Story of Three Generations of Twentieth Century China - Literature review Example

20TH CENTURY CHINESE HISTORY BOOK ANALYSIS WILD SWANS BY JUNG CHANG Jung Chang is one of the prominent novelists and of contemporary times, whose broad vision, in-depth study and thought-provoking surveillance prove her one of the distinguished analysts of modern world. Her autobiographical notes based of the critical examination of her society draw a vivid picture of the socio-political background of her motherland Peoples Republic of China in a comprehensive and an analytical way. Her famous novel under the title "Wild Swans" portrays the real picture of the Chinese political parties and their movements on the one hand, the factors and struggle behind these movements, and actual views and opinions of the masses regarding their political leaders on the other. The novel was published from England, her present abode, in 1992, and won the title of best seller of the year with the sale of over ten million copies of the book. The novel narrates autobiographical story of three generations of twentieth century China, which underwent British and Japanese military expeditions and political interventions into the land of China, putting the Chinese sovereignty into serious jeopardy, and subsequent nationalist movements as a reaction to foreign exploitations and domination. In addition, the novel reveals the true picture of so called saviors of the nation, who had been more interested in their own projection and political and financial gains as well, rather improving the very lot and life of their nation and people at large. The autobiographical novel contains various themes behind it. At first, the novel reveals in details how poverty and scarcity of wealth and resources chase the backward and third world countries that they are sometimes forced to sell out their children even for the sake of money, as it was happened with the grandmother of the author in the beginning of the twentieth century. At the age of fifteen, Chang states, my grandmother was sold as a concubine of a warlord general, the police chief of a tenuous national government of China. (1992:3) Thus, beginning of the novel is not only based on realistic gloomy, but also indicated the very fact that neither the generals nor the people had any care in respect of the age difference between the so called "groom" and her purchased concubine, nor the prevailing culture of that era had any check in the development of such relationships. Children are the future of a nation, a country, a culture, a community and a society. Crimes committed against these flowers of Nature certainly mean to shake the very foundations of the future of a country. Perturb socioeconomic as well as geo-political condition of the world of today is the outcome of unjust behavior and crimes inflicted upon the children in past. “Condemned to the sub-human life of the streets”, Cullen (1992: p 2) notes, “and destined to become prostitutes as the cast-offs of a selfish society, thousands of hungry children are the living witnesses to the greed and avarice of the few hundred ruling families who maintain a closed system of structural injustice perpetuated by violence and a disdain for human rights.” The young and innocent concubine had to fight a long war against loneliness, helplessness and disappointment by leading an isolated life within the golden cage of splendid mansion full of every possible comfort, where she had to wait for six long years in order to see the old general who did not pay even a single visit of the house. Hence, it is a fact beyond doubt that the lower stratum of society has been undergoing the exploitations of the rich one for many centuries. Karl Marx, renowned socialist and politico-economic thinker, has pointed out the same phenomenon in his writings especially in Das Capitale, the Bible of Socialism. He aims at declaring that social stratification not only exists in each and every society of the globe from the very beginning, but also there is constant conflict between the haves and have-nots in one way or the other. The existence of conflict in each and every society is inevitable and every group finds its challenger class since its own birth and creation. Lockwood also insists on the presence of some mechanism in all societies resulting in inexorable conflict among its individuals. (1956 p 134) The mechanism of such kind serves as natural check and is responsible for the survival and solidarity of societies and cultures. According to Lewis Coser, ever since human society emerged from its primitive and relatively undifferentiated state; it is therefore, it has remained fundamentally divided between classes who clash in the pursuit of class. (Gouldner, 1980 p 52) The concept of feminism is the most dominant throughout the novel encompassing the three generations of the writers own family. Since social groups are not only divided into different classes in respect of socio-economic status and different occupations and professions, but also distribution of a society is based on age, gender and religion too. Social inequalities are found in all fields of life and in all the institutions prevailing in a society. In this pretext the Feminist perspective theory came into existence. The idea of division of labour on the basis of gender gave birth to feminism. It was a strong voice against the inequalities between men and women in respect of social status, division of power as well as work and gender discrimination. Had Changs grandmother a male, she could not have been forced to serve the old general as his concubine. The same used to be happened with thousands of women throughout China. Not only Changs grandmother had to suffer a lot during the course of her life, but also Changs mother