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Ethical Transformations In Yan's 陆犯焉识 (The Criminal Lu Yanshi), Weihong Zhu

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In her article "Ethical Transformations in Yan's陆犯焉识 (The Criminal Lu Yanshi)" Weihong Zhu uses ethical literary criticism to explain the reason for the change in attitude which the novel's hero undergoes. Zhu argues that in Geling Yan's novel the turning point lies in the protagonist's realization of his inner "animal" factor. Subjected to severe tests by the extreme circumstances in a northwest prison in China, this realization helps him transform from a proud man to a humble human being, so that he learns to love his family. Although set in a grand historical background of important political events, Yan's …