My Old Home | Lu Xun | Story | Notes | Question Answers
Short Explanation:
Lu Xun in his story ‘My Old Home’, explains the memories and realities of the writer where he found his own best friend calling him master due to poverty and feudal system of then China.
Characters:
- Lu Xun
- Lu Xun’s Mother
- Runtu
- Hong’er
- Shuisheng
- Second Sister Yang
Notes:
- Writer returns back to his home after 20 years.
- Writer observes the place and finds it colourless, barren, and lacking life. He has the memory of his hometown as a lovely place. There were no any progress.
- Writer questions whether this village is same or he is observing the village with different attitude because he was in that place for the last time. He was about to shift his home to the town. He was in sad mood.
- Writer was back to his old home for taking his mother and nephew to the town where he had been working then.
- He reaches the home next morning. He remembers his clan members, and visits the rooms of that old house.
- His mother greets him and requests to sit but didn’t talk about the move.
- His nephew Hong’er (8 years old) was observing the writer because they met for the first time.
- Then they discuss about the shifting to city. Writer tells her that he had already rented place in the city.
- His mother was already prepared to go as she had made the packings and sold some heavy furniture. But she was not paid by the villagers.
- He plans to visit his relatives there.
- Mother explains that Runtu always asked about his comings and Runtu is informed about writer’s arrival.
- Writer suddenly had a flashback. He remembers his best friend Runtu trying to attack Zha unsuccessfully. Runtu a 12 year old boy having a silver ring around his neck and carrying a pitchfork. But the animal escaped through his legs. Their stay was possible because Runtu’s father was unable to stay so he left Runtu. Runtu was born in the ‘run’ month and lacking element ‘tu’. His family feared for his childhood survival so he wears a silver ring around his neck for the protection from Buddha. Writer remembers that Runtu was shy boy when everyone is around and they would talk a blue streak when only two left. Runtu told writer that it was first visit to town and had seen
- Once writer wanted Runtu to catch birds. Runtu explained why snow is important to make a string trap. Runtu explained birds; blue backs, horn chicks, paddy chicks, pigeons..etc. Writer remembers that he longed for snow to witness that bird catching.
- Runtu invites him for visiting beach to show the writer shells; reds, blues, ghost – scarers, Guanyin hands. Runtu also explains the scene of jumping fish that fascinated the writer while listening.
- Runtu explained that if people take the melons it is not called stealing. They needed to protect the melons from badgers, procupines, and Zha. He explained the way how to wait and attack these otherwise they could run away being their foots.
- Write remembers that he didn’t know that the world had such marvelous things, shells, and a danger filled story of watermelons. Writer only knew that it could be bought from fruit stores. Writer used to think Runtu’s mind as treasure house of exotic things.
- Then they were separated. Runtu sent the writer shells through his father. After that they exchanged few gifts but never met.
- His mother informed that Runtu is having difficult life.
- There were people outside looking at furniture to buy.
- Suddenly Second Sister Yang approached there.
- Firstly he didn’t recognize her. His mother tells that Sister Yang ran the beancurd shop. She used to wear powder on her face. Her chickbones weren’t so high and she had thin lips. People called her the ‘Beancurd Beauty’. People used to rumour that the shop is being run because of her. But writer didn’t like the way she stand. He makes fun calling her compass.
- Sister Yang requested him to give her those rickety furniture as she has poor family background too. But she returns saying rich are rich because they don’t give others. But unexpectedly she hides gloves into her waistband.
- Writer recognizes Runtu as he was twice tall. Writer found Runtu different to his memory. His face was pale, grey and wrinkled. Rims of his eyes were swollen because of heavy work he had to do. His clothes were thin and he was shivering. His smooth and nimble hands were rough, clumsy, and cracked.
- Writer wanted to say a lot as he had multiple waves of memories and Runtu was barely speaking. Suddenly Runtu addressed him as master. Writer realized the thick wall made by class subjection. Runtu orders his fifth son Shuisheng to greet Lu Xun. Shuisheng was shy like his father. Runtu explained writer’s mother that he became happy to know master’s visit.
- Mother asks Runtu to call him Brother not Master. However Runtu explains that when he was young he didn’t know about the ranking.
- Even though Shuisheng was shy with other, he went outside to play with Hong’er.
- Runtu hands some dried peas and asks to accept it.
- Runtu explains that living there has been hard. They have to pay a lot money. They are not even enough with the harvested crops sometimes. They had to sell in the market and had to pay tax before entering. And there was no guarantee about getting back the invested amount. Then Runtu stops. Writer thinks he had a lot pain to express but stocked with words.
- When Runtu leaves writer and his mother pity him. He was facing difficulties like; many children, famine, harsh taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials, gentryfolk.
- They allowed Runtu to take whatever he wants. Runtu takes two long tables, an incense burner, some candlesticks. He even took the ashes from writer’s house as it will help to fertilize. Runtu wanted them to be taken by a boat when they leave the place.
- Runtu came that day without Shuisheng. Writer did not have enough time to chat with them. Many people came to see them off and take the things they could.
- Hong’er asked writer when they were returning back. Hong’er was in fascination that his friend Shuisheng invited him to have fun when they return.
- While returning writer felt that there is a high invisible wall between him and his hero with silver ring on his neck.
- Writer hopes that his nephew and Runtu’s son would have no wall of economy and class. He wishes better life of that place.
- Writer remembers the moment Runtu was taking censer and candlestick for god. Writer thinks that why can’t they let go of that superstitious idol – worship.
- Writer thinks that people have to live the same way many does and it is pitiful. Every person of the place was suffered with the same problem of class domination.
Question Answers:
1. According to the narrator, what were the different factors that made Runtu a poor man throughout his life?
-> Writer explains several factors like economic and social which made Runtu remain poor throughout his life.
The feudal system never allowed poor to improve their condition. They had to pay heavy tax as well exploited. Large family and lack of awareness, education made them always poor. The writer mainly blames the society and the system for Runtu being poor throughout his life.
2. What were the three kinds of servants in China, then? What does it indicate about contemporary Chinese society?
-> Then China had three kinds of servants. They are
- Yearlongs : Those servants work whole year.
- Short – timers : Those servants work in the daytime.
- Busy – monthers : Those workers work for a specific family just during holidays or the time of rent colleting. (They plough their land too.)
This indicates that there was rooted inequality, poverty, class division, exploitation and economic hardships correspondingly. This hints the feudal system of then China.
3. Why did Lu Xun return to his old home? What did he find when he returns?
-> Lu Xun returned to his old home to bring his mother and nephew Hong’er to the city. He had gone for the last visit to his home after 20 years. He returns with the bitterness he experienced from the condition of his hometown and people living there.
This story presents the clashes with writer’s memories and the reality he faced when he returned there. Writer was shocked when his own best friend called him master. He blames feudal system, class subjection, high tax as the causes making those people poor.
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