A Brief Introduction to the Novel Border Town

Near the tea cave at the junction of Sichuan and Hunan, next to the white pagoda of Xiaoxi, there lived a family. There are only two people in a single house, grandfather, old boatman and granddaughter Cui Cui, and a yellow dog with human feelings. The old man urinated leisurely on the ferry. There is a ship called Shunshun in Chadong City. He is a free and easy person, who likes to make friends and help others. He has two sons, the eldest of whom is called Tianbao. He is as generous, open-minded and unconventional as he is. The temperament of the second child is a bit like his mother. He doesn't like to talk, but likes to show off in the crowd, so he is called Northon. Everyone in the town didn't give a thumbs-up when they mentioned their three names. During the Dragon Boat Festival, Cui Cui went to watch the dragon boat race and met a handsome young sailor to see him off. He left a deep impression in Cui Cui's mind. Coincidentally, Tianbao, the brother sent by Nuo, also fell in love, and asked him to ask the matchmaker for a kiss first. Both brothers decided to have a showdown, so the boss told his younger brother all his worries, saying that this love was planted two years ago. My brother smiled and told him that he fell in love with Cui Cui two years ago. My brother was really taken aback. ...

But at this time, the local group always took Xinmo as his dowry and wanted to betroth their daughter to Northong. I would rather inherit a broken ship than marry Cui Cui. Grandpa naturally knows his granddaughter's worries, but he is willing to let her make her own decisions. The two brothers did not decide the outcome by dueling according to local customs, but agreed to express their feelings fairly and romantically by singing folk songs, so that Cui Cui could choose from them. Nuosong is a good singer. Tianbao knows that he can't sing as well as his younger brother, and he is disheartened. He resolutely set sail for business. I only heard the song sent by Nogo all night. Later, that song never sounded again. The old boatman couldn't help asking. He thought it was the old man who sang it. He told the truth and went back to business. A few days later, he heard that the old man was drowned in an accident ... The boat at the dock was always smooth sailing, and he could not forget his son's death, so he became indifferent to the old boatman. The old boatman was worried about his granddaughter's heart, but finally he couldn't bear to ask. But he blamed the old boatman for Tianbao's death and went to Taoyuan himself. The boat is always going well, and I don't want Cui Cui to be Nuo's daughter-in-law. After all, Tianbao died because of her. The old boatman had to go home depressed. Cui Cui asked him, but he didn't say anything. It rained heavily at night, mixed with frightening thunder. Grandpa said Cui Cui was not afraid, but Cui Cui said she was not. They lay quietly in bed, listening to the rain and thunder. The next day, Cui Cui got up and found that the boat had been washed away and the white tower behind the house had collapsed. Cui Cui was so scared that she went to see her grandfather, only to find that the old man had died when Ray was dying. ...

Veteran Yang enthusiastically came to accompany him, making a living by ferry, waiting for Nuo to return. Maybe Songsong will never come back, maybe he will come back tomorrow.

● Notes on text appreciation

First, the creative background

Border Town was completed in April 1934, which is the representative work of the author. Regarding the creative motivation of this novel, the author said: "What I want to express is a' lifestyle', a' beautiful, healthy and not against human nature'. My idea is not to lead readers to travel to Taoyuan, but to take advantage of the 700-mile journey from Taoyuan to a small town in the Youshui River basin. When several stupid men and women are implicated in a place by an ordinary person, everyone deserves to have a sadness and joy, which has properly explained the meaning of the word' love' to human beings. " Taking Cui Cui's love tragedy as a clue, the whole article vividly shows the beauty of local conditions and customs in western Hunan.

Second, the plot of Border Town

In a remote town with beautiful scenery and simple human feelings in Xiangxi, there are two grandparents and grandchildren who live by ferry. Grandpa is over 70 years old and still strong; Granddaughter Cui Cui is 15 years old and is the seed of love. They are warm and helpful, simple and kind. Two years ago, during the Dragon Boat Festival, Cui Cui met the second young master of the local boatman and planted the seedlings of love. Tianbao, the brother sent by Nuo, likes beautiful and pure, and asks people to ask for relatives from his grandfather. The local Wang Tuan has always taken a fancy to Nuosong and is willing to take the mill as a dowry to marry his daughter to Nuosong. I would rather be a ferryman than a miller. I want to marry Cui Cui. So the two brothers agreed to sing and propose marriage, and let Cui Cui choose. Tianbao knows that Cui Cui likes to send promises. In order to fulfill his younger brother, he went out to the beach and died unexpectedly. Northong felt responsible for his brother's death, so he left Cui Cui and ran away from home. Grandpa worried about Cui Cui's marriage and died on a stormy night. Leave a man guarding the ferry and wait for promise to come back. "This man may never come back, maybe he will come back tomorrow!"

Third, simple human feelings.

The bright and clean scenery of the border town educates simple people. In the novel, everyone is enthusiastic and honest, and everyone has the legacy of an ancient gentleman. "Everything is very orderly, the people are restless and happy." (Section III of Border Town) Beautiful moral sentiments are still carried forward here.

