A healing writer? No, it's a depressing writer!

Chapter 294 A short masterpiece is published! What's wrong with being arrogant? Elite? I fight against the elite! 5k
How to describe the story of the short story "The Old Man and the Sea" in one sentence?

Regardless of the content, the core idea of ​​this short story is actually only one -

“This is a story of repeated failures, but repeated fighting.”

An old and frail fisherman, in the vast ocean, began to fight bravely with the vicious sharks in order to protect his captured prey. Although his body was no longer as strong, swift and agile as in his early years, he could still survive the fierce wind and waves and the bloodthirsty sharks.
He is also fearless!

What doesn't kill me makes me stronger!
This is a pure story of courage.

In fact, the original work of "The Old Man and the Sea" written by Hemingway is indeed not very long, with a total of only more than 20,000 words. Even Maupassant, who is also from France and is known as a master of short stories, would be surprised to see that these more than 20,000 English words combined together can be sold in five continents around the world, translated into more than 20 languages, and sold tens of millions of copies.

Is this actually possible?

Is this really the kind of impact a short story can have?
Hemingway is known as the benchmark of the lost generation. What he is best at is to use extremely concise paragraphs, words, and lengths to directly touch the readers' hearts. At the end of each book, he gives readers a kind of
A feeling of wanting more, yet just right.

To explain it in Chinese, this writer's ability to leave blank space is quite strong.

Even though the original text of "The Old Man and the Sea" only has 39.7 words, among these words there are some common English words, such as: the / and / he / of / I / it / to, etc. The length of these common English words can even account for % of the total number of words in the full text.

However, this cannot in any way conceal the greatness of this short story masterpiece "The Old Man and the Sea".

Hemingway once suppressed an entire era with this work.

The difficulty for Jiang Hai in writing (copying) this book lies in how to accurately convert these simple and powerful English words into Chinese.

In just three days, Jiang Hai wrote two versions of The Old Man and the Sea:

One is the pure English version, which is also the original English work written by Hemingway.

The other is the Chinese version, which is the version that Jiang Hai has just finished translating.

"The Chinese version will be published in Asia." Jiang Hai looked at the drafts scattered on the table and the final draft in the computer, and lit another cigarette. "The English version will be published in Europe and America."

"There's a Chinese version, and there's an English version, what is it called?"

“This is called foolproof.”

For Jiang Hai, he cannot lose this bet, and he cannot afford to lose.

Why can't you afford to lose?

First of all, it is really embarrassing to apologize to all French writers one by one, and he cannot do it.

Secondly, if he really bowed and apologized to these grandsons one by one, once this matter spread in the circle.
How is he going to survive in this circle in the future?

Integrity is extremely important for a writer.

Tao Yuanming has already said:

"How can a scholar bow down for a few pieces of silver?"

Just imagine if Li Bai, the immortal poet who wrote such heroic poems as "I look up to the sky and laugh out loud, for I am not a weed!", was summoned by the court to toast a bunch of incompetent officials at a banquet, where he would clink glasses and toast them one by one.

How could he have written:

"How can I bow my head and serve the rich and powerful, and make myself unhappy?"

Such heroic words full of literary spirit?

Can you imagine the scene where Li Bai, known as the "Poet Immortal", kowtows and apologizes to a group of foreign barbarians?
Jiang Hai is really unimaginable.

If Li Bai had done that, it would have been a stain on his body that he could never get rid of.
Jiang Hai also doesn't want this to happen to him.

To this day, Jiang Hai does not think that there was anything wrong with his remarks at the dinner a few days ago.

"The robber won't let me speak?"

"You stole my ancestors' things, and now you're telling me at a banquet that I don't know the rules and am a barbarian from the countryside?"

"I am a barbarian, I don't pretend, maybe I really don't have any quality, but..."

"Aren't you an idiot too?"