remained victim of the circumstances prevailing in the Chinese society of her time. Historically, radical feminism started with the assumption that the sexes are adversarially poised, that men have power over women, and that society and its various social relationships can be best understood in terms of their relationship to that situation (Eisenstein 1983). Discriminative behavior towards women prevailed all over the globe, though situation is taking imperative alterations in this regard. In the nineteenth century, women writers, novelists and poets were discouraged while producing their works. Even, Mary Evans Ann had to name her George Eliot to hide and conceal her feminine identity. Though Victorian literature contained the works of female writers, but the atmosphere was not appreciable at all. The share of women in social construction was not acknowledged, although they worked in fields, hospitals, teaching institutions and other professions. Still the male domination was oppressive and tyrannical. Feminists characterise women as alienated especially in capitalism, though radical feminists state alienation exists in all economic system existing in the contemporary world. Women at different parts of the world, whether developing or developed, contain a rich and long-term history of struggle against male domination and exploitation. At first, Elizabeth Stanton in 19th century and Emma Goldman in the beginning of 20th century raised her voice in the United States for the women rights. Other feminist theorists including Patricia Hill Collins and others launched campaign for their rights in the later half of 20th century and demanded that women too should have been the same rights as had been delegated to men. Many writers of contemporary times have also attempted on the same topic. Dorothy Allison, the American feminist writer and analyst, has very courageously submitted the sensitive case before the world in her article "Skin: Talking About Sex, Class & Literature" (2005) and brought to the limelight how the women are exploited even when they are small children; especially the girls from the lower stratum of society, are deflowered by family members, teachers, neighbors and other community members since their childhood when they are not even familiar with the words and concepts like sex, rape, exploitation and abuse etc. “There was no meaning”, she (2005: p 218) declares, “in what my stepfather did to me; but the stories I have made out of it do have meaning.” She emphatically motivates the female writers to give significant time and priority to their obligation in their writings and expressions. “I need you”, she (2005: p 216) comments, “to do more than survive; as writers, as revolutionaries, tell the truth, your truth in your own way.” The richest, most varied, and most typical arena of women’s political engagement, Chowdhary opines, is found in the politics of everyday life. The site of this activism is the terrain between the state and family that is usually ignored in conventional investigations of politics. Viewed globally, the diversity of civic activities is staggering, even though countries vary dramatically in the form and extensiveness of civic life and the places of women in it (1994, p 18). Another theme of the novel includes the established scales of the political parties in order to test and examine the level of devotion of the members and workers alike. It not only creates fuss in the organization, but also leads both the organization itself as well as the whole nation towards raising revolts against so called discipline suppressing the voice of the people. Changs father was enjoying a privileged status during the initial years of the Maoist China. The government had devised political strategies under which no one was allowed to even think of criticizing its foundations. The governments make up the atmosphere in such a way that their policies could be taken as acceptable for the masses. And the most suitable platform of propaganda is surely media. It is media that plays decisive role in this regard. Hence the Maoist regime has also articulated a comprehensive scheme to maintain its influence in the Communist Party of China as well as the country at large. Since the Party had fought long battle to win freedom from the awkward clutches of twentieth century imperialism, the top leadership was accredited for that all. Though, the second rank leaders of the party were also privileged and rewarded as Chang describes in her book that she witnessed a lavish life in her childhood as an outcome of the long struggle of her parents for the cause of the party and the country as well. Her father enjoyed rare protocol and luxuries of life that could only be dreamed those days. The children (i.e. Jung Chang and her siblings) received special respect and honor wherever they visited; they received education from renowned educational institutions, led a conspicuous life with the facilities and comforts meant only for the elite strata. Chang did not appreciate the privileges she enjoyed in her childhood as a reward from the party against the services of her parents rendered by them during the war against the Kuomintang (KMT), on the other hand, and the Japanese invasion on the other. Bu Chang did never see eye to eye with such privileges and simply declares it an evident contradiction to the high talks and claims of social equality and justice raised by the leaders of the Communist Party in the days of war. During the civil war against Kuomintang, the Communist leaders aspired as well as inspired the feelings of the masses in the name of social equality and equal chances of growth under the leadership and control of the Communist Party of China. But as soon as the party came into power, it forgot its