Introduction to Yu Dafu’s novel The Fall Introduction to Yu Dafu’s novel The Fall

1. "Sinking" is an early short story written by Yu Dafu in the 1920s, and it is also his masterpiece. It shocked the literary world at the time when it was published. The novel is based on Yu Dafu himself and tells the story of a Japanese student's sexual depression and his sorrow for the country's weakness.

2. Introduction

"Sinking" was finalized on May 9, 1921. It is Yu Dafu's masterpiece. In July 1921, he founded the Creation Society with Guo Moruo and others and began his literary career. In October of the same year, he published a short story collection "Sinking" (published by Shanghai Taidong Book Company).

Yu Dafu said in "Preface": ""Sinking" describes the psychology of a sick young man. It can also be said to be the anatomy of the youthful depression Hypochondria. It also contains the depression of modern people. ——It is the conflict between sexual requirements and spiritual and physical needs.” This passage not only clarifies the theme of the novel, but also summarizes the main content of the work. The whole article focuses on describing and exaggerating melancholy, depression, and sex?

However, whether it is in Yu Dafu's "Preface to "The Sinking"" or published in "Novel Monthly" (February 10, 1922) In Mao Dun’s correspondence (Volume 13, Issue 2), they all mentioned that the novel "The Sinking" failed in terms of the so-called "conflict between soul and body". On the contrary, Mao Dun proposed that the novel failed to describe the character and psychological state of the protagonist. In terms of development, the author was successful.