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Reading "yam porridge" in Akutagawa Ryunosuke's collection of short stories Rashomon is a pleasant experience. The whole story is just two words-interesting, interesting story and more interesting writing.

This story is very interesting.

A disheveled five-product bodyguard, timid. His long-cherished wish in this life is to "eat a yam porridge", but when this wish was finally realized through hard work, he lost his appetite because of the huge scene of cooking yam porridge.

The story that the fox possessed mistress told him may be taken from the rural talk, but it is also very interesting to read, which increases the strangeness and fantasy of the story.

The characters are very interesting

Five-pin bodyguard looks ugly. Short stature, red nose, eight-character eyes, sparse beard, thin cheeks, particularly sharp chin, born sloppy and extraordinary.

His character is also timid, colleagues ignore him, and subordinates treat him like air. He doesn't even bother to talk to him. If he has something to say, he will make gestures. Once it fails, he will sneer at the five products. Even the children don't buy his account, calling him "you distiller's grains nose!" " What a thing! "Five products completely indifferent to these taunts, as if born to humiliate others.

Li Ren, another hero of the novel, is a complete contrast to him. He has a broad appearance, a round waist and an excellent figure. Heroic personality, extraordinary courage. Ku Yuan tried to catch the fox, but he told it to report to his house. He is a hero who can even command a fox.

This contrasting writing can really increase the vividness of both sides' own images.

Interesting writing.

Look at some examples.

"As a result, no one would have thought that this guy still has a period of youth. On the contrary, I even think that with his poor red nose and a few beards, he should be from Suzaku Street. "

"However, there are only five products that have turned a deaf ear. Presumably, the word "yam porridge" has occupied all his thoughts. Even if there is a roast pheasant in front of you, don't touch it with chopsticks; Although there is black wine in the cup, I don't touch my lips. Hands on knees, like a dating girl, simple and honest red face, even the white temples are red, staring at the empty black paint bowl, giggling ... "

"The fox, which were ga zi ng, threw it out, ran down the slope from among the rocks in the dry river bed, scampered lightly in the past, maintained the momentum, and ran sideways on the opposite slope. As he ran, he looked back and caught his samurai and his team. Youzi stood side by side on a far slope that looked only the size of a palm. Especially the peach blossom horse and chrysanthemum green, bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, set off in the frosty air, really more vivid than painting.

The fox turned around and flew away in the withered grass like a gust of wind. "

Akutagawa is good at depicting psychology through details and scenery, and describing five kinds of benevolence from the perspective of a fox, which can be described as a stroke of genius, which shows Akutagawa's profound skill.

Contrast and exaggeration also add a lot of interest to this article. The cowardice of the five products, the courage of the benevolent; I didn't eat enough yam porridge in Kyoto. Before going to Vietnam, I cooked yam porridge in five or six cauldrons and piled it on the hill. The five products range from longing for a full meal to loss of appetite. The contrast of characters, time, place and mood makes the article present the common antithesis in modern martial arts novels.

Finally, the theme is interesting.

This article always reminds me of Akutagawa's other nose.

The latter tells the story of an inner confession of Zen wisdom, because the nose is too long and hangs on the face like a sausage. He has always wanted to shorten his nose. However, after the nose really became shorter, he felt that the short nose was more ridiculous than the long nose he was used to. Finally, when the nose returns to its original shape and becomes longer, it will regain comfort.

The theme of "yam porridge" is rather obscure. On the bodyguard of Wupin, there is the self-consolation of Ah Q in Lu Xun's works, and there is also the shadow of Kong Yiji's self-consolation, but the article is obviously not to ridicule the "national inferiority" embodied by Wupin. On the contrary, we can understand the author's sympathy and even praise for Wupin from between the lines.

So is the article praising the commitment, courage and generosity of the founder? It seems not.

Let's read the following paragraph.

Moreover, more strongly than before, he didn't want to eat enough yam porridge too early. This idea is biased against him and has been lingering in my mind. If the long-cherished wish of "having a good bite of yam porridge" can be easily realized, wouldn't it be in vain to endure and look forward to today for several years? If possible, I hope it can be like this: suddenly an accident happened, and the yam porridge could not be drunk for a while. When the trouble is over, I'll drink him enough. "

This is actually what modern people call psychological "delayed satisfaction". Sometimes we deliberately delay satisfaction to increase our satisfaction when we get it. As a writer more than 100 years ago, he has a profound understanding of human psychology.

In the last paragraph, "Wu Pin looked at the fox eating yam porridge, and recalled his former self, and his heart was full of affection. Fooled by many samurai, but also insulted by Kyoto boy "you are a distiller's grains nose!" What is he? He wore a faded jacket and culottes, like a lost dog, wandering in Suzaku Street, poor and lonely. But at the same time, it is his long-cherished wish to have a full meal of yam porridge, and he is also a person in his heart. "

This kind of spiritual description completely separates Wu Pin from Ah Q and Kong Yiji. He is a person who is willing to endure the misunderstanding and ridicule of the world, but still willing to pursue inner happiness.

As romain rolland said, "There is only one kind of heroism in life, and that is to love life after knowing the truth."

Can it be said that Liren is the hero described positively by Akutagawa, while Wu Pin is the "heroism of little people" quietly praised by Akutagawa?

However, it doesn't matter whether Wupin is a hero or not. After all, "he was relieved that he didn't have to drink yam porridge any more, and at the same time he felt that his sweat was drying up from his nose." Although the weather is fine, there is still some chill in Dunhe morning. Wu Pin just sneezed at the silver pot, covering her nose. "

From the description at the end, we can see the relief and ease of a contented and complacent little person.

Perhaps this is the Japanese national spirit embodied in a bunch of little people such as Wu Pin, Tiger Jiro, and Grandma Saga:

"In the uncomfortable days, you must laugh hard!"

Perhaps this is the theme that Ryunosuke Akutagawa wants to express in this article!