“我们还是需要批评家”——对茅盾文学历程一个侧面的考察

Abstract

Mao Dun’s literary practice was a complex state of "criticism," "creation," and "controversy." If a graph needs to be made, 'criticism' should be between 'creation' and 'argument'. If we further investigate Mao Dun's literary practice in connection with the construction and application of the theory, we may be able to draw such a conclusion: "theoretical travel". In fact, "theory" and "travel" have a genetic meaning intertwined in etymology. The earliest theoretical concept is the primitive commentary and prototype image of travel. The word theory comes from the Greek word theoria, meaning “perspective” and “view”. The verb root of theoriia is theoreein, and the original meaning is “watch” and “observation”. In ancient Greece, “theory” originally referred to travel and observation activities; the specific behavior was that the city-state sent a special person to another A city-state to observes religious celebration rituals. The original image refers to leaving and returning in space, emphasizing the distance and transformation caused by differences in different spaces.” Therefore, Mao Dun’s literary practice: professional critic → writer → writer critic. In a certain sense, it can also be regarded as the "leaving home and returning" of a "travel". It is difficult to avoid “accidents” and the subsequent “tests” accompanied by “travel”. Especially in the 1920~1930s when waves of “controversy” emerged from time to time, this special “situation” had a significant impact on Mao Dun’s entire “theoretical travel”.