Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.4, 2021

 

Ideological Representation and Discursive Practice: A Review of the Theoretical History of the Concept of “Type”

(Abstract)

 

Jin Yongbing

 

As a key literary concept, the theoretical history of “type” shows semantic and discursive multiplicity and complexity, as well as a linkage with historical context and people’s perception. The theory of type has a rich tradition in the West. In its progression towards a dialectic theory, it has become an internal thread and an external representation of the history of Western thought. Marxist thought further deepened the dialectical relationship between universality and particularity (commonality and individuality), and comprehensively and profoundly constructed the theory of type in terms of class, tendency, history and truthfulness, thus strengthening the theoretical foundation and explanatory effectiveness of the theory. For the Chinese literary field, the Marxist theory of type is not only a resource of thought, but also a discursive practice to participate in the ideological and cultural construction of the country, thus making the “theoretical journey” of type extremely characteristic of China.