Rewatching "Ordinary World" How big is the gap between the rich and the poor between the cadres and the peasants in the 70s?In this intricate world, we have a beautiful vision and a desire to build an idealized society, but despite our best efforts, the complexity and obsession of human nature remain. Just as no one can have the exact same career, we all have different ideas, perceptions, and attitudes.
Although we have repeatedly emphasized that "all walks of life can achieve excellence" and advocated the concept that "there is no high or low industry", problems such as the chain of contempt and the gap between rich and poor in society still persist and seem to be deepening day by day.
In Mr. Lu Yao's masterpiece "Ordinary World", the Loess Plateau in the 70s became a stage for ordinary people's lives. These heroes are not heroes, they live in an ordinary and transformative era. Their choices, abandonments and struggles are the epitome of the vicissitudes of the times, and the source of resonance for countless readers.
Every choice at a turning point in life does not seem to have a definitive answer. In the story, no one can simply be labeled as sad. Tragedy seems to come silently, closely related to the choices and circumstances of each character.
"Ordinary World" vividly presents life in the seventies, which was an era full of special atmosphere.
First of all, this period has experienced more than 20 years of recuperation, and people have gradually moved from poverty to disparity. In urban and rural areas, household registration, cadres, peasants, and so on, the concept of social class has re-emerged.
Unlike later times, there was no opportunity to change one's life against the sky. As a result, people with the resources and power began to worry that "marriage poverty alleviation" would lead to a class decline.
The idea that the best choice seems to be a strong alliance and a good marriage, which is deeply rooted in people's hearts. The second is that the children of the cadres seek out the rich peasants so as not to fall into the lower classes. However, when it comes to children from poor peasant families, alarm bells go off, as if to remind them of the enormous risks that such relationships can pose, and that ties must be severed.
This conflict and contrast recurs throughout the story. Through the fates and choices of different characters, the disparities and injustices between social classes are shown. Everyone's choices seem to carry the helplessness and contradictions of social reality.
The Sun family becomes a key player in the entire story. Mr. Lu Yao depicts the four children of the Sun family with delicate brushstrokes, each facing a completely different fate and life trajectory. The tangled love and conflict between these characters and the children of cadre families undoubtedly profoundly show the huge gap between the rich and the poor and the worlds of difference.
Sun Shaoping is the third child of the Sun family, and when he was in Shangyuan Xixian High School, he deeply felt the gap between the rich and the poor for the first time.
The school's meals are divided into three grades: A, B and C, with the first-class meals being hearty, with cabbage, vermicelli and sliced meat, and the staple food is white flour bunsThe second class is the second class, lacking meat slices, and the staple food is cornmeal buns;The third class only has boiled radish in water, and the staple food is sorghum bread. Students are required to pay different meals in order to enjoy different levels of meals.
At this stage of youth and ignorance, the desire to compare can be seen everywhere. For Sun Shaoping, who is difficult to enjoy even C-class meals, his inferiority complex can hardly be concealed. He is immersed in unchangeable poverty, and his heart is full of doubts and helplessness about his own worth.
This difference in food class is not only a difference in food, but also a portrayal of social class and status. For Sun Shaoping, this is not only a kind of material poverty, but also a trauma and pain left in the depths of his soul.
Every time they eat, the children of the Sun family always enjoy the first-class meal with laughter and laughter among the children of the cadres' family. And Sun Shaoping, even if he wanted to show his food, felt unspeakable, and could only eat in a hurry after everyone had finished eating.
The prolonged hunger forced him to secretly drink leftover soup. This disparity in food grades is a deep hurt to students like Sun Shaoping.
In terms of dressing, Sun Shaoping can only wear gray clothes and shoes covered with patches, and even the laces are barely ** with white threads. In stark contrast, however, are the children of the cadres, who wear gorgeous and shiny clothes with fashionable watches, like walking fashion benchmarks.
The Sun family's residence is only a simple loess house, compared to which the brother's girlfriend's family has a rich family business. Tian Runye's brother owned his own bicycle back in the 70s, which was as eye-catching at the time as he is driving a Mercedes-Benz sports car today.
These contrasts are not only material differences, but also highlight the disparities in social status and family background. For Sun Shaoping, these subtle everyday contrasts are a constant reminder of his own poverty and low social status.
Sun Lanhua, as the eldest sister of the Sun family, has a bad fate. Because of the poverty of her family, she failed to set foot in the school gate, and worked early to support the family, and married Wang Manyin. However, the husband has been looking for a way to make a fortune for many years, but often takes disgraceful paths, such as selling fake rat poison.
Orchid worked hard to raise her children in the family farm, but did not receive the respect and support that her husband deserved. Faced with her husband's infidelity, her struggle could only end in suicide. Fortunately, the drug is fake, otherwise the person who was supposed to continue the good life would have paid with his life for the mistakes of others.
In terms of life choices, the gap between Sun Lanhua and the children of the cadre's family is extremely huge. The girls of the cadre family have the support and resources of their original families, but Orchid can only hope for Wang Manyin and look forward to his return. This helplessness of not being able to control her own destiny has plunged her life into endless difficulties.
Tian Runye confessed to Sun Shao'an, but Shao'an knew that the class gap between the two was insurmountable, not because he didn't like her, but because he knew that this social gap could not be changed. This sober understanding is not only an adherence to one's own principles, but also a manifestation of helplessness against the gap between the rich and the poor.
Tian Xiaoxia has a deep relationship with Sun Shaoping, but she unfortunately died at work. Even without this tragedy, it would not be easy to get into marriage. Her family will not let it go easily, and unless she completely breaks with her original family, she can only regretfully break up with Shaoping.
Sun Lanxiang was admitted to a prestigious university because of her diligence, and fell in love with Wu Zhongping, the son of the executive deputy secretary of the provincial party committee, which seemed to be a blessing from Mr. Lu Yao. However, this choice also hints at the potential risks posed by the gap between rich and poor.
Tian Runye's confession was rejected, while Lan Xiang's was recognized, reflecting the influence of traditional male and female gender roles. Runye's entry into the Sun family is like jumping into a fire pit for his parents, while Lanxiang has become an ideal choice for marriage because of her graduation from a prestigious school and glamorous status.
The lives of the four children of the Sun family reflect the huge gap between the rich and the poor in the 70s. It was a time when people were cautious about changing their fate, just as they were about potential threats, guarding against any risks that could lead to falling into the abyss of poverty. In addition to breaking the barriers of identity through academic exams, the market gradually opened up in the 80s, bringing more opportunities for people.
In the hope of changing their lives against the sky, the two brothers of the Sun family have always worked hard. Their goal is to create a better life for the whole family, even if it means stumbling and bleeding along the way.
As a child of a peasant family, the first half of his life seemed to be beaten by life. Whether it is food, clothing, housing or life choices, they seem to stand on the fringes of society. Deep down, they are tormented by the pain of "comparison", because their suffering is not only because of poverty, but also because of the injustice caused by the gap between the rich and the poor.
They are constantly trying to change this situation, but the reality of society does not seem to be kind to them. Every step is full of challenges and difficulties, and this struggle and suffering seems to have become the norm on their way to growth.
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