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@maxwofford
Created February 26, 2016 17:51
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Diary of a Madman

  • On a Marxist website
    • Cannibalism as a symbol of consumerism and greed
  • The beginning of the story says the Madman later ‘recovered’ and took up an official post
    • We don’t objectively know what happened to the older brother
    • Back then mental treatment was not great, and saving face was important. Ending up in an official post after recovering seems too good to be true.
  • Being consumed by one’s familiar
    • Horrifying theme
  • “Save the children”
    • Groups of people/governments tend to bring children into the argument (maybe?)
  • “Perhaps there are still children who have not eaten men…”
    • Hoping for innocent children who have not been “forced into the system”
    • “It’s too late for me, but I hope others don’t have my fate”
  • Author took notes from actual patients
    • Realistic depiction of mental illness
  • Linked to “A Modest Proposal”
    • China was “consuming itself” at the time
      • Mao’s proposal & cultural revolution were around this time
      • Anyone going against the state was severely punished
      • Youth had more social power than elders
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