very manifesto altogether, and started accommodating its pioneers rather than improving the lot of the people. Consequently, Chang intends to say that it perhaps looks palpable that the parties in the third world countries work on foreign agenda to gain power, pelf and privileges in the long run. Balakrishnan Rajagopal (2003) has also indicated the same in his famous book under the title “International Law from Below: Development, Social Movements and Third World Resistance.” The celebrated book on international law focuses on the nature and work of social movements in third world countries. Some of these movements, according to the author, go in line with international law, while many of them refute the concept and resist the existence of transnational law. In the same way, some of the resistant movements are taken as valid, while many of the movements as well as its members working in contradiction to the interests of international powers are kicked out by declaring them as conspirators, traitors and illegal in nature, formation, activities and scope. Thus, the political system in third world countries remains under constant influence of the imperialism of colonial type, where the freedom movements, striving against the interests of imperialistic states of the globe, are crushed with an iron hand. Further, as social movements are the sign of resistance, it is not only against the command or authority; rather, resistance is always started in the name of some human rights. Changs parents, along with millions of other innocent Chinese, were struggling hard by applying the best of their abilities and energies to provide the future generations of China with a country where a stable government could give unabated protection to the human rights of all individuals without any discrimination. But unfortunately, many so called human rights organizations and even international law appears to support these social movements which are perhaps in the interests of big powers; the same was the case with the Communist Party. The Japanese forces committed severe excesses in December 1937 which are called the rape of Nanking and one of the bleakest aspects of the whole Chinese history. Japan, according to Matts Today, first invaded Manchuria in China in 1931. At that time, the Chinese Civil War was underway. The Communists and Nationalists showed little interest in putting up a united front against the foreign invaders until 1937, when the two sides agreed to fight the Japanese. The Chinese Army, though possibly the largest in the world at that time, was no match for the well-equipped and trained Imperial Army. The Japanese quickly captured most of the major Chinese cities in the northeastern part of the country. (Quoted in mattstodayinhistory.blogspot.com) The theme of secret strategies and plans to fulfill the schemes of others also exists in Changs book. There is politics within politics, which does not let the loyal and sincere workers express their views regarding some trivial policy even. A person, who along with his family, had undergone many sufferings, and had presented sacrifices for the cause of the party, becomes traitor of low profile within moments, and humiliation of him and his family in public becomes a sign of loyalty to the party. The same was the fate of Changs parents as soon as they criticized one of the policies of Maoist regime. The leaders and the workers forgot how much services Changs parents had rendered during the civil war. Both her father and mother worked in Red Army day in and day out to fight a decisive war against Kuomintang on the one hand, and the foreign aggression on the other. Her mother had to tolerate the consistence separation from her husband, unpleasant atmosphere of work place. She also suffered the pain of miscarriage of their first baby while getting military training for the cause of Red Army. Changs mother marched for one thousand miles in pregnancy for the sake of Communist Party. Her marriage with Changs father was also the outcome of the sheer love of both of them for their party. But the reward was associated with unconditional agreement with Maos policies throughout. Chang indirectly admits the very reality that there is something other than the apparent agenda of the political parties. The parties maintain secret agenda in order to fry their own fish out of the troubled waters of disturbances, civil war, anarchy and perturbed law and order situation. The enemy governments, especially the western nations always have their agents within political parties. Since they look into the movements of third world countries with colored spectacles, the patriot forces and loyal workers are unable to look into the graveness of the actual situation—a secret hand regulating the fate and destiny of their home land. Sometimes, the regional governments also look helpless while facing the commands directed by the super powers regarding some specific policy formulation and implementation. The west maintains prejudice while policy making between Christians and non-Christians too. Being a communist country, China and its great development always served as a threat in the eyes of the west. Hence, the west looks for the revival of its domination in all countries of the world, as it had been enjoying in 18th, 19th and first half of 20th century. The contemporary political and economic strategies like new world order, globalization and WTO have been drafted to give old colonization a new form, where the third world countries remain as their economic slaves forever and ever. Hence, the independence and prosperity had never been a part of the western agenda; rather, they wanted to wipe out the Japanese influence from the region, who was their arch enemy during WWII. Since, Japan had got inspiration