Abstract
Abstract Dong Nien (1950~) published his first novel <The Book of the Dead> in 1971. Since publishing <One hundred pigeons> in <中外文學> in 1973, he has been prolific in writing, and edited <Rain Town> and <Fire> in the 1970s when local literature was dominant. In observation of his publishing history, one can easily notice that Dong Nien has had a profound interest in depicting Taiwanese society as well as its history. The current study is organized as follows. Chapter one delves into previous research on the works of Dong Nien and points out that little is understood about earlier works of Dong Nien, something that motivated the current study. Chapter two illustrates the literacy background of Dong Nien, who was raised up between the 1950s and the 1970s. The chapter further delineates the integration of and interaction between the “contemporary” and “local” elements in literature. It also explains Dong Nien’s rationale behind selecting <中外文學> and <聯合報> for publishing his works. Chapter three revolves around social themes such as problems resulting from relocation of residence due to urbanization, constraints imposed by an awareness of social classes, and the intricate relationship between among individuals. Chapter four, on the basis of Dong Nien’s earlier works, categorizes the characters into “the frustrated”, “betrayers”, and “movers”, accounting for why the characters in Dong Nien’s works were largely characterized by plaintiveness. Chapter five explores the rhetorical devices employed in Dong Nien’s works, devices that serve to symbolize the difficulty confronted by the local culture in the face of a changing society. Key words: Dong Nien, 1970s, <Rain Town>, <Fire>, Rural-Urban issues, Resurgence/Restoration of local culture