Metaphors about Filth and Pain: Chinese Labourers’ Misery in Malaysian Chinese literature before the Second World War Metafora mengenai Kekotoran dan Kesakitan: Kesengsaraan Buruh Cina dalam Kesusasteraan Mahua sebelum Perang Dunia Kedua

Abstract

Malaysian Chinese literature has a close relationship with the literature in China before
the Second World War. History of Malaysian Chinese literature happened almost
simultaneously with the development of China’s literature which is strongly affected
by the May Fourth Movement in 1919. The May Fourth Movement led to the discovery
of humanity theme in literature was influencing Malaysian Chinese literature. From the
historical perspective, Chinese labourers (coolie) migrated to the Malaya massively
during the Opium Wars in the 19th century. This group of migrants became the core of
the Chinese community in Malaya before the Second World War. Thus, the topics related
to Chinese labourers who were suffering in life and social problems began to attract
the attention of the authors in Malaya. This study attempts to examine the problems of
the suffering of Chinese labourers in Malaysian Chinese literature from 1920 to 1942.
For example, “Out of Life Circle”, “Xia Lady”, “In the Factory”, “Barbarian Flower
and Brutal Fruit”, “Obstruction” etc. This study aims to analyse the content of Chinese
labourers’ literature by using theory of metaphor. Furthermore, this study examines the
relationship between metaphors of “space-body-feeling” in Chinese labourers’ narrative
to answer the question of how and why the Malaysian Chinese author told the misery
faced by Chinese labourers. This study examines the metaphor of “piglets” (meaning
Chinese labourers or porters). By using the theory of metaphor, there are two similarities
between piglets and Chinese labourers which are environment and penalties. In addition,
this research would study how the relationship of “cramped, stinky, mess (space) -
hitting, insulting (body) - pain (feeling)” established in the literature to describe the
fate of Chinese labourers, which is mainly reveal the suffering and sorrow of Chinese
labourers. Writing of the suffering associated with real life problems faced by overseas
Chinese. By exposing the suffering of others, readers can merge their own experience of
suffering with the characters in Malaysian Chinese literature. As a result, the literature
can awaken people to think about the conflict between power and humanity.

Keywords: Chinese labourers, metaphor, narratives of suffering, filth, pain