Fortress Besieged

Fortress Besieged tells us stories about a cluster of educated people during the anti-Japanese war.The book is written piece by piece,all coming from what the author see and hear in the ordinary life.Many characters in this book shows characteristic similar to people around Qian in the real world.That is to say,Qian wait for material in the real world and process into a good novel.So this book is more mosaic than plot-driven,which urges it to match fabulous expression so that it will give readers deep impression.And this is what makes Fortress Besieged an extraordinary one.In the book QIan Zhongshu uses numerous metaphor and all of them are appropriate.It is worth mentioning that Qian is good at describe abstract thinking and feelings by using specific images.Also,he has an original mind to compare two kinds of great contrast things and make amazing metaphors.All these metaphors help Qian to shape the image of the characters and most of them are ironical.The language style comes from Qian`s attention to little life details and his attitude towards the subtle alteration in the transition from the traditional agriculture to the modem civilization.That why Qian writes about Chinese people who encounter new living style and cultural values coming from tradition,especially the intellectual group.Ironical metaphors makes this book a vivid reflection and that`s why the book Fortress Besieged is called The New Scholars.