What is the cultural connotation of Lao She’s citizen image?
There are three types of citizens in Lao She's works: old-style citizens, new-style citizens and lower-class citizens.
Old-school citizens are conservative, conservative and selfish, and are the epitome of the dregs of traditional culture. For example, Lao Ma in "Two Horses" does business in London, but in his heart he still believes in Eastern Feng Shui. He is Businessmen, but despise businessmen. For example, Brother Zhang in "Divorce" believes in the golden mean and opposes divorce. He believes that divorce is bad in general and feels comfortable with people's cheap flattery and pandering. Another example is Mrs. Qi in "Four Generations Under One Roof". He thought that as long as he had three months of food, he would be able to survive the Japanese invasion. He sympathized with Qian Moyin's family, but he did not dare to visit them.
New-style citizens pursue different pursuits and have very different personalities. The first type of new citizens are the models of ideal citizens in Lao She's mind, such as Li Jingchun and Qian Moyin, who have knowledge and ideals, dare to sacrifice and fight. The second category is the "middlemen" whom Lao She tearfully whipped, such as Lao Li in "Divorce" and Qi Ruixuan in "Four Generations Under One Roof". They accepted the baptism of new Western ideological trends, but were bound by traditional Chinese ethics and became Any kind of middleman. The third category is the common people.
The lower class citizens are very common characters in Lao She's works. They have been humiliated and are typical examples of enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens. They represent the contradiction between survival and ethics - for example, "I" and my mother in "Crescent Moon" are struggling at the bottom of society. "Mother" tries her best to let "me" learn knowledge and culture, but there is no knowledge. The "I" who suffered from revenge, but when life and ideals conflicted, I embarked on my mother's old path. Luotuo Xiangzi is also a typical example. Although these lower-class citizens are humble and insignificant, their psychological activities and words and deeds reflect Lao She's inner desire for the purest and most beautiful life. Through them, Lao She showed people the horror of the old society, and through them, Lao She also Convey your positive values.