Wang Meng is a prolific author who faced exile and censorship during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. His story "The Kite Streamers" explores a variety of themes within this context, but personal identity and love are perhaps the strongest.
The Cultural Revolution and Identity
"The Kite Streamers" is a tale about the turmoil of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The main characters struggle to come to terms with the various ways in which their beloved country has...
Wang Meng is a prolific author who faced exile and censorship during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. His story "The Kite Streamers" explores a variety of themes within this context, but personal identity and love are perhaps the strongest.
The Cultural Revolution and Identity
"The Kite Streamers" is a tale about the turmoil of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The main characters struggle to come to terms with the various ways in which their beloved country has changed after the political revolution. While Mao promised progress at the beginning of the revolution, they soon feel the effects of violence, censorship and authoritarianism. Through the lens of the main characters, Wang explores the nature of the Chinese Cultural Revolution as it relates to personal identity. The author himself was exiled as a result of the revolution and forbidden to write during most of this time, which gives the story an intensely personal feel. Set against the backdrop of a nation in which the government places tight restrictions on all expressions of personal identity, including creative endeavors, "The Kite Streamers" offers a powerful examination of the self. Despite the tumultuous nature of the times, Wang explores the idea that it is possible to find your identity even in the face of great censorship and oppression.
The Theme of Love and Relationships
"The Kite Streamers" focuses primarily on a young couple caught in the middle of the Cultural Revolution. They face not only political upheaval in the outside world but significant pressure in their private relationship as well. The young couple begins the story with a sense of idealism and, as they grow both as individuals and as lovers, that naive optimism is tempered by the reality of their situation. The couple is constantly torn between their dreams for the future and the societal expectations that threaten to consume them. This story is told in the stream of consciousness style through an omniscient observer, which allows the reader to gain a unique understanding of how the characters see each other. The theme of love in the Cultural Revolution is also explored through the concept of restriction. The oppression they experience is so severe that they feel there is nowhere safe for them to go together.
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