One Man’s Bible (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Gao Xingjian
- First Published: 1999
- Type of Work: Novel
- Time of Work: 1940-1997
- Setting: Hong Kong, Beijing, and rural People’s Republic of China
- Principal Characters: protagonist, Margarethe, Old Liu, Lin, Rong, Luo, Big Li, Xiao Xiao, Qian Xu, Maomei, Secretary Lu, Sylvie, Sun Huirong
- Genres: Long fiction
- Subjects: 1950’s, Freedom, 1960’s, 1970’s, Suffering, Communism or communists, Sex or sexuality, Twentieth century, Authors or writers, Exile or expatriates, 1940’s, Betrayal, Rural or country life, 1980’s, Victims, Fear, Oppression, Loyalty, Terrorism or terrorists, 1990’s, Totalitarianism, China or Chinese people, Evil
- Locales: Hong Kong, Beijing, China
Gao Xingjian’s terrifying autobiographical novel One Man’s Bible combines a rigorous retelling of the horrors of Mao Zedong’s infamous Cultural Revolution with a literary quest for a style of writing appropriate to the subject and includes a passionate search for ultimate personal freedom. The winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Literature, Gao presents a moving tale of the dark excesses of a totalitarian system appealing to the worst instincts in humanity and a man’s quest for privacy and sexual fulfillment.
The story begins with the unnamed protagonist reflecting...
[The entire page is 1593 words long]
