44 pages • 1 hour read
Wu Cheng'en, Transl. Arthur WaleyMonkey: A Folk Novel of China
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1592A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Epic Battles
The ability to transform oneself is a key skill of almost every deity, spirit, and high-level religious figure throughout Monkey. Monkey masters 72 transformations as part of his religious study and uses them in almost every situation he encounters once he’s mastered the skills. Almost every creature Monkey fights also has some degree of transformation skill. Kuan-yin disguises herself as a priest when walking among humans to select a pilgrim, and Buddha changes his fingers to the size of mountains when punishing Monkey the first time. Many creatures in the story also undergo some form of transformation as punishment, or as a natural result of their karma, including Pigsy’s transformation into a pig-like man.
Transformation
The ability to transform oneself is a key skill of almost every deity, spirit, and high-level religious figure throughout Monkey. Monkey masters 72 transformations as part of his religious study and uses them in almost every situation he encounters once he’s mastered the skills. Almost every creature Monkey fights also has some degree of transformation skill. Kuan-yin disguises herself as a priest when walking among humans to select a pilgrim, and Buddha changes his fingers to the size of mountains when punishing Monkey the first time. Many creatures in the story also undergo some form of transformation as punishment, or as a natural result of their karma, including Pigsy’s transformation into a pig-like man.
Proverbs and Existing Mythology
Much of Wu’s story would have been already familiar to contemporary audiences, as it is based on a combination of real-life events, fables, and proverbs. Characters often speak to each other in proverbs either to explain their actions and opinions or to warn others about the potential dangers of something they are about to do. Wu also weaves in small digressions explaining where real-world landmarks came from, such as well-known temples with existing mythology around their creation.
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