Red Sorghum: Analysis of Major Characters
"Red Sorghum: Analysis of Major Characters" explores the intricate relationships and dynamic personalities within a family impacted by historical turmoil and personal conflicts. Central to the narrative is Yu Zhan'ao, a complex character who evolves from a bandit to a resistance fighter, showcasing resilience and a strong will. His life is intertwined with that of Dai Fenglian, his wife, whose tragic fate reflects the harsh realities faced by women during wartime. Their son, Douguan, emerges as a key figure, grappling with family legacies amid the chaos of war. The unnamed narrator serves as a reflective voice, connecting past and present while uncovering family history. Additionally, characters like Passion, a servant who becomes entangled in the family’s tumultuous life, and Arhat Liu, a loyal figure in the distillery, contribute to a rich tapestry of human experiences during conflict. The interplay of personal and historical narratives in "Red Sorghum" invites readers to consider the impact of war on individuals and relationships, highlighting themes of survival, loyalty, and the complexities of love.
Red Sorghum: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Guan Moye (pseudonym: Mo Yan)
Alternate Title: Hung kao liang chia tsu
First published: 1987 (English translation, 1993)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Northeast Gaomi Township, Shandong Province, China
Plot: Historical
Time: 1923–76
Yu Zhan'ao, a bandit turned resistance fighter, the grandfather of the narrator. He is relatively dark skinned, strong, lean, and muscular. He has a powerful will, an independent mind, and a commanding presence. After losing his father in boyhood, at sixteen, he kills his mother's lover. He becomes an outlaw and gambler before hiring himself out as a bearer of coffins and bridal chairs. He helps carry Dai Fenglian to her groom, saving her from an inept robber along the way. He sleeps with Dai soon after her wedding, and this union creates the child who becomes the narrator's father. He later begins an affair with Dai's maid Passion. After Passion's death, Yu becomes a resistance fighter. On August 8, 1939, he leads a successful ambush against a Japanese convoy. Yu teaches his son Douguan to fight, survives the war, and dies peacefully in 1976.
Dai Fenglian, the grandmother of the narrator, who weds at sixteen, is widowed three days later, and is killed by the Japanese at thirty-two. She is five-feet-four and weighs about 130 pounds. Her feet are bound. She has milky skin with rosy cheeks and dark, bright eyes. Her shiny black hair is uncommonly thick. She enters an arranged marriage with the leprous Shan Bianlang. Three days after her wedding, she sets out to visit her village and is accosted by Yu, with whom she begins an affair. After Shan is murdered, Dai is acquitted and assumes ownership of the Shan distillery. She is killed by Japanese machine-gun fire.
Douguan, the father of the narrator, the son of Yu and Dai. Of relatively slight build and black-haired, he is quick witted and observant. At fifteen, he accompanies his father on an ambush of a Japanese convoy. He is the first to rush to his mortally wounded mother. She tells him that Yu is his true, not just adoptive, father. Douguan becomes a mature fighter, proving his mettle against the Japanese who attack his village. He survives the war and continues the family line with the narrator's mother, another war survivor.
The unnamed narrator, who tells the story of his paternal grandparents before and during World War II. He believes that he looks like a shriveled insect compared to his grandmother Dai's statue. As a young man, he becomes interested in his family's history. His voice is the medium through which the story unfolds. He visits the graves of his paternal grandparents and Passion and reflects on life and changes in their native ancestral land.
Passion, a young woman who has full, purple lips, a plump face likened to a bean pod, eyes that look almost dark blue, and a shapely body with firm, high breasts. When Dai takes over the Shan distillery, she hires Passion as a teenage servant girl. She seduces Yu. Yu sets up Passion in a home in another village. In 1931, Passion feels possessed by the evil spirit of a weasel but recovers slowly. She gives birth to her and Yu's daughter, Xiangguan, in 1932. She is three months pregnant in the fall of 1937 when six invading Japanese soldiers break into her home and gang-rape her, leading to her death.
Arhat Liu, the foreman of the Shan distillery. A middle-aged man, he is deeply loyal to his new mistress, Dai Fenglian, who calls him Uncle. Suspicious of Yu, he accepts Dai's love for him. When he kills the two distillery mules rather than letting the Japanese invaders use them, the Japanese order him skinned alive.
Nine Dreams Cao, an honest local magistrate. He is of average stature with regular features. He presides over the trial of Dai, accused of complicity in the Shan murders, and finds her innocent.
Spotted Neck, a famous bandit of Northeast Gaomi Township. His neck features a white spot, inspiring his nickname. Because he kidnaps Dai for ransom and molests her, Yu kills him while he is bathing in the local river.
Black Eye, the leader of a mystical resistance group called the Iron Society. He is named for the black marks around one of his eyes. He is of robust build, with a fierce temper but limited intelligence. He becomes Dai's lover after Yu takes up with Passion. Yu joins Black Eye's secret society and fights with him in an inconclusive duel, after which Dai returns to Yu.