Last Reviewed on June 19, 2019, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 225

The True Story of Ah Q, by Xu Lun, is a highly symbolic tale that is intended to criticize Chinese society during the early twentieth century, and you should be able to find quotes for your assignment that reflect this.

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An example includes the quote “Lies written in ink cannot disguise facts written in blood.” This sort of quote is the kind you can use to show the story's themes about illusion versus reality. The idea is that humans can’t just change the truth about people just by writing something down. This certainly relates to the main character in the book, Ah Q, who is making up lies and deluding himself constantly.

Another useful quote is where Xu writes about how when a man has his proposals accepted, it should make him happy and encouraged, and when they are rejected, he should fight against it, but the real tragedy is

to lift up his voice among the living and meet with no response, neither approval nor opposition, just as if he were left helpless in a boundless desert.

Again, this sort of quote fits into the novel’s ideas about society being confusing because the truth isn’t apparent or cared about enough. The stories here are peppered with such quotes, and you should be able to find a suitable one for your thesis.