The Dairy Of A Madman By Lu Xun Analysis

Lee, Jeffrey
Lit 13 E26
Analysis Paper #2
Against the Currents
“The Dairy of a Madman” written by Lu Xun, depicts pages of a dairy written during the ill days of a “madman.” This short story questions the traditional mind set of the Chinese society regarding their belief in cannibalism, incorporating the mentality into the modern age. This paper aims to discuss and analyse the story, its themes and symbolisms.
The plot of the story begins with the narrator visiting his friends of two brothers, one of which became “ill”. The story advances with the narrator discovering the dairy of the said brother. Throughout the story, pages of the dairy reveal the thoughts and emotions clouding in the mind of the madman. As the diary progresses, the man

The image of the lion shows the savage people of the higher rank, ruthlessly devouring on the weak. The image of the rabbit shows the defencelessness of the lower rank from the oppression of the high-rank. The image of the fox shows the manipulative people who could get what they want from both ends of society. In the following entries, he becomes aware that he would need to be the one to start convincing the people of the evil in their traditions. In the ninth entry, he shares his thought on how society would become a better place if people were not trying to eat each other, and at the same time, not be afraid of being eaten by someone else.
“Wanting to eat men, at the same time afraid of being eaten themselves, they all look at each other with the deepest suspicion. . . .”
In the tenth article, he confronts his brother and the villagers, trying to change their belief on

‘You most know that in future there will be no place for man-eaters in the world.’”
“‘If you don't change, you may all be eaten by each other. Although so many are born, they will be wiped out by the real men, just like wolves killed by hunters. Just like