The literary era since 1979

Renwen Press, Editorial Department.

On his first day at work, Wang Meng gave an impassioned speech, saying a lot of things.

Speaking of the future purpose of publishing "People's Literature", it is to promote literary diversity and explore the various possibilities of contemporary Chinese literature.

After all, 1985 was a very special period in the history of Chinese literature. In this year, writers of different schools and styles emerged one after another. Not only serious literature such as avant-garde, root-seeking, and Western literature, but popular literature also flourished.

After seeing how dialects introduced comparative literature into root-seeking literature, the literary criticism community followed suit, introducing, experimenting with, and exploring various theories of literary criticism. Gradually, the literary world became full of vitality and a state of competition.

At the end, it was mentioned again that People's Literature should discover and support more young writers.

“Comrades, we must have the spirit of daring to be the first and willing to dedicate ourselves to young writers, and strive to publish more works by young writers!”

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa."

Wang Meng ended his speech amid waves of applause.

Afterwards, he took the manuscript of "You Have No Choice" and went straight to Fang Yan and Zhu Wei.

Zhu Wei couldn't wait to ask, "Editor-in-Chief Wang, what do you think after reading it?"

"The writing and narrative are a little immature, the plot is not strong, and the logic is a little confusing..."

Wang Meng commented seriously.

Fangyan smiled and said, "Doesn't it have the flavor of Yanjing people chatting about the mountains, and the crazy and wild feeling of playing rock music?"

Wang Meng nodded and said, "Yes, these characters in the film are just like the 'problematic youth' who play rock music nowadays. They are simply spiritual aristocrats who have become sick from overeating, are seriously out of touch with the masses, and complain about everything and everything without any reason."

"Editor-in-Chief Wang, I think this manuscript is not completely useless. It still has many good points."

Zhu Wei said: "The whole novel has the spiritual core of the 'Beat Generation' and is full of the breath of youth. It can be regarded as alternative avant-garde literature. In your speech just now, you said that more works by young writers should be published. I think this is quite good."

Wang Meng hesitated, "But will publishing a novel with such values ​​easily mislead young readers?"

Zhu Wei does not think so. If People's Literature can publish "You Have No Choice" and other "cool and avant-garde" avant-garde literature, it can break the stereotype of the majority of readers, especially young readers, that People's Literature is rigid and conservative.

"Yanzi, why don't you speak?"

Wang Meng turned around and said, "This manuscript is sent to you. You also asked someone to show it to me. Tell me what you think."

Zhu Wei also looked over. "Yes, Mr. Fang, didn't you just say that instead of calling You Have No Choice a work of the 'Beat Generation', there is a more appropriate term. What is that term?"

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately attracted the attention of others.

Fangyan looked around and said, "I call this the literature of youth pain."

After hearing this, some people present mistakenly thought that youth pain literature was a combination of scar literature and educated youth literature.

"No, no, no, this is completely different."

"So-called youth trauma literature focuses on the pain, frustration, struggle and psychological trauma that young people experience in the process of growing up, such as teacher-student relationships, parent-child relationships, romantic relationships, friendships, family conflicts, and even self-identity."

Fangyan explained patiently.

In fact, youth pain literature is not unique to China. For example, the United States has "The Catcher in the Rye", Japan has "Norwegian Wood", and even Keigo Higashino's early works "Moneyball" and "After School" can be classified as youth campus pain themes.

Of course, beautiful and pure love novels such as "Love Letter" can also be regarded as youth painful literature with love themes.

In China, this kind of youth pain literature is even more numerous. For example, "My Father and Mother" is about the family contradictions and conflicts between teenagers and their parents and brothers and sisters.

For example, "Triple Door" is about trust, betrayal, separation and reunion in friendship and love among teenagers.

Because the focus of youth pain literature is "pain", only when readers can empathize with the tragic and painful fate of the adolescent protagonists can the novel become a best-seller. However, just as the audience's threshold for horror movies will increase after watching too many horror movies, the threshold for youth pain literature will also increase.

So, at first, youth pain literature was still normal, but later it became more and more distorted, often using the most abusive methods.

Abortion, car accidents, love triangles, amnesia, misunderstandings, long-distance relationships, and other perspective-shattering plots are basically for the sake of pain.

As a result, youth pain literature was twisted into youth self-torture literature, such as Guo Jingming, Annie Baby, Rao Xueman...

"Teacher Fang's term 'Youth Pain Literature' is really original!"

Zhu Wei, Wang Fu and others couldn't help but sigh.

"Our previous youth literature creations always focused on the literature of the educated youth and scar literature of the old three generations."

Wang Meng drew inferences from one example: “But they neglected the physical and mental growth and youth issues of the new three generations, as well as the young people in the 80s.”

Chen Xiaoman readily agreed and said, "There are also objective reasons for this. Nowadays, most of the editors of literary magazines are middle-aged and elderly people like us. The youth of our generation is mainly scar literature, not pain literature, so it is difficult for us to notice the confusion, loss, bewilderment and rebellion of the next generation of youth."

"I think the 'youth pain literature' mentioned by Professor Fang is worth further exploration. What do you think?"

"Youth pain literature may become a new creative direction for contemporary Chinese literature."

"I agree! I wonder if you still remember the great discussion on life that was sparked a few years ago. Pan Xiao's article "Why is the road of life getting narrower and narrower?" reflects many problems that young people face when growing up. It already has some signs of youth pain literature."

"........."

"There's a saying, who doesn't feel lost in their youth? If you don't have a sense of direction for the future, you won't have the right choices in life."

Dialect looks left and right.

"So the title of Liu Sola's novel was not wrong."

Zhu Wei's tone was filled with excitement. "In my opinion, our People's Literature should publish "You Have No Choice"!"

Wang Meng did not make a decision immediately, but asked for the opinions of everyone present.

Most of his ideas are the same as Zhu Wei's. In his previous New Year's speech, he mentioned the diversity of literature and the promotion of young writers. Obviously, Liu Sola's "You Have No Choice" is very consistent with the current purpose of "People's Literature".

Moreover, using such an unconventional work that uses a "farce form" to reflect "the struggles, pursuits, anguish, success and failure of contemporary youth" can also change the stereotype of "People's Literature" in the minds of readers and re-occupy the position of young readers.

Seeing that the editor was still hesitating, Zhu Wei couldn't help but remind him:
"Don't forget Zhong Acheng. It was Teacher Fang who discovered him, which led to the growing 'roots-seeking literature' today."

"The current Liu Sola is the former Zhong Acheng. If we can cultivate her well, perhaps "You Have No Choice" will cause as much of a sensation in the literary world as Zhong Acheng's "Chess King", and youth literature will also move from educated youth literature to a whole new situation!"

"The key is that this is a new literary trend led by our People's Literature!"

"..."

Wang Meng was silent for a moment, then looked at Fang Yan, "Yanzi, what do you think?"

"I think it can be published, but it's better to revise the manuscript before publishing."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Zhu Wei, go contact Liu Sola and ask her to come to the editorial office when she is free?" (End of this chapter)