Analyzing Truth and Fiction in Realist Literature--Taking Mao Dun’s Midnight as an Example

Abstract

Mao Dun was an outstanding writer, artist, and social activist who significantly contributed to modern Chinese literature and revolution. Taking Shanghai in the 1930s as the main background of the era, Midnight, as the masterpiece of Mao Dun’s entire life and the representative work of a realist novel, profoundly impacted modern literature. In the context of the era, Midnight is an exploration outcome of Chinese literature and realism, depicting life in cosmopolitan Shanghai in the last century from political, economic, and military aspects. This paper intends to take Mao Dun’s Midnight as an example to study the revelation of the weight of truth and fiction in realist themes in literary creation for veteran writers and new writers, respectively, and the influence it has had on similar works in the course of the development of realist literature in China and globally. Upon analysis of this paper, it becomes evident that Midnight, as depicted in this significant text, embodies the dual traits of truth and fiction within a novel, which are inherently complementary and essential. Nevertheless, the proportion of authenticity in the content distribution leans towards the higher end, prompting future realist writers to consider the judicious incorporation of fictional elements.