Monkey The Journey To The Western Analysis

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The novel Monkey: Journey to the West is one of the greatest classics of Chinese literature. The novel follows the adventure of Tripitaka followed by the protagonist, monkey and his disciples to India in order to find ancient Buddhist scriptures. The story consists of Chinese legends, tales, and superstitions. Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, which are the three main religions in China, play a huge role throughout this story. In the adaptation of Monkey: Journey to the West by David Kherdian, religions are often woven in to the journey of the traveling companion in order to show the path toward self-cultivation and collective harmony. Characters that appear in the novel each represent the most significant religions in Chinese culture.

Characters that appear in the novel each represent the most significant religions in Chinese culture. The protagonist Monkey is a prominent character and is the main focus in the fist portion of the book. Monkey tricks his way in and out of many stressful situations. He is portrayed as a deviant, mischievous character that can never be trusted. The story itself is quite unlike any traditional Western tale. However, monkey who encompasses unlikable characteristics is surprisingly the most popular character in china. Deducing from Chinese history and its political satiation being unstable, it can be assumed that Monkey as a character represents the citizens frustration in the government. The popularity of monkey as a character also could