the course of this 1934-1935 exchange between the enter= taining tsopinoen of Lin Yutang and the militant zazen of Lu Xun, La Xun predicied that the short satirical zaper, which as yet had no wXndwledged place in Chinese literature, would soon become a Fecognized genre. He was right, and he was the one largely responsi Tie But ironically, it was soon disavowed by the very party thal symbolized the dreams that had nurtured it E ne for his own work, Lu Xun said he wrote to expose injustice, tear dean the maske of righteousness, and vent his indignation." His own some made him shudder because it was like the “cry of an owl | ‘eporting things of ill omen”; the more correct the report, the m pektrous for China, It was a losing game. So, like a street peddler fusty nails and broken crocks,he simply “spread out” his 2:0 hop! someone would find something useful, They were expendable His views had grown and shifted through the years, but always was true to himself. At the end, he sought no accommodation with his Cnemies- "Let them go on hating me,” Lu Xun wrote. “I have f Sword,” only a pen that is “not for sale.” 10. Lu Xun’s “Medicine” Milena Dolezelova-Velingerova a subjec ter derived from ; forceful (but concealed) ideolog de polished wane ee led) ideological message, and a polished narrative autobiographical elements and its ic : linary authenticity. Moreover, the di cae [eerentiae a prime subject of discussion, summoning dif cent and Pally epee hea ‘un’s narrative techniques have rarely been studied,* is Mastery of the written word an¢ rte as eto bee 4 more substantial formulation of its ideological message. Such an tpproach further justine b sep Justied by the character of La Xue weg hi sage is never exit bt i concealed in an inate coe the cvs be deciphered only if the bs deciphered only fhe organizing principles of the story's structure Medicine” is one of those narratives whose autobiographical Sources are w | soure ‘ell known. They relate to the bitler experiences of Lut Xun’ childhood and youth. First there is his father’s death at the handsMilena DoleLefovd-Velingerooi of “quack” doctors. Forced to commute for years between his home ghd the local apothecary to fetch “cures” for his father, Lu Xun was deeply impressed by this family tragedy” The second source, though hnota personal experience, is still closely related to Lu Xun’s life. The Formidable woman revolutionary Qiu Jin, an outstanding Chinese political figure atthe beginning of the century, came from the same Town. as Lu Xun, Shaohsing, In 1907 she was denounced by close fronds and publicly executed near her home city Lu Xun, studying in Japan atthe time of her execution, did not have any direct knowledge A the event but apparently learned of the incident at second hand To demonstrate the relationship between these autobiographical facts and the resulting literary work, a simplified synopsis ofthe story of “Medicine” is provided here, But instead of the composition of the Story, the order of events as related in the text, we present the ‘Iovetion ofthe story, the chronological sequence of events, as follows: Uncle Xia denounces his nephew Xia Yu to the authorities, cause he fears that his rlative’s political activities may lead tothe extermination Of the whole family. He is awarded twenty-five taels of silver. Imprisoned, Xia Yu shows fearless conduct. Instead of breaking down dhuring the investigation, he incites the jaller to revolt and proclaims that the great Qing empire belongs to all the Chinese people. Uncle Kang, who belongs to the town's undeeworld, informs Hua Old Shuan, the owner of 4 small teahouse, that Xia Yu will be executed, From the executioner Old Shuan buys a roll of bread, manios, which is dipped in Sie Yu's blood at the moment ofthe execution. Old Shuan and his wife | feed the mantou to their fatally ill son, Little Shuan, because they believe in its healing powers. A half year later, during the Qing Ming Festival in early spring, Little Shuan’s mother accidentally meets Xia. Yo's mother in the cemetery. The graves oftheir sons lie side by side, Seperated only by a path. Xia Yu's mother is puzzled by a circle of Sewers decorating her son’s grave. In her grief, she turns to 2 superstitious belief and asks a raven perched nearby to fly down and indicate the presence of her son’s soul. But the raven fails to respond. — On leaving the cemetery the tio wwomen are startled by the raven's oud caw as it suddenly takes off toward the horizon. “The story’s disposition gives us basic information about Lu Xun’ handling of the autobiographical material, To begin with, all references to the author are removed; there is no father, and there is no tevolutionary from “our” town, These figures