"They relied on the vast wealth plundered from overseas to upgrade their industries from the industrial age to the capital age. Now that they are doing well, they want to whitewash themselves and package themselves as civilized people who understand etiquette and are polite? How can it be that easy?"

"We are both equally matched"

It was precisely because of this anger in his heart that Jiang Hai was able to complete the Chinese and English versions of "The Old Man and the Sea" in just three days.

After careful confirmation, make sure there are no typos in the final draft.

Jiang Hai stood up, picked up the coat on the hanger, and walked towards the cafeteria:
"You know what, I haven't had a hot meal in several days."

The Palace of Versailles is known as a huge palace built of champagne and cream-colored bricks. The overall architectural type of this palace is symmetrical from north to south with the east-west axis. The entire palace covers an area of ​​111 million square meters, of which the building area is 11 square meters and the garden area is 100 million square meters. The whole palace gives people a feeling of -

The scenery is beautiful and magnificent, full of the unique beauty of a medieval garden.

The Palace of Versailles is the royal palace of France.

Let’s compare it with China’s imperial palace, the Old Summer Palace, which is known as the “Garden of Gardens”.

Yuanmingyuan, a large imperial garden in the Qing Dynasty, covers an area of ​​more than 350 hectares. In fact, the water forest alone accounts for 140 hectares. The entire building consists of Yuanmingyuan, Qichunyuan and Changchunyuan. Yuanmingyuan is the largest, so it is collectively called Yuanmingyuan (also known as the Three Yuanming Gardens). Yuanmingyuan not only brings together countless famous gardens and scenic spots in Jiangnan, but also transplants Western garden architecture, and is a culmination of the garden art of ancient and modern China and foreign countries at that time. It can be called one of the treasure houses of human culture and was also the largest museum in the world at that time.

China is the country with the most mature hand-carving craftsmanship in the world, without a doubt.

We don't even mention how difficult it was to carve this classical garden of flowers for mankind. Just the area of ​​the Old Summer Palace buildings is -

It’s more than three times bigger than the Palace of Versailles!
Moreover, this classical garden covering an area of ​​350 hectares ( million square meters) contains tens of millions of Chinese cultural relics, which are the crystallization of the history of the Chinese nation over the past years. Each of the cultural relics is priceless.
Palace of Versailles.

On the way from the room to the dining palace.

Jiang Hai glanced at the bustling surroundings.

When I think of the French gangsters who burned down the Old Summer Palace, which was more than three times the size of the Palace of Versailles, and also looted countless cultural relics and treasures that should have belonged to the Chinese nation,
Jiang Hai felt as if he was being scratched by a cat's claws. He wanted to shout at the people in front of him, angry at their misfortune and pitying their lack of resistance:
"Fuck you, give me back my money!"

It is true that the Palace of Versailles is indeed prosperous.

But you have to know that at that time, the Old Summer Palace was known as the Garden of Ten Thousand Gardens.
One Old Summer Palace is worth three Versailles Palaces!
The thought of this garden treasure, which is considered the pinnacle of human architectural history, being burned down by robbers is heartbreaking.

Somehow, a bold idea suddenly popped up in Jiang Hai's mind:

"Back then, you burned down our Old Summer Palace with one fire. The fire burned for three days and three nights without being extinguished. If you don't pay me back..."

"I burned down your Palace of Versailles. Does that count as revenge for my country?"

at noon.

In the dining hall of the Palace of Versailles.

A group of about seven or eight people were sitting in the dining area of ​​the palace, staring at Chen Hanying in front of them with worry:

"Jiang Hai, hasn't he come out yet?"

Chen Hanying's outfit today was a little plain. Without the contrast of the evening gown, she looked less noble and more elegant, but this could not conceal her otherworldly and fresh temperament.

She frowned and shook her head slowly at the crimes committed by the Chinese Writers Association Presidium:
“For now, there is no news.”

Three days ago, Jiang Hai made a bet with a group of writers from France in front of writers from all over the world.

