"Little Soldier Zhang Ga": Strive to create a red classic

Whenever we mention the red classic works of children's literature in China, we will immediately think of a number of novels, films, televisions, and dramas such as "Chicken Feather Letter", "Little Hero Rain Coming", "Shining Red Star", "Little Soldier Zhang Ga", and the individual and shining character images created in these works. This is a precious spiritual wealth, they have influenced generations of people, and the characters in the works have become an example for the majority of young people to emulate and learn. Most of these works were created in the last century, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, after the People's Daily published an editorial entitled "A Large Number of Children's Books Are Created, Published, and Distributed", and carefully created by writers under the guidance of the Party's policy of a hundred flowers blooming and a hundred schools of thought contending. Most of the authors are not children's literature writers, but these works they dedicate set an example for children's literature creation and provide creative experience worth learning and learning. In the days of greeting the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party, I reread some of the red classics, and here I only talk about the experience of "Little Soldier Zhang Ga" in connection with the current children's literature creation.

"Little Soldier Zhang Ga" is a children's novel with the theme of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, set in 1943 in Baiyangdian, Jizhong Plain, where the vast number of soldiers and civilians resisted the Japanese invaders, telling the story of a 13-year-old boy Zhang Ga who grew up to become a soldier of the Eighth Route Army. According to the author Xu Guangyao, when he joined the Eighth Route Army, he was exactly the same age as Zhang Ga, and experienced more than a hundred battles in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. Life is the source of creation, the author is very familiar with the war environment and the growth experience of the characters at that time, although the storyline and characters of the novel are fictional, but it vividly reproduces the scene of the struggle against the enemy at that time, shapes the image of the young hero Zhang Ga, and makes it a red classic work.

In this novel, Zhang Ga is affectionately known as Xiao Gazi, who lost his parents at an early age and lived with his grandmother. The village where they lived was called Ghost, and the staff of the Eighth Route Army and the wounded and sick often hid in his house. Xiao Gazi listened to many stories of the Eighth Route Army fighting Japanese devils, and he was touched by these heroic stories and wanted to be an Eighth Route Army soldier. During an enemy sweep, he witnessed his grandmother being killed by the enemy, and Zhong Liang, a reconnaissance platoon leader who was recuperating at his home, was also captured. Xiao Gazi wants to avenge his grandmother and rescue Old Uncle Zhong, so he is determined to defect to the Eighth Route Army. Little Gazi's behavior is by no means impulsive, and is closely related to his usual education and unusual experiences, which lays a real foundation for the development of the story.

The author focused on shaping the image of Zhang Ga, a teenager, and did not write him as a small adult, because he was a child after all, and the characteristics of children were highlighted everywhere from him. Little Gazi dares to think and dare to do, witty and brave, but also naughty, willful, and makes a little temper. From Zhang Ga's body, he not only has the characteristics of an ordinary rural child, but also reveals the trajectory of growing up under the education of the troops. Xiao Gazi joined the Eighth Route Army with the motive of revenge, and his thoughts, understandings, and actions were far from those of real warriors. In the novel, in addition to the simple truth that Old Uncle Zhong gave him, it was mainly the district captain Qian Yunqing who reminded and educated him in a timely manner through the daily performance of Xiao Gazi, especially the two things that dealt with his reluctance to hand over the enemy's guns and the "confinement" of the military-civilian relations caused by the fight with Fat Dun'er, which became the key to the transformation and growth of the characters.

Boys love guns, and it's guns that fascinate Little Gazi the most. The structure of the novel uses "guns" as a clue throughout the story, from the wooden pistol to the captured enemy's real gun "Wang Eight Box". This is a line of interest that conforms to the characteristics of Xiao Gazi, in order to show his growth and thus attract the attention of young readers. The work arranges a series of plots such as love guns, gun grabbing, gun protection, gun surrender, gun hiding, and gun firing, portraying Xiao Gazi's love, desire and stubborn personality of guns, which is very specific and full.

