Political Messages in The King of Trees

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Throughout the course of his lifetime, Ah Cheng experienced major political and historical events that strongly influenced his literature. The Cultural Revolution and rule of Mao Zedong was widespread throughout China starting in the 1960s, and devastated millions of families. Cheng took a different approach to much of the literature ("scar literature") that emerged from the revolution, and instead of focusing on the detrimental effects, chose to use his literature as a way to point out the flaws of the revolution. These counter-revolutionary ideals are subtle but evident throughout The King of Trees, as the political chaos creates a backdrop in the novella, rather than the central focus. They can especially be seen through the use of abundant metaphorical elements. By showing the effects of the “down to the countryside movement”, a major reform under the rule of Mao Zedong, Cheng is able to provide a commentary on the Revolution through his characters and the setting as well. Throughout The King of Trees, Ah Cheng reveals his political views towards the Cultural Revolution through his use of symbolism, and his descriptions of the characters and the setting.
Symbolism plays a key role in the novella in allowing the author to relay his political ideals. In The King of Trees, Cheng uses many elements of nature to represent both revolutionary and counter-revolutionary ideas. The king of trees - and trees in general - throughout the novella is a symbol of counter-revolutionary ideals, and the older Chinese customs. Li Li, and in turn, the followers of Mao Zedong/the Red Guard, believe that “In practical terms, old things must be destroyed” (Cheng 43). This is shown through the felling of the trees – getting rid of the Old Chinese cus...

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...etimes had to be disregarded in order for the goals of the Cultural Revolution to become a reality.
The usage of characters, setting, and symbolism in The King of Trees allows Ah Cheng to display his political ideals. In The King of Trees, Cheng utilizes symbolism of nature to show the positive aspects of tradition Chinese customs and the negative aspects of the Cultural Revolution. The characters, most specifically Li Li and Knotty, represent Confucian ideals, which Cheng finds important to emphasize, especially after their eradication during the Cultural Revolution. Overall, the novella is largely affected by the historical background of its author, and Cheng utilizes a variety to different components to disseminate their personal political messages.

Works Cited

Cheng, Ah. The King of Trees. Trans: Bonnie S. McDougall. New York,NY: New Directions, 2010. Print.

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