Eileen Chang: Iconic Writer and Hall of Fame Icon - Essay Sample

Introduction

Eileen Chang, in the context of modern Chinese literature, is considered to be one of the most iconic writers. The writer managed to capture the imagination of her audience at a time when not much was heard or expected from female authors. In this respect, Chang can is both a diamond-cut author and also a 'Hall of Fame" icon. Today, Eileen Chang's work is highly read and reviewed, with all the books having a read/review percentage of 83%. Born in 1920 into a feudal but prominent family, Chang spent most of her childhood life in Shanghai. At this time, Shanghai was considered the 'New York of the west' or "Paris of the East' and was thus culturally diverse. She addressed all the pertinent issues int eh society using her strong literary command. Chang's sense of fashion and overall beauty are accredited to this era of cosmopolitan opulence that was unprecedented in Shanghai and China. The same opulence that Chang displayed throughout her life as an author is also said to be the source of multiple cosmetic lines today like Shanghai Rose, Shanghai Express, and Shanghai Spice. This paper analyzes and critiques Chang's fiction, Half a Lifelong Romance, under the guidance of the statement; Marriages should be based on love and not any form of convenience (tradition or otherwise) as only in love, does marriage last.

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To begin an in-depth appreciation of this novel, it is prudent to investigate its plot and then dive into the theme of the love in Half a Lifelong Romance and its impact on the individual's personality. Multiple authors, including Kingsbury (2016), argue that Half a Lifelong Romance is the sequel to Love in a Fallen City that was published in 1943. This may be true as both fictions display some similarity, chief amongst which is that both are written based on life in Hong Kong and Shanghai respectfully. Based on pre-war Shanghai, Chang deals with the cards for a wider character set, who are entrenched in the negotiations between politics based on family values and reciprocity and personal independence. Initially serialized in the 1950s in a Shanghai magazine that was communist sponsored, Half a Lifelong Romance was initially titled, Eighteen Springs.

The new version, with the title it's known with today Half a Lifelong Romance, was put to print in 1969 and fatefully became China's first full-length fiction/novel. At the time of publishing, Chang had already lived in the U.S. for a decade or so, working as a scholar for UC Berkley's Center for Chinese studies. The author then moved to Los Angeles, where she wrote reclusively until her death in 1995. The titular romance Half a Lifelong Romance, had Shijun Shen and ManzhenGu as the protagonists. The two protagonists, at first glance, seem to be urban, young, and mobile workers, who meet through a mutual acquaintance at their workplace. Beginning in retrospect, Half a Lifelong Romance sets off with a flashback by Shijun, going back 14 years and all-encompassing his relationship with Manzhen. Manzhen's name is not withheld from the readers, as is common of many fiction romance novels. Rather, it seems offered to the readers, as if to symbolize a more 'complete' form of being, in comparison to Shijun's conservative nature (Kingsbury, 2016). The two protagonists fall hopelessly in love and as it seems, they are set to enjoy the fruits of being in a generation that permitted itself to marry for love. This, however, happens differently. Love s natural, a deep feeling of a need to connect and embrace one another in a manner that leaves hem longing and wanting more from the same person.

The Theme of Love in Half a Lifelong Romance

Shijun and Manzhen seem happy as the tale progresses, happy to be working together and in love. The plot, however, twists as Chang introduces the pillars that hinge Chinese Marriage at the time. These are; Parents, sisters/brothers, co-workers, ex-fiances who continually peddle gossip and show passive aggression towards the two lovers. The plot, at that point, seems to have diverted to a narrative that is made complex from the weight of societal expectations. Descriptively, Chang seems to want her characters to live on, live their love beyond the traditional boundaries at the time. The union of the two is, however, faulted by their mothers, who deem it financially unsound. The thought shows how, at the time, in pre-war Shanghai, it was more beneficial to be in a marriage for financial stability/gain as opposed to marrying for love(Chu, 2015).

Being that the society at the time would outlaw their relationship, Shijun and Manzhen seem to adopt a tirelessly fatal love, with both of the protagonists constantly self-rationalizing. They interact, assume, speculate, analyze, infer, withdraw, and, in the end, appear to have resulted in leveraging all their luck on the most conservative move. At this point, the heart of the novel is purely psychological drama, with its veins being a man and woman, (Shijun and Manzhen) who seem to have mistaken altruism for compassion. The two ladies are direly lacking in terms of open communication and, therefore tacit understanding. Shijun is introverted and deeply respects tradition and is well aware of his family's plans for him. However, the man seems to be at a fork road in terms of how he will communicate this to his love. Such a situation brings about strife between the protagonists, and Shijun is not ready to set aside tradition and his family's expectations, whereasManhzen is ready to sacrifice it all so that the union may have a chance. Manhzen's position is directly in-line with this paper's thesis, Shijun's stand opposes it.

