Author(s)

Baigui Gu ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Faculty of Arts, Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong, 999077, China

Corresponding Author

Baigui Gu

ABSTRACT

In the film adaptation of Rickshaw Boy, some of Hu Niu's traits are reserved, while some are adapted or removed. Compared to the original novel by Lao She, the film Rickshaw Boy, directed by Ling Zifeng, shows a more positive and humane side of Hu Niu. In the film, Hu Niu holds a more empathetic attitude towards people at the bottom of society and loves Xiangzi sincerely. However, in the original novel, Hu Niu exhibits a destructive attitude towards people at the bottom of society and only has sexual desires for Xiangzi. In general, though the morality of the lower class is highlighted through the romanticization of Hu Niu, the refinement of characters' moral portrayal in films leads to stereotypical cliché of characters, waning the effect of criticism towards reality as well as the aesthetic values and connotation of typical characters, and even digressing from the theme of original work that shows the dark side and alienation of human nature. By discussing the similarities and differences between Hu Niu's portrayal in the film and the novel, this study explores the gains and losses as well as the appropriate dimensions of film and television adaptation.

KEYWORDS

Rickshaw Boy; Hu Niu; portrayal of characters

CITE THIS PAPER

Baigui Gu, A Comparative Study of Hu Niu's Character in the Novel and the Film of Rickshaw Boy. Lecture Notes on Language and Literature (2024) Vol. 7: 138-143. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/langl.2024.070720.

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