Analysis Of "Brothers" By Yu Hua

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Monsterbuffalo Professor James Brooks Jessup History 116D 20 November 2011 New Money Acts Funny Having been left behind by the rest of the industrializing world, China in the late nineteenth century quickly saw the need to position itself once again in the realm of world powers. Following a long period of struggle against foreign powers, differing governing parties and ideologies, and even against its own classes, China finally began its road to becoming a leading world power through the capitalistic reforms that took place after the end of the Great Cultural Revolution in 1976. While the Gross National Product and the standards of living saw incredible leaps, the gap between the wealthiest percentage of the population and the average poor remained the same, if not further widened. On top of this booming economic progression, China's society as a whole experienced the clash of technological advancement and an evolving social standard. As a result of the capitalistic economic reforms, the change of the social norm could not keep up with the pace of quickly advancing technology, resulting in a society rich with capability and resources, but lacking the social progression to realize its potential. The image of China captured by Yu Hua in his novel Brothers is that of a nouveau-riche tycoon, wielding a wealth of power and resources, but lacking the development and maturity to use it to cultivate himself. Yu Hua first gives the socio-economic background through the implementation of a quick passage of time, allowing him to effectively communicate the awkward conditions of Chinese society through the role changing of the local markets and the allegorical development of Baldy Li's economic status. Only by implementing a quick passage of time is Yu Hua able to set the context for the changes in Chinese society brought about by capitalistic economic reforms. The novel
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