As soon as Xiao Gazi arrived at the troops, he hoped to fire a gun at him, and the district captain clearly said, "Your task is to put up a sentry, not to charge." "Why do other scouts have guns?" Nor were their guns fired, they were obtained from the enemy. Xiao Gazi also captured a gun during the battle, and the work reads: "A warrior flew out of the house, and the ground was a shot, and the devil's belly was on the ground, and the two ends were cocked, and the bones rolled down the steps." The pistol that had just been pulled out fell out a mile away", "Xiao Gazi flew over and just copied it, and snatched the 'Wang Eight Box' in his hand." This description grasps the sense of proportion very well, considering the actual ability of Xiao Gazi, and does not exaggerate his role, it is more real and credible. The district captain asked Gazi to hand over the gun. "I'm going to be hard, what can you do with me?" This attitude and tone, from the character of Xiao Gazi, are also very consistent with the characteristics of children. The second time Xiao Gazi captured the enemy's gun, he still did not want to turn it in, and hid it in a tree, as well.

The entanglement, conflict and revenge between Xiao Gazi and Xiao Fat Dun'er are also caused by guns, whether it is a mouth,a fight, or blocking the chimney of Fat Dun's house,It is also a common thing to happen to a child. However, Xiao Gazi's identity changed, and it was precisely because of his status as a soldier that he was disciplined for "confinement" because of the impact on military-civilian relations. In the work, the district captain's education and cultivation of Xiao Gazi embodies the care and love of the revolutionary elders for the younger generation, which is not only strict and not selfish, but also extremely enthusiastic and follows the good examples, helping him to thrive in the revolutionary ranks. "He is carefully nurturing this child to make him a true people's fighter."

Just as Xu Guangyao said: "No image can be a story, and a good story must have a live image to pick up." Created in the 1950s, more than 60 years have passed since the creation of "Little Soldier Zhang Ga", but this work is still loved by children, and the reason is that it successfully shaped the image of Zhang Ga as a teenager. During the arduous years of the War of Resistance Against Japan, he experienced the baptism of blood and fire, and the patriotic feelings he showed, the national spirit of sacrificing life and forgetting death, and his heroic spirit made him a hero revered in the minds of children.

Re-reading the work "Little Soldier Zhang Ga", the first thing that comes to mind is its subject matter. The creation of major revolutionary and historical themes is an important part of socialist literature, although children's literature has no shortage of works expressing such themes, especially in recent years, children's novels reflecting the War of Resistance Against Japan created by contemporary writers have also been read, but in terms of their number, they are few and far between, and they have not attracted enough attention. Writers who have lived through the revolutionary and historical periods of the past have either passed away or have difficulty continuing to work. Contemporary writers must bear the burden of trying to reflect the works of that period of history. This is the sacred literary mission entrusted to writers by the times.

Engaging in the creation of major revolutionary and historical themes requires a large number of materials, meticulous investigation and research, and preparation for creation, which is obviously more time-consuming and laborious than the creation of works with realistic themes. However, considering the influence of works on such themes on readers to meet the diverse aesthetic needs of children, writers must not rush to make quick profits, and must undertake such a creative responsibility. In fact, many writers do the same. Zuo Xun's "Paper Airplane" depicts the lives and struggles of people during the Japanese bombing of Chongqing during the War of Resistance Against Japan, which is created on the basis of real historical materials. It took Li Donghua 5 years to create the children's novel "The Glory of Youth", which reflected the growth of teenagers in the War of Resistance Against Japan.

At present, some writers create children's novels that are getting longer and longer, and it seems that they are not written in this way, which is not enough to arouse the interest of young readers. Re-reading some of the red classics, I found that they were not too long, and they are still favored by young readers. Obviously, this is not the problem. The key to "words are endless and meaningless" is whether the storyline of children's novels is relaxed, whether the character image is full, and whether the shaping is successful. Children's novels of any genre, storyline and character image are very important, especially the shaping of the image of the young hero, which is more related to the success or failure of a work.

This is the case with traditional children's literature red works, which have successfully shaped the image of the young hero in it. In addition to Zhang Ga in "Little Soldier Zhang Ga", there are also Pan Dongzi in "Shining Red Star", Haiwa in "Chicken Feather Letter", and Yu Lai in "Little Hero Rain Come", these young heroes are vivid and still remain in people's memories. From them, people see the national spirit and qualities of same hatred, bravery, indomitability, and selfless dedication, which we must inherit and carry forward. I hope that writers will attach importance to major revolutionary and historical themes, strive to create new red classic works, and emerge more new young heroes in the gallery of our heroes, so as to inspire the vast number of children and young people, so that the excellent qualities of the Chinese nation and the national spirit can be passed on.