Diary of a Madman

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1918

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Story Analysis

Character Analysis

Themes

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Character Analysis

The Madman

The “madman” is the central character of the story, through whose eyes the reader sees events. The “madman” is a minor government administrator appointed to a small village. In traditional Chinese government, these bureaucrats represented the central government and acted with significant authority in their jurisdictions. A common archetype in Chinese history and literature is the corrupt government official who exploits the local population for personal gain. The “madman” admits that he too participated in the exploitation of one villager, Mr. Gu, but that this transgression was long ago.

The story follows the “madman’s” diary entries as his mental health apparently deteriorates. He perceives hostility and conspiracy all around him from the villagers, the doctor, the Zhao family dog, and even his own brother. Lu Xun is ambiguous about the trustworthiness of the “madman’s” observations—his elder brother and the anonymous narrator from the introduction both dismiss his writings as paranoid and delusional. Despite his apparent delusions, the “madman” strives for a better future. He repeatedly reflects on the exploitative nature of Chinese society and history through the motif of cannibalism.

Mr. Gu

Mr. Gu never appears in person within the narrative but rather acts as a symbol of past injustices. When the “madman” reflects on his righteousness, he admits that in the past he “trampled on the account books” of Mr. Gu. The Chinese character “gu” (古) literally means “olden times.” Mr. Gu demonstrates not only the “madman’s” past transgressions but also the habitual nature of injustice between state and subject in classical China. He is the representation of the exploited population throughout all of antiquity. Thus, the archetype of the tyrannical government bureaucrat is matched by the archetype of the hapless rural villager, trod upon by the state.

Elder Brother

The “madman’s” elder brother is the only character who exists in both the framing story outside the diary and the narrative within it. Confucian society placed hierarchical value on sibling relationships. The elder brother in the story is thus a figure of authority within the family structure. The elder or eldest brother in a family was not only due respect as the eldest but also had chief responsibility toward parents.

The elder brother represents traditional social structures. His position within the family, as well as his admonitions of the “madman’s” suspicions of cannibalism, demonstrate complacency with the Confucian system. In this sense, he is a conservative within the system, loyal to the status quo. He repeatedly dismisses the practice of cannibalization in Chinese history, claiming that it has “always been this way,” thereby demonstrating his adherence to the practice of social domination.

Likewise, the elder brother displays his Confucian virtue by declaring that if a parent is sick, it is the child’s responsibility to feed them his own flesh to show his filial piety. Predictably, the “madman” interprets this symbolic rhetorical gesture literally. The elder brother’s dedication to Confucian relationships, both “up” and “down” the hierarchy, leads the “madman” to suspect that he has eaten their now-deceased younger sister.

Old Fifth Chen

Old Fifth Chen is an attendant to the “madman’s” family, and, like the elder brother, is an implicit supporter of the social system. Whenever the “madman” begins to confront the villagers about the practice of cannibalism, Old Fifth Chen becomes distressed and escorts the “madman” away, even locking him in his room. Furthermore, the “madman” suspects Old Fifth Chen of feeding him human flesh in his soup.

Unlike the “madman” and his elder brother, Old Fifth Chen does not occupy the highest rungs of social power but rather is subservient to it. He acts as a handservant to the current system and willingly operates within its confines. Whereas the elder brother attempts to justify the practice of cannibalism by saying it has always been thus, Old Fifth Chen does not speak about it directly at all. Instead, he would rather totally avoid discussion of the topic. He attempts to hide the problem away, symbolized by his alacrity in locking up the “madman” whenever he attempts reform.

Old Fifth Chen further symbolizes the role of ordinary people in perpetuating unequal power structures. Old Fifth Chen has a position within the power structure, albeit at a low level. Ostensibly an individual who is dominated by the system, he nonetheless protects his role and the role of his masters. His fear of the “madman’s” words represents his fear that the system within which he operates will be undermined.