Red Sorghum

Discuss the character of Yu Zhan’ao as an embodiment of the novel’s themes of moral ambiguity. How do his actions critique the social context behind the novel?

How might you compare and contrast Dai Fenglian and Passion as the narrator’s two grandmothers? Use your answer to analyze the different forms and limitations of female agency in the novel.

How might you reconcile the novel’s critique of social and technological progress with the benefits that such progress has brought China and the world at large? Is Mo Yan necessarily suggesting that China should regress?

Mo Yan’s depiction of violence is notoriously graphic. Analyze the literary function of this extreme violence beyond mere shock value.

Per the aims of “root-seeking” literature, what does this novel add to the pluralistic understanding of Chinese identity? What stereotypes or misconceptions does it correct?

Discuss how the physical landscape of Northeast Gaomi Township is transformed by the trauma of war, utilizing recurring features or descriptions.

How does the novel’s exploration of heroism support or contradict the Western notion of the hero? Feel free to use archetypes (e.g. Byronic hero) to contextualize your answer.

Compare the stories told in Red Sorghum to other pieces of folklore, using the former to explain the latter’s function in the society to which it belongs.