from the author's” personal experience are transformed into the story's main characters, ‘and their basic qualities, such as age and sex, are determined by = La Xun’s "Medicine structural considerations. Second, and seat | and more importantly, the two independent personal experiences become two sy line inked pees ‘er into one coherent plot. Unity is achieved not only ‘because thereare motif common tbath ines ach ap the nein on ers, but also because both stc lines have sanizing mate ory lines have the same organizing The first of thee prinpe, information manipulation gover ho and when information about events in the narrative is to be intro- ued La Xun demote ths prince Medion” by longo a aired significant pieces of information from the rea der m tis delayed information release, a well-known mystery story tech- gue, helps cate users and tension the lot ips td oaiing pice of "Mic isthe eeaton of iymamic oppositions in the story structure. This principle br sian components the sry into muta ppositon and soe at Importance asthe story progresses Nae of these principe can be carved inthe soy dapeton, tates hey appro be oenising prince ofthe try comp on In other words they ate operons tat raaforn he “tral” ronolgil sequene of eens (s manfsed tn the depostion into the “artificial” order of motifs given in the linear iseties neat development int compositional order of motif, the st ii ifs, the story has two clear eiferen unis Theis unit consists ofthe ft the scone he story, tis characterized by unity of time, dynamin ad the pecans of «native mode cntoned by coin protgonit Ut of tine achieve in tht the everts narrated ef he secon ocr win ey shot timespan nly Yew hous Dynamism resuls rom the mule aton mts lignan 2nd rom th fern ces by ing te aoe of ocground information, Finally the native mode of the thee con determined by the point of view of parca characters nsetn one, the most important events ae Felted 3 the obsertions and experiences of Od Shuny in section two asthe observations and elings of Lite Shuan; and in section thre, ab the biased and beliefs of Uncle Kang. ; ies epions The second compositional unit of "Medi sitinal unit of “Medicine” consists of only the fourth and ast sion, whe n all ts base sucralfate contrasts with the fist unit, Sigicanty ti separated fom the fst a considerable temporal gap the fist thrce secon take placeea act alone indeats bs he fal, the forth eto nthe sping, Ths a! alone inde at helas secon Foci san epg tthe try. Rather an 2 throat scenes sn the ft un the eon uni, basal Ft itic episode permeated by a lyrical and reflective moo ae a al CParrtie mede ofthe eecond unit not determined by trove, the narrative mode o point of view of a character but rather by an “objective,” “hidden’ ay respond to the F a lines are incorporated into one compositional frame. bea oe os ob yf information manipulation ay ves ee story lines. The information about corer oo ng a important events and circumstances is introduc only Evotery” oft letely revealee imagination; all we are allowed to see is a two-re we oat section are also depi ee ated yet hopeful sate of rind, which sem ig 2s and ee giten ae the sun ml Shans onl atl peperecony See ot immedialy ol vu ck shpat urea tate See itive. The tr remaining cr : Se Sn fue ienfve Kron ony by lated sfereces— a Woe and ouphig Neer chaactertc & hen pari Fn eat ,tion, the action in section one if aes ie ecu to comprehend. Presened through Shuan’s deranged and incoherent perceptions, it reflects his excite stuns entre obnemes oman stone people 08 merece Along about nests” Te ye tone "shone IMGsigh es ame ger’ he ht of od cee abut the xeon gen seed netic tne eecaonet fat" man cad ete 224 .der’s visual and sensual omy; only those traits jcted with maximum economy; 01 te 4 meaningful to the ensuing action are provided. Old Shuan is projected.” the sky grows light. But Old Shuan’s acters, Old Shuan’s Black... his eyes like daggers, making Old Shuan shrink to half his normal size.” Most importantly, the object that the villager buys from the executioner is also mysterious. We perceive, at first, only its outward identity ~ a roll of mantou, Its metaphorical identity is only suggested to us by the phrase “a crimson substance,” and its healing power is only vaguely hinted at, again through Old Shuan’s giddy state of mind. “Whose sickness is this for?” Old Shuan seemed to hear someone ask; but he made no reply. His whole mind was on the package, which he carried as carefully a if it were the sole heir to an ancient house. Nothing else mattered now. He was about to transplant this new life to his own home, and reap much happiness.” Section two contains more definite information about the main characters and a more