Class 12 English Lesson 5: Story: My Old Home by Lu Xun Literature Section

 

Lesson 5 Story: My Old Home by Lu Xun

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About the Story Writer

Lu Xun (1881-1936) is the pen name of the writer born Zhou Shuren. He was born to a family with a strong Confucian background. His grandfather served as a high official in Beijing, and his father was also a scholar. Lu Xun has been considered China’s greatest writer of the 20th century. He was a short story writer, essayist, and translator who is commonly considered the ‘father of modern Chinese literature.’He was also known for his satirical observations of early 20th-century Chinese society. The story ‘My Old Home’ is taken from the short story collection Hometown.

Characters in the Story

·        Lu Xun: a young master who visits back to his old home and is greeted by his mother and nephew

·        Shu Sheng: He is the 5″ son of Runtu who is also very shy and converses only during social ceremonies.

·        Lu Xun's mother: who greets him at his arrival in the Old House.

·        Elder brother Shun: The one who wants to keep some kitchen furniture.

The Theme of the Story

My Old Home story shows the conflict between memories and realities. This story describes that things are not alike. They are changed with time. Our present conceptions and understanding may differ from future generations. This story also tells us that there is spiritual love between childhood friends rather than adult friends.

Summarized part of the Story

‘My Old Home’ is a story written by Lu Xun. He told his memories, from youth to middle age depicting the conflict between memories and realities in the story. The story describes how Xun feels while being away from home for many years. Upon arriving at his long-past home, his memories are forced to come to confront the realities. His prior conceptions and understandings of the world come into conflict with his realities.

In the story, Xun had memories of his childhood friends and his hometown. In his childhood, his hometown was beautiful where the green sky lies above. But now, when Xun went back to his old hometown after twenty years, he saw everything was changed. The green sky changes into a vast and greying sky: they were drab, desolate, devoid of any semblance of life. There is no sign of progress. His memories deceive him.

Now, the home turned into an old home. Rationalizing the discrepancy between memory and that standing before him (realities), he tried to convince himself by saying, his home and village are alike. It’s probably not as depressing as he seems to feel at the moment either. Perhaps it’s just that his attitude and mood have changed. He did not come here in a good mood. His sole purpose is to sell his home in an auction and go back to where he is doing his job. When he arrived home, his mother come out to greet him. His eight-year-old nephew Hong’er ran out from behind her. She was happy after seeing him and gave him tea. Hong’er, whom he had never seen before, stood off at a distance observing him.

He told his mother to go with him where he works. His mother was ready to go. She already had her baggage pretty much gathered together and ready to go. His mother already sold household furniture but she had not yet collected the money from the buyer. So, he rested for someday there and visit all his relatives. Her mother told him don’t forget to see Runtu. Runtu always asks for him when he comes. Xun remembers all his previous memories with Runtu when his mother told him to visit Runtu. At the time of their teenage, He and Runtu went to catch the bird with a trick and also kill the zha. They went to collect shells—reds, blues, ghost-scarers. Runtu and Xun also went out to look for badgers and porcupines. After thirty-year, xun is going to meet Runtu.

When he was taking his afternoon tea, he saw Runtu and a little boy who is the son of Runtu. He was not at all the Runtu who lived in my memory. His memories had again deceived him. Runtu seemed twice as tall now. The round and ruddy face of yesteryear had already turned pale and grey, and it was etched with deep wrinkles. The rims of his eyes were swollen and red just like his father’s. Runtu hesitated in front of Xun. His expression was a mixture of happiness and sad after seeing Xun. His lips began to move, but not a single word came out. Finally, he assumed a very respectful attitude and addressed Xun in a loud clear voice: “Master!”. Xun was shocked when Runtu tells him ‘Master’. He thought about how the wall separated him. In their teenage, he called him just Li. They were living together like a brother. His son Shuishen and Xun’s nephew Hong’er went for playing. Runtu sat when Xun’s mother offered him to sit. Runtu hesitated for a bit but finally sat down. He respectfully gave him dried peas like a lower-status person who offers something to a higher-status person. Here, we can see that there was discrimination between rich and poor people in China in 1921.

Runtu told all his pain when Xun asked him how was he doing. Runtu expressed all his pain in front of Xun. There is not enough to eat due to bad harvests which is one of the main factors of his poorness. Other factors are payment of tax, social responsibilities, too many children, famine, harsh taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials, and gentry folk. Xun felt sad after listening to his pain and said to Runtu that he can take things whatever he required from his home. Runtu took all the things he selected 27 Class Note of My Old Home by Limbu CB on the boat to his home the next day. At the end of the story, Xun, his mother, and nephew depart for a place where he was working.

Understanding the text: Answer the following questions. 

a.      How does the narrator describe his feeling at the arrival of his old home?

The narrator feels mixed and blended emotions after they arrive at his old home. Before he arrives, the narrator has a lot of positive emotions about his former house. But the positive feelings of the narrator quickly turn into negative ones when he realizes that nothing has changed around him. He expected to see some developments in the area.

b.     What were the three kinds of servants in China then? What does it indicate about contemporary Chinese society?

There were three types of Chinese servants during the time. Among these, first are Day workers, which are known as short-timers. Similarly, Individuals who labour for the same family all year round are known as Yearlong. Finally, Busy-mothers are landowners who only labour for a particular family during the holidays or when the house is being rented out. It indicates that contemporary Chinese society had a slavery system and hierarchy in the past.

c.      What makes the narrator nostalgic? What did he do with Runtu as a teenager?

Runtu was the childhood friend of the narrator. The earlier years of the narrator were spent playing with Runtu in a sandy field. He has a lot of memories that bring him back to his childhood. That is why he brings up memories and gets sentimental nostalgia when his mother invites him to meet up with Runtu.

d.     How did Runtu hunt a Zha at a young age?

Runtu, when he was a kid, suddenly and fiercely attacked the Zha with his knife, using all his strength.

e.      How does the narrator make a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang?

Mrs Yang was a former beancurd shop employee who used to spend the majority of her working day there. Her shop was just opposite the house of the narrator. Beancurd Beauty was the name she was known by. He also recalls that, because of her, the shop used to have a good number of customers. All these memories made the narrator make a humorous picture of Mrs. Yang.

f.        According to the narrator, what were the different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his life?

Runtu was the childhood friend of the narrator. He was the previous temporary servant of Lu Xun. He is quiet yet "high in spirit". In the narrator's opinion, Runtu's poverty was caused by a variety of things during his life. Societal divisions, obligations, discrimination, lack of opportunities, very feeble economic background, and aristocracy are some of the reasons why Runtu was poor.

g.     How does the narrator help Runtu before leaving the old home?

The narrator helps Runtu by providing him with basic household materials before leaving the old home. Since they were leaving the house, Runtu was financially poor. Before departing the old house, the narrator thinks to help Runtu by supplying him with two large tables, a few candles, an incense burner, and a set of scales.

h.     How does the author differentiate between two kinds of idols?

The two idols that are mentioned in the story are superstitious and hope. He distinguishes between these two types of idols, stating that "hope" is not exactly an idol that people desire to endure in the upcoming days. Unlike Hope, a "superstitious idol" is worshipped for a short time for something immediate. 

 

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