The Direction of Language: Modern Symptomatology of Texts and Its Cri tique

By Shenggang Wu

In our contemporary world, the lines between modernity and post-modernity are blurred, creating a unique set of cultural symptoms. "The Direction of Language" offers a critical lens through which to examine these phenomena. Author Wu Shenggang diagnoses a profound imbalance in our spiritual life, where fragmented and popularized consumption eclipses the need for refined and sacred cultural products.

This book argues that these real-world conditions are inevitably reflected in our cultural and literary outputs, creating a complex intertextuality with modern society. Through a series of incisive critiques, it delves into literary texts that highlight pressing social issues, offers interpretations of regional (Henan) culture and literature, and dissects contemporary cultural samples. The analysis goes beyond surface-level observations, decoding the signifiers and signifieds within texts to uncover their deeper meanings.

Ultimately, this work is a call for grounded and penetrating literary criticism. It is an essential read for scholars and students of literary theory, cultural studies, and modern Chinese criticism, providing the tools to understand and potentially correct the course of contemporary cultural expression.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1965890873
• ISBN13: 9781965890875
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Chicago Academic Press
• Length: 382 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"