Buzz
Prompt: Some argue that Nam Cao's short story 'The Squandered Life' stands as an artistic manifesto. Explain and justify this viewpoint.
Response:
Mentioning the writer Nam Cao inevitably leads to the discussion of realism in Vietnamese literature during the period of 1930 - 1945. Nam Cao's life and career revolve around two main themes: the peasant and the impoverished intellectual class. It can be said that his literary works during the post-revolutionary period have become declarations of art for contemporary artists. A prime example is the work 'The Squandered Life,' which serves as an artistic manifesto by Nam Cao, advocating for the value of literary works and the responsibility of the writer.
The work 'The Squandered Life' is a remarkable short story, depicting the spiritual tragedy of the petite bourgeoisie intellectuals in the old society, before the August Revolution. The worries about livelihood, family burdens, and life pressures have pushed them into the tragedy of 'squandered life,' where they live without contributing to themselves, their families, or society. Through the character Ho, Nam Cao vividly portrays the 'squandered life' of a writer, a father, a husband, while also expressing noble humanitarian ideals. It's a condemnation of the cruel reality, the degradation of the old society, and deep empathy for the plight of the unfortunate. However, the very tragedies in the work ignite the desire for a meaningful life. The character Ho not only plays the 'actor' in two tragic scenes but also serves as the recipient of Nam Cao's genuine artistic views regarding life and literature, the writer's responsibility, and creativity in literature.
Firstly, regarding the artistic viewpoint on life, for Nam Cao, art must be intertwined with life. A literary work only holds value when it 'transcends all borders and limitations, must be a work for all humanity,' meaning it must 'bring people closer together,' a true work must possess profound humanitarian value. He has criticized many works that detach from life, disdainful of literature that does not originate from the woes of life but rather from illusions. He refuses literature that is shallow and worthless. Moreover, he believes that a true writer must be someone with dreams, aspirations, producing valuable works that can 'eclipse contemporary works,' writing must be passionate, with responsibility for what they write, feeling ashamed when producing unworthy pieces. A writer without passion is akin to a despicable person, as carelessness in writing is more unjust than all professions.
The writer Ho is truly a passionate writer, nurturing dreams to bring forth valuable works to life, genuinely ashamed and distressed when writing careless, superficial pieces. Moreover, Nam Cao reminds writers to understand that writing is a creative labor, creativity determines the survival of the profession, writers must be passionately creative because literature 'does not need skillful artisans' but rather 'creators of the yet to be.' Without continuous exploration, innovation, and exploration of new paths, the literary profession, despite enduring time, will only stagnate, stuck in one place.
It can be said that Nam Cao's artistic viewpoints and creativity are remarkably accurate, transcending time. With the viewpoints he expressed in 'The Squandered Life,' it can be affirmed that this short story is an artistic manifesto by Nam Cao. Writing according to these sound principles has enabled him to leave behind monumental literary works of great value and profound humanity for the national literature.
