The Other Shore, Research Paper Example

Notes on the playwright

Gao Xingjian is a Chinese playwright born in Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China in 1940. He gained his love for the arts from his mother, a play-actress who pushed his interest in art, literature, and theatre.  Thus, growing up, he was exposed to various types of western literature.  He graduated school in 1957 and, once again following the advice of his mother, enrolled in foreign studies.  After graduating college, he had various jobs including farm work and teaching.He became a French citizen in 1998.  While his poems have been highly regarded in the western world, his native China has been somewhat less receptive.

Notes on conflict

The main conflict of the play arises from the author’s discussion of the illusions of time.  We believe that it will be us in the future, but it won’t it will be somebody wholly new who attains these things, and we are simply rooted in the present.  The Universe is always responding to your conscience experience of the world.  This is inspirational, because it shows that the problems we face are what allow us to grow and change.  Change and struggle are important in moving forward with life, and helps the world to grow in the long run.  When things stay the same, the world stagnates.  However, when there is conflict change occurs rapidly.

My Reaction

I thought that this play made a lot of sense.  It is easy to get swept away in life always waiting for the next thing were hoping for, and in this way, it would be easy to miss a lot of important nuances that the world is trying to show you.