Ba Jin’s Family
2 min read“I simply regard novel writing as a part of my life.The way I take up my writing is the same as the way I take up my life.”This is Ba Jin’s statement of his own artistic practice.He was not in any sense a perfectionist or a master，but he put himself into his works and expressed the”call of his spirit”through his writing.
Family is the most widely known work by Ba Jin.Based on his own family life，it is his heart and soul indictment against the old systems and family traditions.Gao Juexin is the most successfully portrayed character in Family.Influenced by new trends of thought，Juexin dreams about a great future.However，as the eldest son，he has to shoulder the burden of responsibility for the entire family.He acquiesces to family stipulations so much that tragedies come one after another.He has to give up the girl he loves deeply and marry a girl chosen by lot，which leads to his lover’s death from heartbreak.After marriage，Juexin finds his wife generous and virtuous and begins to think they have now achieved a peaceful life.He has never expected that，simply due to certain elders’superstitious ideas，his wife is to be driven out of town just before giving birthand finally dies.Juexin is not able to seek his own happiness.Moreover，he sees two women he loves pass away because of his hesitation.This complex character in conflict came from Ba Jin’s eldest brother.Soon after Ba Jin began this novel，his brother killed himself.
Therefore Family is a”work of anguish”filled with the author’s blood and tears.
Although Ba Jin’s works are full of sorrow，they give the light of hope at the same time.Through Family，he brings a breath of fresh air to those oppressed by old family traditions，encouraging millions of youths to revolt against their feudal families and to take up a brand-new way of life.
