Text/Mo Yan A few months ago, Zhang Yueran published her collection of short stories, and a few months later, I saw this novel.Looking back on the journey of our generation of writers, most of them went from short stories to medium-length novels, and from medium-length novels to long novels, but Yue Ran always played their cards unconventional and extraordinary, leaving the so-called novel methods behind. In fact, while they are creating novels, they are also creating their own novel methods. Open the book, and follow her light and smooth narration, approaching the growth footprints that only her generation has, as if walking into another world.From kindergarten to school, from childhood friends to classmates, from friendship to love, in the eyes of our generation, their generation seems to have only such simple experiences, simple interpersonal relationships, and simple stories.But in Zhang Yueran's works, what unfolds in this simplicity is a mottled world, laying out a seemingly paranoid and simple, but equally difficult mental journey.Just like the painting style of Du Wanwan, the protagonist of the novel: "The lines are always thick and strong. They are trembling and morbid, destroying the purity of the picture." Hesitant lines", so "the painting is always a large block of silted color, an incomprehensible look."

Zhang Yueran is different from those young writers. What she tells is obviously not just about youthful indulgence and rebellion against tradition, but about carefully dreaming and proving, thinking and feeling in the confusion of growing up.In her novels, there is no cynicism that has become a fashionable routine in the works of most young writers, no chattering and rambunctious impetuosity, and no play with words in a literal sense. Little tricks—that's actually a student's tone, and all of this is inseparable from the depth of her thinking.Her thinking always makes me feel that she is beyond her age, and involves many basic problems of human existence. Although it is impossible for the sages and sages to give a standard answer to these questions, as long as the tentacles of thought are extended to this level, Literature is close to the essence.

Undoubtedly, Yueran's new book can still be regarded as a youth novel, but youth is an unclear stage.For people of our age, the biggest pain in adolescence is depression.There are political reasons, family reasons, and ignorance.As for dreams, of course there are many, and our dreams at that time were also closely related to politics.Even love is painted with political colors.But for their generation, the greatest pain seems to be confusion.They grew up in an era when a person's basic desires were imprisoned to liberated, or even developed to extremes. The materialistic desires caused a decline in moral standards and loss of value, and various ideological trends brought about by the information age made them early. Young people are more like people in the 1970s. They are more at a loss to witness the incredible reality and let the blind youthful passion rush to the east and west.As they grow up, the relatively stable living environment, increasingly popular democratic atmosphere, various information channels, and higher knowledge literacy gradually calm down their minds, and they can carefully reflect on their self-worth and begin to think about life. The pursuit of taste.Compared with the political fanaticism of their ancestors in the revolutionary era and the material fanaticism of their fathers in the reform era, although their simple experience will bring them various deficiencies, their reflection starts from the value of self-existence. Although it lacks some social broadness, it may be closer to the literary way.What this novel focuses on is such a reflection process.The novel tells the story of two closely related girls——Du Wanwan and Duan Xiaomu, from childhood to adulthood, from enemies to friends, facing friendship, love, life and death.Through their love and hatred with Ji Yan, Xiaojiezi, Tang Xiao, the plumber and others, it emphasizes the love between people and the harmony between people and nature.The story tells us that the bridge from suffering to peace and from evil to good is to convert to religion.Although religion cannot prevent the occurrence of tragedies in life, it can help tragic lives to survive in peace, not to be maddened by excessive fear, not to be violent to others by excessive hatred, and to find happiness in adversity.Although this kind of thinking has its roots, I think it has been deeply imprinted by Zhang Yueran.This is the answer reached by a new generation of people after hard thinking about the basic problems that plague the human soul. The aura of theology has basically been dispelled here, and what is shining is a kind of light of humanity and a kind of compassionate humanistic sentiment.This feeling has become the support for pursuing a happy life in this world that was originally empty and windy.This feeling, in today's never-ending world of grievances and grievances, is even more magnanimous, just like the simple and vigorous echoes from the cathedral organ.

Zhang Yueran's fantasy endowment and melancholy temperament make her novels romantic and mysterious, graceful and elegant.She has keen senses and versatility, and tries to explore in many fields, which makes her youth mottled and gorgeous.She lightly and delicately captures every valuable information symbol endowed by this era, and then perfectly and meticulously integrates them into her novels.In the framework of the story, we can see the influence of Western art films, Hong Kong and Taiwan romance novels, and world classic fairy tales.In the images and scenes of the novel, we can see the simplicity, simplicity and purity of Japanese animation; the strong colors and elegant halo of Western oil paintings; the trendy simplicity and free taste of fashion clothing; the elegant shape of ballet And the horror of Gothic architecture stands tall.In terms of novel language, she has the closeness and sensation of popular songs, the artistic conception and simplicity of poetry, and the long meaning and broad spiritual space of classic movie dialogues.All the relevant cultural forms that this generation of teenagers come into contact with are basically taken by her and become her huge and complex resources. Then, on this shared resource, through the melting pot of individual endowment, she casts an art that shines with individual brilliance. feature.

The originality of language is undoubtedly the most valuable part of a writer.The era in which Zhang Yueran and her generation lived gave them opportunities.Because life is changing with each passing day, it provides a variety of possibilities for new languages.Being able to seize this opportunity to leave behind a generation of thinking and contribute to the development of language should be the important task for these young writers who are growing up.Zhang Yueran has already had a good start, I believe she will go down her own path, and there seems to be no need to remind her.Every generation has its own stance and way, and everyone has its own stance and way, and those who can impress others with their own stance and way will naturally become the pride and darling of the times.