My Old Home

Lu Xun's "My Old Home" portrays the story of a person's recollections, from childhood to old age, and the confrontation of delusions that arise when memories question reality. With the protagonist, Lu Xun's character, having spent so many years away from home, images of grandeur, beauty, and respectability framed his boyhood, diluting his memories. When he returns to his long-lost home, his memories are forced to confront the truth, shattering his previously held beliefs and understandings of the universe.

"Ah! Surely this was not the ancient house I had recalled for the previous twenty years?" The narrator remarked as he stood in front of an ancient, dilapidated house. The house's old, perceived magnificence, worn down by weather and inhabitants alike, was invisible to the eye and could only be seen in the imagination. Rationalizing the discrepancy between memory and that standing before him, he tried to convince himself that his "home had always been like this, and although it had not improved, it was not as depressing as imagined; it was only his mood that had changed because he was returning to the country without illusions." Despite his explanation, it was evident that his memories had tricked him, transforming his former home into a majestic structure it had never been, only to be demolished for re-evaluation, along with his other presumed childhood memories that had been built into the spectacular illusion.

After recovering from the shock of seeing his former home, he learned that his old friend, Jun-Tu, would be returning to town to meet him. The narrator hadn't seen his friend, Jun-Tu, in over thirty years, and memories were limited at first. "A strange picture suddenly flashed into his mind" after a little pause. The narrator's head was full of stories that had ripened over time. He was full of the meaty nuances he remembered from his friend Jun-Tu's seaside boyhood. Oh, how he yearned to be Jun-Tu. His stories were like sweets for children, idealized in every aspect, shape, and form.

The narrator couldn't wait to reconnect with Jun-Tu; he wanted to hear more about the seaside glamor. The narrator was flustered with anticipation when he arrived after a long wait. "Jun-Tu stood there with a mixture of delight and despair on his face. He moved his lips but did not say anything. Finally, with a respectful demeanor, he stated clearly: "Master!..." The narrator's memory had fooled him once more. Had Jun-Tu not been his friend? Had they not played together and told stories to one another? As a child, the narrator couldn't recognize class distinctions. He recalled, due to his young naivety, that his relationship with Jun-Tu was one of mutual friendship. This recollection expanded until it met utopian criteria. He had assumed that their friendship was wonderful.

The narrator's childhood was devastated. His residence was not what it seemed. Jun-Tu had not even been his equal, living a glamorous seaside lifestyle. Memories had fooled the narrator, distorting the truth, ignoring class distinctions, and forgetting the power that money provided. The narrator couldn't understand how such a schism could exist between himself and Jun-Tu, memories and truth. The genuine fickleness of one's mind and memories of one's past become obvious. One cannot believe one's memories of the past. The mind transforms and praises the past to elevate the person. By perceiving himself as Jun-Tu's equal, the narrator can distance himself from the wrongs that come with class distinctions. His having to confront the truth, having to face Jun-Tu, implies having to face poverty in China. His recollections had served as a form of security, allowing him to remove himself from the injustices that Chinese society produced. Only by confronting his memories and learning the reality behind them could he see the realities of China.

Some Important Questions

1. How does the story support the proposition that the relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial, and disinterested?

ans: The narrative "My Old Home" reinforces the idea that childhood connections are innocent, unbiased, and uninterested. As the novel progresses, we learn that the narrator, Lu Xun, and Runtu had a childhood friendship where there were no class disparities, but rather an innocent relationship between them.

The concept of innocence refers to children's simplicity, lack of understanding, and purity that has not yet been tarnished by banal (boring) events. Children interpret such innocence as a promise of global rejuvenation. The same innocence can be seen when they were children and used to pass the time by stabbing Zha, badgers, and porcupines. They run around in the watermelon field. They had a master/part-time worker relationship. They did not exhibit any selfish behavior. Their friendship and relationship were genuine, unbiased, and uninterested. The narrator wishes to witness similar relationships between his nephew and Runtu's son.

2. What does the story indicate about the geographical features of the narrator’s hometown?

ans: Geographically, the story "My Old Home" takes place in 1911, during the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, in the narrator's hometown. The story begins in the depths of winter, with a cloudy sky and a cold wind. The narrator looks out the window at the distant horizon, seeing towns and villages beneath a wide and greying sky. The region the narrator remembered was significantly more beautiful. His homeland was most likely just what stood in front of him. The narrator then describes his visit to his farm, which was under a blue-black sky, with a stretch of sandy ground planted with emerald green watermelons going as far as the eye could see, and stood in the center of all those melons, followed by New Year's celebrations. He also mentions collecting shells along the beach, going to the coast shortly before spring tides, and protecting the property at night with his father, catching birds and stabbing creatures like badgers and porcupines.