Man's Fate
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Written by André Malraux in 1933, La Condition humaine, or Man's Fate is novel about the failed communist revolution that took place in Shanghai in 1927, and the existential quandaries facing a diverse group of people associated with the revolution.
Plot summary
The novel takes place over a 21 day period mostly in Shanghai, China, and focuses on the socialist insurrectionists and people involved. The three protagonists are Ch’en Ta Erh (whose name is spelled Tchen in the French version of the book), Kyo Gisors, and Baron De Clappique. Their individual plights are intertwined throughout the book.Chen Ta Erh is sent to assassinate an authority figure, succeeds, and is later killed in a failed suicide bombing attempt on Chiang Kaishek. After killing he becomes governed by fatality and desires simply to kill and fulfill his duty as a terrorist, which controls his life. This is explained to be largely a result of being so close to death since his assassinating a man. He is so haunted by death and his powerlessness over inevitability that he wishes to die simply to end his torment.
Kyo Gisors is the leader of the revolt and believes that every person should choose his own meaning, and be governed by no external forces. He spends most of the story trying to keep power in the hands of the workers rather than the Kuomintang army, and resolving a conflict between himself and his wife, May. He is eventually captured and chooses to take his own life with cyanide, in a final act of self-definition.
Baron De Clappique is a French merchant, smuggler, and obsessive gambler. He helps Kyo get a shipment of guns cut off, and is later told if he doesn’t leave the city in 48 hours he will be killed. On the way to warn Kyo he gets caught up gambling and cannot stop. He consider gambling “suicide without dying”. Clappique is very good humored and cheerful all the time but is inwardly suffering. He ends up escaping the city dressed as a sailor.
Characters in \"Man's Fate\"
- Chen Ta Erh – the assassin. Protagonist.
- Kyo Gisors – the leader of the revolt. Protagonist.
- Baron De Clappique – a French merchant, smuggler, and obsessive gambler. Protagonist.
- Old Gisors – Kyo's father, one-time Professor of Sociology at the University of Peking, and an opium addict, acts as a guide for Kyo and Ch’en
- May Gisors – Kyo's wife and a German doctor, born in Shanghai
- Katov – A Russian, one of the organizers of the insurrection, he is burned alive for treason.
- Hemmelrich – A Belgian phonograph-dealer.
- Yu Hsuan – His partner.
- Kama – A Japanese painter, Old Gisors' brother-in-law.
- Ferral – President of the French Chamber of Commerce and head of the France-Asiatic Consortium. He struggles with his relationship with Valerie because he only wishes to possess her as an object.
- Valerie – Ferral's girlfriend.
- Konig – Chief of Chiang Kaishek's Police.
- Suan – Young Chinese terrorist who helped Ch’en, later arrested in the same attack in which Ch'en was killed.
- Pei – Also helped Ch’en.
Major themes
The most noticeable theme is the existential one of choosing one's own meaning. This was exemplified by Kyo, and its alternative was shown in the fatality of Ch'en. Katov for example chooses to give his cyanide pill to two other prisoners and thus accepts to be burned alive himself, having saved those two men from suffering.Another point presented in the book addresses how people interact with one another. Ferral and Old Gisors both believe they can understand and possess in a person only what they change. Ferral is shown this through his relationship with Valerie, and Old Gisors through his with Ch'en.
Awards and nominations
This book won the Prix Goncourt French literature award in 1933.
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