How was The Young Guard made?

Author: Liu Yading

The novel The Young Guards was written by Fadeyev (1901–1956). He joined the Bolsheviks at the age of 16, became a guerrilla fighter the following year, and soon became a brigade commissar. His first novel, Destruction, was translated into Japanese by Lu Xun into Chinese and published in 1931. Fadeyev was the general secretary of the Soviet Writers Association and led a delegation to pay tribute to the founding ceremony of New China. Among his works, "The Young Guard" is a masterpiece.

Historical Perspective: Good triumphs over evil

The novel "Young Guards" is based on the historical facts of the "Young Guards", showing people's underground struggle in the mining town of Krasnorton, praising the justice and progress of the anti-fascist war and revealing the anti-human nature of fascism. In the novel, Proqingko, the leader of the Krasnorton Party, leads both the guerrillas and the Young Guards. The Young Guards soldiers, mainly middle school students, fought witfully and fearlessly against the invaders and struck a blow at the arrogance of the invaders. Both the party leaders and the young members of the Young Guard were determined to sacrifice in the struggle. Before his death, Oleg, leader of the Young Guard, said: "My only regret is that I can no longer fight with my people, with all mankind, for a just and honest system of life." ”

The narrator of The Young Guard reveals both the ferocity of the invaders and their greed. The German SS sergeant Finnpoon had a "belt" filled with gold teeth he had plucked from the dead; the Russian kulak Fumin originally owned two estates, an orchard, an apiary, and two flour mills; after the Germans invaded Krasnaughton, he betrayed the Guards soldiers and took the initiative to defect to the invaders and act as a pseudo-policeman; Stachingko had always admired the foreigners and hated Soviet society, and when the German army came, he immediately took the initiative to defect and was named a pseudo-mayor. The exploiters and degenerates of their own country and the German fascists, who represent the capitalist world, joined forces to form a black alliance that brutalized the people. The Soviet people who dared to resist aggression, including the party leaders and the young young Guards soldiers, were brutally persecuted and ruthlessly killed. At the end of the novel, 57 Young Guards soldiers captured by the fascists were generously righteous, and Bolsheviks such as Shulga, Liutikov, and Barakov were also brutally killed by the fascists.

The novel ends with the liberation of Krasnorton, and people are immersed in mourning the city's victims. In the fifty-third chapter of the novel, the narrator explores the reasons for the victory at the Battle of Stalingrad: "Stalingrad ,——the best proof of the organizational genius of the people produced by the new Soviet system"; "Stalingrad,—— which is the expression of the spiritual strength and historical wisdom of the people who have broken free from the chains of the capitalists. This is also the deep reason why Fadeyev is trying to reveal the triumph of good over evil.

Aesthetic perspective: The sublime pervades the world

The aesthete of the ancient Roman era, Rangiers, pointed out that the sublime discourse arises from solemn and great thoughts, strong and agitated emotions. In The Young Guard, the image of the motherland trampled by the enemy's hooves is the propeller of this thought and emotion. For example, the old man who drove the carriage, "Thinking of the great riches of Russia, which has become richer in the past 10 years, he thinks, Do the Germans really have the strength to conquer Russia?" In the heart of the young Anatoly, "always with this affection for the motherland, when he hears the beloved song or sees the trampled crops and the burned farmhouses, this feeling brings him to tears." Now his motherland is in the midst of a catastrophe,—— such a deep catastrophe that people cannot but see or think of it without being cut by a knife. This aroused the will and determination of Anatoly and his peers to rise up against the invaders.

The middle school students in the Young Guards read poems by Pushkin, Lermontov, Blok, Mayakovsky and Simonov at any time, often mentioning the names or works of writers and poets such as Chutchev, Lev Tolstoy, Chekhov, Fuermanov, and Ny Ostrovsky. There is a scene in the novel where, listening to the young Vania recite a poem written by himself, a major in the regular army excitedly says: "Such a country has stood firm in the past, and will be able to stand firm in the future." I used to think, isn't there a force against him (referring to Hitler)? Now as soon as I am with you, my spirit is fully lifted. This is the cultural power that "The Young Guards" reflects from the image of the motherland, in today's terms, soft power.

The German literary critic Curtius pointed out: "The hero is an ideal type of character, his existence always revolves around the sublime and its realization process, and his fundamental advantage is that his body and soul are inherently sublime." The narrator of "The Young Guards" portrays the pure hearts of the young people of Oleg, Vanya, and Wulia by depicting the broad minds of the old Bolsheviks such as Proqingko, Shulga, and Liutikov, highlighting the sublime spirit of the protagonists. Shulga put his life and death aside before his execution, but reflected on his mistakes in his past work. The loyalty of the younger generation to the country, the fraternity to comrades, the hatred of the enemy, and the detachment from life and death have refined their moral purity. At the time of their heroic sacrifice, the narrator praises: "Their spirit soars in the infinite sublime realm that only the great, creative spirit of man can attain." ”

Style Perspective: Epic expands the territory

Russia is a country rich in famous works, Lev Tolstoy's "War and Peace", A Tolstoy's "Trilogy of Suffering", Sholokhov's "Quiet Don", each with its own characteristics and strengths. "The Young Guard" takes a different approach, combining the delicate narrative of realism with the passionate vision of romanticism, so that the grand philosophical contemplation is coordinated with the exquisite rhythm of the chapter layout, and a new epic sample is presented.

"Young Guards" has many characters and events, but the narrator methodically tells the major events of the struggle that took place in the small town of Krasnorton, such as self-destruction of mines and attacks on ferries. After that, the Young Guard was formed, posted leaflets, removed false police, saved comrades-in-arms, raised red flags, and cut off transportation until they were betrayed by traitors and generously died. The novel has both the excitement of blowing the trumpet and the grace of the romantic song. The work condenses the personal life paths of Bolshevik leaders and young Guards soldiers in these events, which is quite a reflection of the meticulousness and thoughtfulness of realist writers. The works are interspersed with the characters' affectionate prospects for the future development of the country and their personal paths, and there is no lack of romantic feelings.

In addition, the narrator often interrupts the progression of the plot and calmly engages in lyrical philosophical contemplation, contemplating that the narrator is similar to the real-life Fateyev character: an old Bolshevik is reflecting on himself, denying the character, inspiring future generations. The writer's multi-artisan business is amazing. For example, in the sixteenth chapter, hundreds of German cars and motorcycles have rushed into the town, but they are still lying on the blankets in their backyards, reading novels and reading like crazy. At the beginning of the twenty-first chapter, Oleg fights with the German guards at home; in the middle, he discusses with the youth at the house of the magnificent yaks how to deal with the invaders; at the end of the chapter, Oleg sees her playing the piano and singing romantic songs with the German officers at Lena's house, and the German officers give her food. This chapter exudes a strong-strong-weak emotional rhythm, with a degree of tension. In the thirtieth chapter, the girls read Lermontov's long poem "The Devil" at Tonya's house, and they are thrilled by the contrast between the future "kingdom of heaven" and the suffering of the present. In chapter 60, in prison, the girls recite "The Devil" again, a long poem that makes them realize that the beautiful soul can endure all suffering, and "The Devil" becomes a "whirling" that trains their spiritual growth.

Reading "The Young Guards", the righteousness, sublime sense and epic style of the work itself are touching and shocking, and these characteristics have achieved the classic red character of the work, making it shine after the years of washing. (Liu Yading)

Source: People's Daily