1. Cui Cui

Cui Cui is naive, kind, gentle and pure. She lives alone with her grandfather and takes good care of him. Because grandpa doesn't understand her heart, she fantasizes about running away and letting grandpa find her, but when she thinks of her helplessness when grandpa can't find her, she is worried about grandpa and afraid of blaming herself for the consequences of her thoughts. She fell in love with Nuosong, and her feelings were pure and sincere. After the excerpts, Nuo was sent away, and she unswervingly waited for the return of her sweetheart, showing her persistence in love.

2. Grandpa

Grandpa Bao has the traditional virtues of China, and he has infinite love for his granddaughter. Worried about Cui Cui's marriage, trying to make Cui Cui's love come true. In my life, I am also very concerned about Cui Cui. I don't want Cui Cui fidgeting for fear that Cui Cui will get sick. Emotionally, I try my best to understand Cui Cui's thoughts. When Cui Cui is sad and lonely, I tell her stories, tell jokes and sing songs.

3. Natural forest protection

Tianbao is generous. He is the eldest son of the boatman, but he falls in love with the granddaughter of the poor ferryman. He knew that his younger brother loved Cui Cui, too. They sang Duel, but he kissed first because of himself. "Be the brother's leader", so he insisted that his brother sing first. As soon as his brother "spoke", he knew that he was not an "opponent", so he generously fulfilled his brother and fully showed brotherhood. Later, he went to the seaside, not only for his brother's happiness, but also to dispel his disappointment and sadness, "so as to forget everything above." In the end, he died unexpectedly. It can be said that he died for affection and love.

Fourth, a lonely heart

Xiangxi, as a closed agricultural civilized society, people also show loneliness.

1. Cui Cui

Cui Cui's parents died when she was very young, and her heart was very lonely. Although there is a grandfather who takes care of himself, he can't really understand her feelings as a girl. She "looked at the red clouds in the sky and listened to the messy voices of rural businessmen floating on the ferry, and her heart was a little thin and desolate." No one can understand the mood of a girl who longs for spring, so she feels that "this day has become a painful thing." She wept bitterly for this helpless life. Grandpa can't understand her inner sadness, so he can only coax her into saying, "Don't cry, be an adult, and don't cry no matter what happens." If you want to survive in this land, you must be hard-working and strong! "For a teenage girl, such words are too unrealistic. Tianbao and Nuo sang Duel for her, but she didn't know it. She can only hope for the realization of love in her dream, and the reality seems to have nothing to do with her. Finally, Tianbao ran across the beach and died. Nuo sent home, and grandpa died of grief over her marriage. However, she can't understand the cause and effect of all this, so she can only watch the ferry alone and wait for the return of her sweetheart. " This person may never come back, maybe he will come back tomorrow! "No one can tell her when to wait alone.

2. Grandpa

Because of the tragedy of his daughter and son-in-law, grandpa left an indelible scar in his heart. Cui Cui shouted in fear, which puzzled him. He told his granddaughter the story of his mother, which moved her even more. He didn't directly tell Cui Cui about the choice of the Tianbao brothers, but made his granddaughter "a little confused" and gave Cui Cui a "gentle and pitiful smile", which showed his inner contradictions. He loves his granddaughter and is afraid that she will go back to her mother's old way, but he can't say it directly. After the excerpt, the granddaughter's tragedy was caused by Tianbao's death, and there was nothing he could do. He couldn't ask anyone for help, so he gave up. It can be said that he died in loneliness.

3. Tianbao Brothers

Tianbao likes Cui Cui, but his agent refuses to come back. He didn't know that Cui Cui liked Nuo Song and Nuo Song also liked Cui Cui. Unconsciously stepped into the entanglement of love. Finally, he knew that he had no hope and could only leave the sad place alone. Finally died in an accident, which may be his lonely destination.

Nuoge can also be said to pursue love alone, "duel" with his brother, and sing love songs in the middle of the night, but it is not known to his sweetheart. Finally, I ran away alone and drifted somewhere.

It can be said that everyone in Border Town is struggling in loneliness, and the final "maybe come back tomorrow" is just masturbation in loneliness.

Cultural connotation of verb (abbreviation of verb)

The author's ideal is to express "a beautiful and healthy life form that does not contradict human nature" and "give a proper explanation to the word" love "of human beings." So, relative to what is "a beautiful, healthy and human life form"?

The author eulogizes the virtues preserved in traditional culture to this day, which is relative to the fact that traditional virtues have been destroyed in modern society, and materialism and monetarism are shallow, vulgar and corrupt everywhere.

Xiangxi described by the author has beautiful natural scenery and simple folk customs. People don't talk about rank or utility. People treat each other sincerely and love each other. Grandpa's love for his granddaughter, Cui Cui's love for Nuo purity, Tianbao brothers' sincere love for Cui Cui and sincere brotherhood between brothers all represent the traditional virtues of unpolluted agricultural civilization. The author tries his best to describe the natural clarity of Xiangxi and the inner clarity of Xiangxi people.

The author wrote about Song's proposal of marriage, the marriage of the two brothers, and the feeling that Grandpa and I lived together. These life forms and lifestyles of Xiangxi people imply the sadness of the loss of ancient virtues and values in real life, as well as the criticism of the materialism of modern civilization. The author emphasizes the lifestyle of Xiangxi people and also wants to rebuild national morality and personality.