consistent description of the action. ‘The fragments of section one gain more coherence, The question “Whose sickness is this for?,” which seemed only to show Old Shuan’s hallucinating mind, becomes a logical link between the frst and the second sections, The gloomy picture of sick Little Shuan gives us an answer to the question, while the tender attentiveness with which his Parents give him the mantou reveals tous the connections between the mantou and the child's coughing. But information about the substance that had transformed the mantou into a miraculous medicine is still withheld. ts disclosure is prevented by the particular point of view from which the action of this section is seen. The most important stages of the action are related via the perceptions of Little Shuan, and, secondarily, those of a customer in the teahouse. Little Shuan is asked to stay away from the kitchen 50 that he cannot see what his parents are preparing. When he i given the mantou for his breakfast, “he had the oddest feeling, as if he were holding his whole life in his hands.” And “his father and mother were standing at each side of him, their eyes apparently pouring something into him and at the same time extracting something.” (Emphasis added) The customer, struck by a strange odor permeating the teahouse, sks twice about the source of the smell but gets no answer. The narrator reveals that the parents prepared the mantow in the stove, but its substance” remains a secret, Only in section three is this secret revealed ~ by Uncle Kang. In fact, he has so much additional information to provide the other characters and the reader that Uncle Kang can be rightly called a secondary “crimson _Rarrator. He reports his information in response to questions from the | Occupants of the teahouse (Old Shuan and his wife, anonymous Customers), who, with the exception of occasional comments on 225—E————————— Milena Doleielovi-Velingerovd Kang’s revelations, remain relatively passive fo the situation. To emphasize Kang’s special narrative role, he is described in greater Gate! then the other characters. He is “a heavy-jowled man” and “his “tank coarse cotton shirt was opened in the front, unbuttoned, and fastened carelessly by a broad dark girdle at his waist.” His predatory rend is hinted at later when he boasts about his connection with the jailer "To heighten the tension of the story, the secret of the mantou is disclosed during the first part of his narrative in three gradual stages. srthe first few sentences — shouted to attract the other customers’ sntention __ Kang only alludes to the secret. But these sentences tell ws hat it was Uncle Kang who informed Old Shuan about the execution, Inthe second stage of his revelation, Kang indicates the close CSnnection between the healing power of the mantou and the fnysterious substance: "This is a guaranteed cure! Not like other thangs! Just think, brought back warm, and eaten warm!” Finally, the apNance is directly identified, Significantly it is also in this explicit eclaration that Little Shuan’s disease is given its real, frightening secre. “A roll dipped in human blood like this can cure any consumption!” Revealing the secret of the mantow marks a turning point in the development of “Medicine.” The story of Litle Shuan is closed. At the seme time, the motif of human blood provides a link to the second Story line the events surrounding Xia Yu's execution “This second story line, like the first, is subject to the principle of information manipulation. The execution being concealed in section ane, itis only in section three that Uncle Kang tells of Xia Yu's fate: Cantinuing in his narrator's role, Uncle Kang reveals the revolution- Sis name and the other missing parts of Xia Yu's story — how he was Jeaounced by his uncle, how he incited the jailer to revolt, and how he proclaimed that “the great Qing empire belongs to us:” Only now does Me most important event of this story line, the execution, become cea the reader can finally reconstruct what actually happened in the first compositional unit of “Medicine.” ‘One aspect of the disclosure of the revolutionary's story deserves spual mention. Both Uncle Kang’ remarks and the comments of his = reccnere are totally negative. The revolutionary is a “young rogue,” 4 veal scoundrel,” a “rotter.” The revolutionary’s tragedy thus deepens, ‘The “people” who were supposed to benefit from his actions have = turned into his enemies and judges. q When the first compositional tnit ends at the conclusion of section Lu Xun's "Medicine three, all necessary information about the two ston siven The terion generated by the device of delayed information Feleas is dissipated. But this is only a momentary respite. The