Analysis of Two News Reports On Mo Yan Wining Nobel Prize

for literatureBy

Yolanda Winnie Angel Jill Sutina Daisy

Content

Background & Sources of NewsComparison Title and structure Word choice and tone Sources of information Possible Effects on readers

Conclusion

Background

On October 11th,2012, the Swedish Academy announced Mo Yan’s win of the Nobel Prize for literature.

Sources of News

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2012-10/12/content_15812079.htm

Mo pens Nobel success storyMo pens Nobel success story

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/11/world/sweden-nobel-prize-literature/index.html

Prolific Nobel winner's pen name? 'Not talking'Prolific Nobel winner's pen name? 'Not talking'

Comparison

Comparison of Title

China Daily: Mo pens Nobel success story

CNN: Prolific Nobel winner's pen name?

'Not talking'

This headline tells us the fact of Mo’s winning the Nobel Prize and also emphasizes its great influence on China.

The headline focuses on Mo Yan’s pen name. It also gives the readers hint of Mo Yan’s writing style.

P1-3 Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize for Literature;

the description of his “hallucinatory realism” works.

P4 Mo talks about his growth environment

and its influence on his artistic style. P5-6 Eric Abrahamsen, a critic and founder of

an English-language website on Chinese literature, comments on Mo Yan and his works.

Structure of Mo pens Nobel success story

P7-9 Mo’s possible win of the prize and its

influence on Chinese literature were widely reported before the award.

P10-19 Introduces Mo’s writing style and theme, his

experiences and its influence on his writing. P20-22 Howard Goldblatt, who translated many of

Mo’s works, has high praises for this work. P23 Some writers and critics attacked Mo on his

perspectives when discussing serious social issues in his works.

Structure of Mo pens Nobel success story

P24-25 Editor Ye Kai argues against the opinion

that the book Frog is an ode to the family planning policy.

P26 Mo Yan’s conscious of a write and he

emphasizes that life is the most valuable. P27-30 Goldblatt’s high praise for Mo’s work The

Republic of Wine and Abrahamsen’s comment that Mo Yan has kept the balance between reality analysis and literary.

Structure of Mo pens Nobel success story

P1-3 A brief introduction about Mo Yan’s win of

the Nobel Literature Prize and the meaning of his pen name.

P4-5 Mo Yan is a writer as well as a Communist

Party member. P6 The sharp contrast between reports about

Mo’s win and Liu Xiaobo’s win of the Nobel Peace Prize in China.

Structure of Prolific Nobel winner's pen name? 'Not talking'

P7-10 Larry Siems of Pen American Center

comments on this award’s influence on Chinese literature .

P11-15 Chinese writer Patrick Poon’s negative

comment on this award; he points out Mo’s responsibility of asking the Chinese government to free the imprisoned writers.

P16-20 The background of Mo Yan and writers who

influenced on his writing. P21-25 Mo’s controversial novel Frog on the issue of

China’s one-child policy.

Structure of Prolific Nobel winner's pen name? 'Not talking'

P26-28 Mo’s comments on his novel Red

Sorghum, which shows his admiration and respect towards women.

P29-31 Mo doesn't worry about censorship when

deciding what to write. P32-35 The response of Chinese people, state

media and Mo Yan himself after Mo’s win of the Nobel Prize.

P36-37 Some extra information of other 2012

Nobel Prize winners.

Structure of Prolific Nobel winner's pen name? 'Not talking'

Word Choice

China Daily CNNPositive words:deserve, inspire, valuable,Magnificent, exuberance, etc.

Positive words:spark, beloved, captivated, energetic, literate, notable, compelling, lively, earnest, pragmatic, etc.

Tone

China Daily CNN1.Positivee.g. “Mo Yan has created aworld reminiscent in its complexity of those in the writings of William Faulkner”.

2.Supportivee.g. Paper Republic's Abrahamsen appreciates Mo's poise between literary and analytic aspirations best.

Neutral• Positivee.g. “The beloved Chinese author -- whose pen name means "not talking" -- has captivated his countrymen by intertwining fantasy and gritty everyday life.”

• Negativee.g. “However, he said, there are better and bolder writers who didn't get a Nobel. He said he senses that the award appears to be a recognition of -- or trying to please --

the Chinese government.”

Sources of information

China Daily CNN（ 1 ） tribute of The Swedish Academy（ 2 ） Mo Yan（ 3 ） Eric Abrahamsen, founder of an English website of Chinese literature（ 4 ） Howard Goldblatt, a translator of Mo’s works（ 5 ） Ye Kai, an editor of Mo’s works

（ 1 ） Larry Siems of American Pen Center（ 2 ） Mo Yan ；（ 3 ） Chinese writer Patrick Poon（ 4 ） tribute of The Swedish Academy;（ 5 ） statements of Chinese people

Sources of information

China Daily

CNN

person

content

Relevant to literature only

1. Relevant to literature2. Relevant to Chinese politics

Evaluation of Mo Yan and his works

1.The analysis of Chinese politics2.The understanding of Mo Yan and the background of his works

Possible Effects on readers

1.The effect of the titles

2.The effect of the focus

CNN: Prolific Nobel winner's pen name? 'Not talking‘

China Daily: Mo pens Nobel success story CNN’s is more appealing to the reader. It uses

rhetorical question to arouse reader’s curiosity and moreover, it uses Mo’s pen name, which is quite interesting, rather than Mo’s real name. These constitute an appealing effect.

China Daily’s is more convenient for readers to grasp the main idea of the report. It summarize the content of the report with a concise title. Even if the readers don’t read the whole report, they still know the core event.

The effect of the titles

CNN: focus on the political effect of Mo’s winning Nobel

China Daily: focus on the introduction of Mo CNN paid close attention to influence on Chinese

politics, especially on the freedom. This may easily lead the reader to think that freedom in China must confront with great restriction.

China Daily focused on introducing Mo’s background and other’s opinions on Mo’s works. On the whole, China Daily keeps a positive tendentiousness, which will make readers, especially Chinese readers feel proud of this event.

The effect of the focus

Conclusion

China Daily CNN

1.In a plain, direct way;2. more convenient for readers to grasp the main idea3.introducing Mo’s background and others’ opinions on Mo’s works;more positive

1.more appealing2.political effect of Mo’s winning Nobel