Love, especially in traditional Chinese culture, was something to be heard in storybooks and fiction tales (Chu, 2015). There was not a clear path for the manifestation of the feelings, and to some extent, it was thought to make one weak and vulnerable. Hence, at that time of life and in pre-war Shanghai, families married to secure alliances and favors, hopefully from better and more affluent families. To marry out of love was a foreign concept, and as this paper finds, this fact is the stem of the novel being analyzed. Further, into the plot of the novel, Manzhen'sfamily takes advantage of the strife between her and Shinju. Manhzen's sister, Manlu, who sacrificed her studies to take care of her and their family upon the demise of their father, is a social pariah, forever alienated from the hope of love or even a planned marriage due to her profession. The man Manlu lives with, Hongstai, is, however, very taken with Manzhen's beauty. Tragically, with the help of Manlu, Hongstai rapes Manhzen. She (Manhzen) is then locked up at her sister's house for a year. Shijun is then deceived of his lover's whereabouts and because he cannot trace her, results in thinking she got married elsewhere and moved on. He thus returns to his family's homestead in Nanking and there, he is made to marry the lady they chose for him.

Manzhen, who is by then pregnant, manages to escape after childbirth but surprisingly returns to live with Hongstai after the death of her sister Manlu. She returns to mother her son, who she had left in Hongstai's house as she escaped. Years later, the two protagonists finally meet. And in a surprising twist of fate, realize that their feelings have not changed. However, the question to be answered by both is, "is it too late for them?"

Analysis of the Novel

Marriages should be based on love and not any form of convenience (tradition or otherwise) as only in love, does marriage last. If this statement holds for the predominantly Chinese population, hence culture at the time, the two protagonists would not have undergone the anguish they did, so that they could wind up back together in the end. Mialaret (2014) argues that in the time of Mahnzel and Shijun (the 1940s to 1950s), it was not uncommon to hear of planned and even forced marriages. In the western world, people got married as per the caste system they fell in. Hence the rich married the rich, the poor married the poor, and academicians married academicians and so on and forth. Traditional China was the same; the marriage was seen as a means of gaining access to different worlds and a way of leveraging favors. Mialaret (2014) also agrees that planned marriages are the main reason that society at the time was formed through superficial ties that could easily be done away with. Marrying as an access way to a new social class or for some advantage only goes so far, and soon, both parties are unhappy (Mialaret, 2014). Further, as this paper finds from its investigation of the novel, it is love that ultimately brings the society, split by war, back together.

The novel records that after Manhzen abandoned her child and stayed away from him and her family for years, she comes back and gathers them, despite the emotional and psychological pain they have caused her. Her love and compassion, as states the thesis of this paper, overcomes the pain caused over the years, and she manages to patch the family. Together, they forge ahead, making due after the effects of war. Ultimately, if love were at the core of the marriages of the time, then the two protagonists would not have undergone the anguish of rape and a planned marriage.

Conclusion

The world in which Half a Lifelong Romance is set is governed by desire and inundated by unfulfilled hopes. Contrary to the overarching theme of love in the novel, each character seems keen on selfish intent. However, though the actions of the individual characters are reprehensible, they are relatable given the era and other conditions. However, the theme of love holds and is affirmed at the ending of the novel. Thus, the tragic lives that Shinjun and Mahnzen lived are a testament to the statement; Marriages should be based on love and not any form of convenience (tradition or otherwise) as only in love, does marriage last.

Works Cited

Bertran, Margaret. Eileen Chang, her most popular novel, finally translated. (2014). Accessed from http://mychinesebooks.com/eileen-chang-popular-finally-translated/ on 12th December 2019.

Jaime Chu. Half a Lifelong Romance - Eileen Chang. Full Stop. (2015). accessed from http://www.full-stop.net/2015/02/19/reviews/jaime-chu/half-a-lifelong-romance-eileen-chang/ on 12th December 2019.

Karen, Kingsbury. Review of Half a Lifelong Romance by Eileen Chang. Penguin Random House. (2016). Accessed from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/26087/half-a-lifelong-romance-by-eileen-chang-translated-by-karen-s-kingsbury/ on 12th December 2019.