Humanities Society, Editorial Department.
On his first day at work, Wang Meng gave an impassioned speech, blah blah blah, and said a lot.
The future purpose of "People's Literature" 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 just serious literature such as the avant-garde, the root-seeking school, and the Western school. , popular literature is also in full bloom.
As for the literary critics, after seeing how dialects introduced comparative literature to root-seeking literature, they followed suit and introduced, experimented, and explored various theories of literary criticism. The literary world gradually became full of vigor and vitality. A state where all things compete.
At the end, I mentioned again that "People's Literature" should explore and support more young writers.
“Comrades, we must have the spirit of daring to be the first and willing to contribute to young writers, and strive to publish more works of young writers!”
“Wow, wow, wow.”
Amidst bursts of applause, Wang Meng ended his speech.
Then, with the manuscript of "You Have No Choice", I went to Fang Yan and Zhu Wei.
Zhu Wei couldn't wait to ask: "Editor Wang, what do you think after reading it?"
"The writing and narrative are a bit immature, the plot is not strong, and the logic is a bit confusing..."
Wang Meng commented seriously.
Fang Yan smiled and said, "Doesn't it have the flavor of Yanjing people talking about the mountains, and also the crazy and arrogant feeling of playing rock and roll?"
Wang Meng nodded and said: "That's right. The characters in it are just like the 'problem youths' who play rock and roll today. They are spiritual aristocrats who are sick from overeating and are seriously out of touch with the masses. They complain about everyone and complain about nothing. "
"Editor Wang, I think this manuscript is not without merit. It still has a lot of merits."
Zhu Wei said: "The whole novel has the same spiritual core as the 'Beat Generation' and is full of youthful spirit." Breath, no matter how you look at it, can be regarded as an alternative avant-garde literature. In your speech just now, you said that you should publish more works by young writers. I think this is quite good. "
Wang Meng hesitated, "But would it be easy to mislead young readers by publishing novels with such values?"
Zhu Wei did not think so. If "People's Literature" could publish "You "No Choice" is a "cool and avant-garde" avant-garde literature that can break the rigid and conservative stereotype of "People's Literature" among readers, especially young readers.
“Yanzi, why don’t you speak?”
Wang Meng turned his head and said, "This manuscript was sent to you, and you asked someone to show it to me. Tell me your opinion."
Zhu Wei also cast his gaze over, "Yes, Fang Teacher, didn't you just say that there is a more appropriate term than calling "You Have No Choice" a work of the 'Beat Generation'? What exactly is this term?"
As soon as these words came out, they immediately attracted the attention of others.
Fang Yan looked around: "I call this youth pain literature."
Hearing this, some people present mistakenly thought that youth pain literature was a combination of scar literature and educated youth literature. combination.
"No, no, no, these are completely different things."
"The so-called youth pain literature focuses on the pain, frustration, struggle and trauma experienced by teenagers in the process of growing up, such as the teacher-student relationship , parent-child relationship, love relationship, friend relationship, family conflicts, and even self-identity.”
Fang Yan 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 "Moneyball" , "After School" can also be classified as a theme of youth campus pain.
Of course, beautiful and pure love novels such as "Love Letter" can also be regarded as love-themed youth pain literature.
In China, there are countless such literatures about youth pain. For example, "My Father and Mother" is about the family conflicts and conflicts between teenagers and their parents, brothers and sisters.
For example, "Three Gates" is about the trust, betrayal, separation and reunion of teenagers in friendship and love.
Because the focus of youth pain literature is "pain", novels can only sell well if readers can sympathize with the tragic and painful fate of the adolescent protagonists. However, just like the audience has watched too many horror movies, they have no interest in horror movies. Just as the threshold will be raised, the threshold for youth pain literature will also be raised.
So, at first, the youth pain literature was quite normal, but later it became more and more crooked, and it was often based on how it was abused.
Abortion, car accidents, love triangles, amnesia, misunderstandings, long-distance relationships and other plots that explode the three perspectives are basically pain for the sake of pain.
As a result, youth pain literature has been distorted into youth self-abuse literature, such as Guo Jingming, Annie Baby, Rao Xueman...
"Teacher Fang's 'Youth Pain Literature'" The formulation is really unique!"
Zhu Wei, Wang Fu and others couldn't help but sigh.
“Our previous youth literature creations always focused on the educated youth literature and scar literature of the third generation.”
Wang Mengju retorted: "But they neglected the new third generation, as well as the physical and mental growth and youth problems of teenagers in the 1980s."
Chen Xiaoman readily agreed: "There are objective reasons for this. Most literary magazines nowadays The editor is almost like me For 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 pay attention to the confusion, loss, confusion, and rebellion of the next generation of young people. "< br>
“I think Mr. Fang The "Youth Pain Literature" mentioned by the teacher is of great value to continue to explore. What do you think? "
"Youth Pain Literature will become another new creative direction of Chinese contemporary literature."< br>
“I agree! No I know you still don’t remember the great discussion about life that was sparked a few years ago. Pan Xiao’s article “The road of life is getting narrower and narrower” reflects the growth problems of many teenagers, and there is already a little bit of youth trauma. The beginning of painful literature”
"..."
"As the saying goes, whose youth is not confused? If you lack a sense of direction for the future, you will not have the right choices in life."
Dialect Zuo Look, look right.
“So the title of Liu Sola’s novel is not wrong.”
Zhu Wei said with a hint of excitement in his tone, “In my opinion, our People’s Literature should publish “You Don’t Do It” No choice! ”
Wang Meng did not make a decision immediately, but asked everyone present for their opinions.
Most of the ideas are the same as those of Zhu Wei. In the previous opening speech, he mentioned both the diversity of literature and the support of young writers. Obviously Liu Sola's "You Have No Choice" is very consistent with "The People's The current purpose of the publication "Literature".
Moreover, using such an exceptional work that uses "farce form" to reflect "the struggle, pursuit, anguish, success and failure of contemporary young people" can also change the perception of "People's Literature" in the minds of readers. stereotypes, reoccupying the position of young readers.
Seeing that the editor-in-chief was still hesitating, Zhu Wei couldn’t help but remind him:
“Don’t forget Zhong Acheng, it was Teacher Fang who discovered him, and he is now growing stronger. 'Root-seeking literature' ”
"The current Liu Sola is the former Zhong Acheng. If we can cultivate it well, maybe "You Have No Choice" will be as big a sensation in the literary world as Zhong Acheng's "The King of Chess", and youth literature will also start from the educated youth Literature has entered a new situation!"
"The key is that this is our "People" The new literary trend led by "Folk Literature"!"
"..."
Wang Meng was silent for a moment and looked at Fang Yan, "Yanzi, what do you think?"
"I think it can be published, but before publishing, it is best to revise this manuscript."
Fang Yan smiled and said, "Zhu Wei, please contact Liu Sola and see when she is free. Ask her to come to the editorial department?" (End of Chapter)