“A Private Life” by Chen Ran Essay

A Private Life is a novel by Chen Ran that was written in 1996. The book tells the story of Ni Niuniu, a young woman who finds pleasure in keeping track of her emotions and changes in her mental state. To some extent, the protagonist’s life and memories are shaped by the city of Beijing and her gender, and the novelist uses some problems peculiar to geographic locations and gender socialization to present the woman’s story of life.

Speaking about the role that the city of Beijing plays in narration, it is necessary to note that it is often represented as a memory. After a series of events that deeply affected her psychological health and mental condition, Ni Niuniu lives “a life of isolation” in order to get distracted from “the confusing clamor of the city” (Ran 2). Even though the woman’s diary does not focus on the detailed descriptions of geographic locations, the city where she lives influences the storyline and helps her to introduce some specific events that impacted people in Beijing during that period.

Concerning the protagonist’s gender, it heavily affects the way that she perceives life in general and, therefore, impacts her experiences with the city. In particular, being a student at one local school, Niuniu often deals with unfair criticism and is called a difficult child for any reason, partially due to gender norms for girls (Hardenberg 934). Also, she critically analyzes the culture of the place and her books to reveal harmful ideas about women that are compared to “a rampant noxious weed” (Ran 89). Thus, as she grows older, the girl becomes more aware of harmful stereotypes and double standards related to gender that affect women in Beijing.

In the end, the setting of Beijing and the character’s experiences related to gender socialization are interconnected. Growing up in Beijing’s patriarchal culture, Niuniu is often limited by specific norms for girls and women. However, given the ubiquitousness of this hidden injustice and political problems, the story would also make sense in another setting.

Works Cited

Hardenberg, Wendeline A. “The Breath of My Life: Constructing the Self in Chen Ran’s a Private Life.” Women’s Studies, vol. 43, no. 7, 2014, pp. 930-945.

Ran, Chen. A Private Life. Translated by John Howard-Gibbon, Columbia University Press, 2004.