second uni the epilogue bring an even mere intense and pesstent tension, Because the information will not be reveled in th tex the reader wi si intensity ofthe epilogue again, gneated by the pine of ation manipulation, But here it operates in a fashion opposite t Bhat fhe i hee etn: deft infra proved, bt i har concede sym meaning I tet word the pnp of infomation manipulation i now implemented by mean of symbol storys overall meaning i deciphered, In the fist compostonal un the unknown information presented succesivly nthe text but e epilogue, the unknown meaning has to be provided by the reader’ own interpretaion. The clue to such interpretation is given by the second organizing principle of "Medicine," namely, dynamic opps fon, As meine ear ti principe fs manifested inthe forma. ion of contrasting pais of structural components and in the readjust- ment of ther relative importance inthe course ofthe narrative Ron ee er ae ene ae Linked together by the motif of human blood. But in the epilogue, this binary characteris demonstrated by other motif: the graves ofthe two Young men ying sie by side are dvd onl by thin path they ook lke rls of mantou, the substance that brought thei fates together The two mothers although unknown to each other, ee united ge ter Mother Hua crosses the path, they do not part Tne ationshi ofthe to sary ins i complcted however, by ine mami great fom the oppeton, Te arrangement of es a radical reversal in the course ofthe ston whe pn Inston the when the ere the mania teva, the story revolves aren Lite Shia, Bu his pivot the focsafthe wo storylines altered andthe emphasis shi fo ia Yu This anton is|made dear in the last past of the tahowse convertion: wl Uncle Kang tl about Xi Yu's exc, Lite Shut xo of coughing he motes amdous ques The principle of dynamic opposition governs not on of evens In “Medicine” but aso Ms inematc stucare, whichis __ tion. The whole first unit is dominated by the theme of darkness, as,Milena DoleSelovi-Velingerovt both protagonists are victims of a benighted society. What is more, darkness obscures the character of the revolutionary’s activity, which is misrepresented by Uncle Kang’s biased report and by the comments fof the villagers. It seems, at this point, that darkness has eliminated its ‘opposing theme. But, at its very moment of triumph, its power begins te wane, First, the hunchback’s comment at the end of section three — “Crazy” — echoes the other villagers’ opinion about the revo- lutionary’s “crazy” behavior in jail. But this comment is delayed and follows Uncle Kang’s final words~“A guaranteed cure!” — with Which he tries to console the cough-racked Little Shuan. Where the huunchback’s comment occurs gives the utterance new, unintentional meaning, for it undermines the theme of superstition. Second, and more important, an unbiased reader will learn from Uncle Kang about the revolutionary’s ideals and courage, and the theme of revolution thereby emerges in a positive light. ‘This latter theme, however, is given mor the epilogue. There, the reversal in the relative importance of the two main themes is first indicated by the change of seasons. Autumn, in the Chinese tradition, is an awesome period of the year, corresponding to the theme of darkness in the first three sections. In the epilogue, the coming spring foreshadows the dispersion of darkness and the emergence of new hope. Accordingly, the theme of revolution supersedes that of darkness. This is clearly implied when Xia Yu's mother says, “They all wronged you. .. know, they trapped you." But a day of reckoning will come, Heaven will see to it. Close your eyes in peace.” This comment contrasts sharply with those expressed previously by the villagers. Coming from a grieving mother, it has Fruch more textural and emotional weight; it transforms the victim of the darkness into a hero. “The character of the epilogue is primarily symbolic, and, therefore, the revaluation of the two themes is also expressed principally in symbolic form. Understanding these symbols in the epilogue is Fecessary to determine the final ranking of the themes and to formulate the story's ideological message. In accordance with out we find that the various symbols used are actually yre prominent treatment in previous discussion, pairs of opposites, special importance with respect to the other member. In other words, the meaning of the symbols is revealed in the opposition of properties assigned to the particular members of the pair. The most obvious symbol in the epilogue consists of the £0 mothers, Here, the ranking of themes is shown in the fact that Little ‘arranged so that one member of the pair has @ story's most obscure and, at the s: ea |, at the same time, Lu Xun's “Medicine” Shu mths he a ale suri f ttf th rexhtnays moter The fore crousthe puh an ter we ciate The ccle of owes on Regnery eae th crac questo, "Wht ds meant ahr sheik he ste he pga mow sant sta, by hr dng te sve y downto show rss presence Ad last but ee she re ‘s of her son's fate and “a day of reckoning.” " “Oi symbole pas are more cbt ost thre, he But se xpath are two camino apelin: for Cin’ In the gu the va most dea sybase te Howes he and the raven, Many critics have already discusse first of these, apparel cause of Le Xun own Seer (Alo arm) Bt what has expe steno he fa tha the {aon Xiu ee pny comet he homeo taal ong ring oer on ite Sans eng pc te i of Howes on Xin Yrs pave argc will A Mae Huaotaere “they hve nore hey eanthne omedre ae evidence of a pairing of motifs, the flowers on Little Shuan's sravehavea neural, greenish tin wheres the cieleon Na vann is composed of red and white blooms. a Let we cou be ised tsb Xa’ ener ine = of the wreath as an encouragement to “those fighters naa falopingon in nls" il ths eneuragerent can havc sor spr form, n const tothe satay gong er he westh st hernia aman a though not lear whose the el foman says only that it could not have been playing children or Bvingsinvee Pshaps he rove was honed by Ma cond 8 2 ape of the wreath and its red and white colors may refer to on-Chinese emblematic syst, and, therefore, sg an at of People who hed adopted on Chins cst sn ens. Tat th symbol raises these questions and leaves them without a defi 5 answer may be the best interpretation possible. a ‘A similar approach can be laken withthe raven, which, becase it __ appears at the end of the story, is a highly significant symbol, Just as the fst unit ofthe st nit of the sty culminates with the fll revelation characters action 50 the second it reaches ts Cline ih the ‘nos provocativeMilena Doleielood-Velingerovd One might point out that the raven is just one bird, nok a PEt of symbole as we find in the rest of this carefully structured s0ry Buta ayer inspection reveals a hidden polarity. In fac, the raven appar cose rrnatng scenes and serves a double symbolic function. 18 We ee ore the raven is completely passive and is associated with 78 toa cer ors superstitious belief. According to Chinese legend the wren van be read as a representation of fila piety, because 2 yore rae feeds its old parents when they are unable to find food. But ven the raven does not respond to the mother’s call its function 5% 6 Symbol of superstition is negated. Now it can assume a new symbolic finetion, as shown by its strange behavior in the second cove Significantly, a pause separates the second scene from the first. Bolaes the pause, the raven i till seen “on the rigid bough of the 66, aera econ in, perched immobile as iron.” But afte the pause, the een suddenly caws loudly, and the women see it “stretch is Wing cee oelf to take off, then fly like an arrow toward the far horizon.” ‘Have the reader must ask Mother Xia's question: “What does it mean?” The general structural principle of dynamic opposition that Governs the other symbolic pats and the underlying themes leads to geveTplanation, In the rst scene, the raven symbolizes superstiion (darkness), whereas in the second scene, it symbolizes the oPPoEE ceeaeeyt revolution. The second function of the raven, in efecy the'arces the final dominant position of the theme of revolution vis-3- vvis the theme of darkness. “Chacsing the raven to symbolize revolution might seem bold OF even inappropriate. In both the Chinese and Western traditions the aoe has mainly represented tragedy, death, fright, and the unknown. are ie well known that Lu Xun was never one of those waiters whe wiealized violent change, And in 1919, when “Medicine” was wittety rains just emerging from a deep depression caused by his diene ae a ent with the incomplete Revolution of 1911. He might hav tightly felt that a true revolution is an event that reaches toward far eo end is, atthe same time, awesome and frightening. TM 7 porzotihen, can be an apt representation of this image of revolutions Through the story's organizational principle of dynamic opposition, cre ogeable faced” raven evokes set of dual connotations around 288.7 of its basic themes. ‘Thus, we see that Lu Xun uses the principles of informatil manipulation and dynamic opposition to express the bizarre junsyes aeeevof a society in tumult tis through a structural interpretation & Lu Xun's “Medicine” ‘Med hat ne cn Kent th fain nd therfore 's ideological message. Indee: i ies fs th nary nature fe ey nto bai eltoshp bce he themes fdas and re clon culminates in the negation of the “Garkness and the cami e powers of darkness. a th f a frightening, but cathartic symbol of ‘eohtion’ 7