Jiang Hai simply locked himself in the room.

For three whole days, there was no news about him.

"Three days are up. Today is the deadline for submission of manuscripts." Tai Hongxi, an old-school writer sitting next to the chairman of the China Writers Association, Tie Ning, raised his head and looked at everyone. "If Jiang Hai still can't submit his manuscript before six o'clock in the afternoon..."

"Then this competition will be cancelled."

This time, it was an improvisation temporarily sponsored by the French government. The reason why improvisation is called improvisation is because the time it takes is very short.

Three days are up.

If you fail to submit your own articles or short stories within the specified time limit, the French Writers Association will stop accepting manuscripts.
I wonder how amazing your work is.

No matter how amazing the words you write are.

All of this will disappear like a passing cloud.
"I said, young people shouldn't be too impetuous." As if he was happy to see this scene, Chi Zijian, a prose writer who had quarreled with Jiang Hai before, snorted coldly, "When you talk big, you are so relaxed, but I don't know how to end it next."

At this point, Chi Zijian did not want to hide her dislike for Jiang Hai:
"One person versus the entire French literary world?"

"How could he actually say such a thing?"

When Chen Hanying heard this, she subconsciously wanted to defend Jiang Hai:

"Jiang Hai didn't do it on purpose, he was also kind-hearted"

Unexpectedly, before she could finish her words,
"Good intentions?"

"I would like to ask what kind of kindness you have?"

"You didn't consider the consequences when you were bragging, and now it seems like you didn't mean it? As an adult, you should be responsible for what you said!"

"If the quality of his articles is poor and he becomes a laughing stock, I'm afraid it will not only be him who will lose face, but also the face of Chinese writers and the entire Chinese literary world."

The value of the phrase "literati look down on each other" is still rising.

In reality, the Writers Association is not a monolithic entity.

If something is too hard, it will break easily; if a tree stands out in the forest, the wind will destroy it.
It seems that our ancestors have told us these truths a long time ago?

There is no doubt that Jiang Hai is a genius, a rare genius, but not all geniuses are liked by others.

For example, when you are a student, if there is a girl in the class who is so beautiful that she is out of touch with her peers, and if this girl has a bad personality and cannot get along with others, then such a girl will not only not be liked by her peers, she will even be rejected by the same sex and even isolated.

The same goes for writers.

I admit that you, Jiang Hai, do have some talent, but...
So what?

Just because you have talent does that mean I have to look up to you?
Just because you have talent does that mean I have to like you?

In fact, in the Chinese Writers Association, because of Jiang Hai's personality and unique style, quite a number of old-school writers do not like Jiang Hai.
That’s right, judging from the starting point of this matter, Jiang Hai is indeed considering the country.

He had a dispute with a French writer because he couldn't stand the loss of national cultural relics overseas, and he said such big words in anger, and even wanted to challenge the entire French literary world by himself.
but!

Even if you are politically correct!

Even if your starting point is indeed good!

This does not mean that everyone has to support you and like you just because your position is correct!
On the contrary, within the China Writers Association, quite a few writers actually think that Jiang Hai’s move was too reckless. As the poet and writer Chi Zijian said:

"When you are out and about, your every move represents China and Chinese literature!"

"If you fail, it won't just be Jiang Hai's face that will be lost—"

"It's a disgrace to us Chinese people!"

"It's a disgrace to us Chinese writers!"

Don’t even mention that writers from other countries are looking forward to this contest. In fact, within the China Writers Association, there are also many people waiting to see Jiang Hai make a fool of himself.

There are also many people who want to see Jiang Hai embarrassed.

"You're so arrogant, why don't you continue to act arrogant? It's okay to act arrogantly in China, but no one will tolerate you abroad."

"Look at what he's capable of. He likes to stand out so much? He likes to show off so much? I really want to see how he ends this time."