from the German war achievements and was determined to expand her war plans from Atlantic to the Pacific and from China to Australia, the USA did not give consent to such war expansions of Japan. The USA applied economic sanctions on Japan and also stopped oil supply to her which could badly affect and even cripple her mobility at all war zones on the one hand, and poured oil into the differences between Japan and China leading towards a sorrowful Sino-Japanese War. After World War I and II, the European nations devised international laws out of their own choice to dominate economically, socially and culturally. Anghie (2005) has defined the term “periphery”, where he means the boundary line of interests drawn between the Europeans and non-Europeans by the developed countries. International law, according to the author, provides shelter to imperialism and socioeconomic and cultural domination to the developed nations in the name of law and aid. There is division of civilized and uncivilized nations, where the west considers itself the civilized one. The USA’s campaign against terrorism is also the part of obtaining more sovereignty over the developing countries. The most magnificent, moving and sublime theme of the Changs novel is unconditional, unabated, evergreen and absolute feelings of love and affection into the very heart of the members of family for each other, especially filial love and sacrifice of parents for children. The passion, Changs grandmother maintained for her daughter is not only exemplary indeed, but also reveals how a mother presents chains of sacrifices--- sacrifices of comforts, luxuries, mental relief, finance, and even life itself, in order to give best possible life to the children. The tricks she applied to evade separation from her new-born daughter, and fled from the house of her dying husband putting aside all the comforts life was offering to her. Almost the same feelings could be found in many pieces of literature of general as well as feminist perspectives. The love Changs parents bestowed upon the party cause is also worthy to note. Changs mother had doubts regarding whether she loved her party more than the love she contained in her heart for her spouse or vice versa. In addition, Changs love for her parents and her pity on finding them into a pathetic and miserable condition is also remarkable. In addition, her adherence to her own independent political and social ideas, against which she had to undergo mental and physical torture, is really admirable. It was the love of masses for their land, which stood them victorious during the course of upheaval and turmoil. Changs own devotion, determination and will-power for the freedom of thought that earned great fame, respect and reputation for her, is also an outcome of her love to her great objective. There is nothing permanent except change is an old saying. It appears very true while keenly looking into contemporary social, economic and political situation of the world in general and China in particular. Social change is the rule, not revolution in Changs point of view. It is the way of development that is to be faced, not a thing to be avoided. Even social conflict gives birth to social equality, justice and fair opportunities to a sensible, conscious and hardworking nation. Conflict is, Marx submits, the major source of change in social systems. They develop through the exposure of people, he emphatically states, occupying particular social positions to particular social circumstances. (Coser, 1978: p149) Hence, Changs wonderful autobiography wide opens new horizons of thoughtfulness before the readers, and reveals many hidden aspects of in-side stories of political parties and their leadership, which apparently strife to provide their nation rights on the basis of democracy, but they seldom observe it themselves in their practical political career. The example of present day leaders of American, European and Asian countries is a case in point to offer us take a bold and courageous step like Jung Chang and her brave parents to challenge the representatives of dictatorship under the thick curtain of hypocrisy and self-deception. BIBLIOGRAPHY Allison, Dorothy. (2005). Survival is Least of My Desires. An Extract from “Skin: Talking About Sex, Class & Literature. Firebrand Books. Anghie, Antony. (2005) Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law. Cambridge University Press. Cullen, Shay. (1992) The Power and The Poverty, Causes of Child Abuse. Collins, Patricia Hill. (1990). Black Feminist Thought Coser, Lewis Alferd. (1977) “Masters of Sociological Thought: Chowdhury, Najma, (1994). "Redefining Politics: Patterns of Women’s Political Engagement from a Global Perspective." Women and Politics Worldwide. New Haven: Yale University Press. Eisenstein, H. (1983) Radical Feminism, Humanism And Womens Studies Giddens, Anthony and David Held, Classes, Power, and Conflict: Classical and Contemporary Debates (Berkeley, University of California Press, 1982). HT675 C55 1982 Gouldner, Alvin W. (1980) The Two Marxisms.   New York:  Oxford University Press. Marx, Karl. (1971). Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy, Tr. S. W. Ryanzanskaya, edited by M. Dobb. London: Lawrence & Whishart. Rajagopal, Balakrishnan. (2003) “International Law from Below: Development, Social Movements and Third World Resistance.” Cambridge University Press Ritzer, George and Douglas J Goodman. (2003) Classical Sociological Theory. 4th Edition. Turner, Jonathan H. (1978). The Structure of Sociological Theory. The Dorsey Press. Wallerstein, Immanuel M. (1974). The Modern World-System: Capitalist Agriculture and the Origins of the European World-Economy in the Sixteenth Century. 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