Realism: The Debate on Typicality, Totality, and Agency—A Case Study of The Comedy by Chen Yan

Abstract

The Comedy is another of Chen Yan’s masterpieces of realism after The Backstage Clan and The Protagonist. The difference is that the portrayal of He Jiabei in The Comedy echoes the theoretical idea of “typical characters under typical circumstances.” Through studies on Chen Yan’s writing in a tensive theoretical space of “typicality,” we find that he has applied several important “typical” theories to his novels. He Jiabei, as a “typical character under typical circumstances” no longer embodies the ideal value as did Yi Qin’e in The Protagonist. The function of this character regards the communication between individuals and the times, phenomenon and essence. “Typical characters under typical circumstances” is a theory generated from an analysis of realism inseparable from the “totality” of the times and history. The focus of The Comedy, a novel based on this theory, has also shifted from creating characters with distinct traits to exploring the historical essence of the era of “comedy.”

Key words： Chen Yan, The Comedy, realism, totality, agency