The themes include the fragility of relationships. The stories show how relationships can be easily affected by external factors. For example, in some of the stories, economic hardships put strain on the characters' love and family ties. Also, the theme of cultural identity is present. The characters are often caught between different cultures, trying to find their place.
In 'Love in a Fallen City', Liusu is a main character. She is a complex woman dealing with love and survival in a challenging time.
One main theme could be love and its complexity. In a fallen city, love might be a glimmer of hope or a source of despair. Another theme could be the decay of society which serves as the backdrop and influences the relationships in the novel.
Love in a Fallen City was one of Zhang Ailing's most popular short stories. It was a work that explored how love, marriage, and human nature survived and struggled before and after the war. The story took place in Hong Kong. It was about the Bai family's young lady, Bai Liusu, who came from Shanghai. After a failed marriage, she was penniless and ridiculed by her relatives. She met Fan Liuyuan, a rich bachelor by chance. In order to fight for a legal marriage status, she used herself as a bet and went to Hong Kong to fight with Fan Liuyuan at Repulse Bay Hotel. However, when Fan Liuyuan was about to leave Hong Kong, the Japanese army began to bomb Repulse Bay, and Fan Liuyuan returned to protect the white tassel. This life-and-death experience had tied them down. In the end, they decided to go through hardships together and become husband and wife. " Love in a Fallen City " was a novel with a love story in the context of war. It depicted the struggle and survival of human nature in a difficult situation.
The main characters usually include a female protagonist and a male character. Their relationship forms the core of the story.
Well, in 'The Unforgiving City and Other Stories', themes of isolation and community are likely present. The unforgiving nature of the city may isolate characters, but they may also seek or form communities. Also, themes of hope and despair could be there. Characters may experience despair in the harsh city environment but still hold onto hope for a better future.
Since I don't have detailed knowledge about this 'love in fallen city novel', it's hard to say exactly. However, in a novel with such a title, we might expect to find characters like a young, idealistic protagonist who falls in love and is affected by the state of the fallen city. There could also be an older, wiser character who provides some perspective on the situation.
One possible theme could be forbidden love. As the title implies, the love in the story is likely not allowed within the royal context.
The main themes could revolve around the idea of secrets. Since it's 'the dark and other love stories', there may be hidden aspects in the relationships, secrets that either bring the characters closer or drive them apart. And of course, the theme of redemption could be there too. Characters might seek redemption through love, especially if they have made mistakes in the past in the context of relationships.
One of the main themes could be, of course, lost love. It might explore the pain, confusion, and longing that come with it. Another theme could be relationships in general, including friendships and family relationships as other stories in the collection might focus on different types of human connections.
One main theme could be the complexity of love. It might explore different forms of love, such as unrequited love or love that is 'damned' perhaps due to external circumstances or internal conflicts within the characters. Another theme could be human relationships in general, showing how characters interact with each other in the context of these love stories.