The Reflection of Chinese Social Problems Through Short Fiction Adaptation Into the Movie “Xiangnü Xiaoxiao”

Abstract

This research article studied the reflection of Chinese social problems during the change of the regime in the Republic of China by using a case study from the movie "Xiangnü XiaoXiao", which is adapted from a short story “Xiao Xiao” by using the adaptation concept as a study guideline and using the methods of collecting information by studying the elements of storytelling of the movie and the information from books, academic papers related to Chinese society and culture, and both domestic and international research related to the short story "Xiao Xiao" of Shen Chongwen's. To realize the prominence of the movie as an image reflecting society and revealing the story of life that the characters had to face during the social transition to a modern society, the study revealed that this movie contained the following component adaptation techniques for storytelling. 1) Intertextuality was used for adapting the plot and adding characters. The plot and characters from some chapters were brought from a short fiction “Qiaoxiu and Dongsheng”, reflecting the myth of being “a woman” in Chinese feudal society under a patriarchy. 2) The unique scenes of Xiangxi and different situations revealed the abnormal personalities of the character caused by the culture and customs of Chinese feudal society that suppressed “humanity,” resulting in the repression and internal conflict of the character. 3) The point of view for storytelling was adapted to be an omniscient one with the plot-twisted ending by adapting the roles of the character to be in accordance with transition to a modern society, i.e., giving precedence to individualism.