"We could have just turned a blind eye and let this matter go, but Jiang Hai had to stand out and act as a troublemaker? Now, not only is he embarrassed, he is also embarrassing us."

"Even the Chairman didn't say anything about the cultural relics, so how can it be his turn as a junior to step forward? In my opinion, Jiang Hai just likes to show off, to show how capable he is!"

"Just wait and see, this time, this kid is in big trouble"

In terms of international influence, the Chinese literary world is clearly weaker in strength and popularity than the French literary world.

To put it bluntly, the strength of the writers of the two countries is very different.
They are not even on the same level!
What’s more, they are playing at home?
But Jiang Hai not only failed to recognize the situation, but also wanted to compete with the French writer without knowing his own limitations, and even shouted slogans:
"All of you come together!"

This guy actually wants to shake up the entire French literary world by himself.
Crazy, yes!

But you must have the capital to be arrogant!
No one has ever denied Jiang Hai's talent, but you shouted in front of a group of French writers: "All of you come together, I want to see what level you are at."
Isn't this a bit too much?

Do you know what kind of people you are facing?

"Clézio, a leader in French literature, I think everyone is familiar with this writer. He is also a Nobel Prize winner in literature." Chi Zijian glanced at the people around him and slowly told the news he had recently heard. "I heard that Clézio locked himself in the room for two days for this impromptu creation."

"Two whole days!"

"The short story written by Clézio on the topic of courage shocked the entire French literary world."

After Chi Zijian finished speaking, another old-school writer next to him also echoed him:
"According to the latest information I have, Jean-Baptiste, a romantic writer, and François, a realist writer, have both submitted their completed manuscript applications to the organizing committee."

Having said this, he sighed as if he was extremely desperate about the current situation:
"Propositional creation like this is their strong point. Jiang Hai is using our weakness to challenge their strengths?"

"Isn't this just hitting a rock with an egg?"

"I can understand Jiang Hai's anger, but we have to admit that what he did this time was really too reckless."

The atmosphere in the team was a little off.

More and more writers have begun to join the condemnation of Jiang Hai:

"He has not only lost face for himself, but for the entire Chinese literary world."

It was also because I noticed that the atmosphere in the team had gradually been led astray.

At such a critical juncture, what everyone did was not to unite against the enemy and point their guns outward, but to turn their guns around.
He actually started to launch a fierce attack on Jiang Hai?

Finally, unable to bear this inexplicable atmosphere any longer, Liu Zhenyun became furious and slammed the table fiercely:
"enough!"

This sudden slamming of the table shocked many people present.

Due to Liu Zhenyun's status and popularity in the Writers Association.
The scene gradually calmed down.

"We should not discuss who to blame, but how to solve the problem." Liu Zhenyun looked around and was very angry. "Things have already happened. What's the point of discussing this?"

"You all think Jiang Hai did something wrong?"

"I think Jiang Hai did a great job!"

"We are all Chinese. Can you just watch our country's cultural relics drift overseas without getting angry?"

After saying this, without caring about other people's reactions, Liu Zhenyun directly slapped a stack of manuscripts in front of Tie Ning:
“This is what I worked on these past few days.”

No matter how great the disparity in strength between the enemy and us is.

No matter how slim the chances of winning this battle are.

In short, just do your best.
What's wrong with losing?

Liu Zhenyun is quite prestigious in the writer circle. With him taking the lead in standing with Jiang Hai, the voices condemning Jiang Hai gradually calmed down.
However, even though no one says it, it doesn’t mean they don’t have the same thoughts in their hearts.

The deadline for submission of manuscripts is approaching.

The war is imminent, and no one knows where the real culprit has run off to, leaving these spectators in a rage and making them anxious?
That is, people are discussing:

"Where on earth did the river and the sea go?"

Just when everyone was frowning and looking worried.

Jiang Haixin's tall figure suddenly appeared in the restaurant:
"You guys seem very anxious."

(End of this chapter)