Novel ideas

Xue describes a writer as a slave to the language he uses and a waiter serving his books' protagonists.

Xue's first novel Desertion.

Desertion is almost like an autobiography. Xue uses Tu to express his attitude toward writing.

The experiences and perspectives of Xue's 20s are evident in Tu. Like Tu, Xue deserted normal life to retreat into his own world of writing.

Many writers, such as Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) and Chinese literary critic and scholar Wang Guowei (1877-1927), committed suicide when they couldn't accept reality.

Tu feels writing makes the impossible possible.

Language is a writer's only barrier, he believes.

Literary critic Liu Zaifu categorizes Xue's novels as "cold literature" compared to those by China's literary Nobel laureate Mo Yan.

Writers like Mo Yan show motivation and passion, while those like Xue demonstrate life's absurdities. Xue deals with a sense of not belonging.

For example, in Desertion, Tu's boss describes the department's work as very hectic and always seems busy.

But the hero's experience tells him there isn't much to do in the office.

Tu realizes his superior isn't lying when he says he's busy.

The tragedy is his illusion about his meaningless work's importance and that his busyness justifies his existence.

All of Xue's works contain similar philosophical ponderings.

Xue has published five books in the past year. He says he hopes his readers will think about life from a new perspective after reading his works.

Contact the writer at zhuyuan@chinadaily.com.cn.