The Ordinary in Times of Transformation: Everyday Life and Social Change in Mao Dun's Fiction

This study examines “The Ordinary in Times of Transformation: Everyday Life and Social Change in Mao Dun’s Fiction” through a close reading of Mao Dun’s (茅盾) selected works, particularly Midnight (子夜), Spring Silkworms (春蚕), and The Shop of the Lin Family (林家铺子). The study explores how ordinary individuals, families, workers, peasants, and small business owners experience and respond to profound social, economic, and political transformations in modern China. Mao Dun’s fiction presents everyday life not merely as a background to historical change but as a significant site where structural inequalities, class relations, economic pressures, and changing social values become visible. Midnight portrays the tensions of urban capitalism, industrial development, and class conflict, while Spring Silkworms highlights the vulnerability of rural communities and peasant households affected by economic exploitation and changing market conditions. The Shop of the Lin Family depicts the precarious existence of small traders confronting commercial competition, debt, and social instability. Through these narratives, the study argues that Mao Dun connects individual experiences with larger historical processes, revealing how transformation reshapes livelihoods, relationships, aspirations, and identities. The study ultimately demonstrates that the “ordinary” in Mao Dun’s fiction provides a powerful lens for understanding the complexities and human consequences of social change in twentieth-century China.