<My Old Home is a touching short story by Lu Hsun that explores the themes of nostalgia, friendship, social inequality, and hope. Through the narrator's visit to his ancestral home after many years, the story shows how time and social differences can change relationships.
The story begins with the narrator travelling more than seven hundred miles to his old home after twenty years. As he approaches the village, he feels sad because the place looks lonely, cold, and lifeless. The beautiful home that he had treasured in his childhood memories now appears dull and deserted. He realises that he has returned only to bid farewell because the ancestral house has been sold, and his family is moving to another town where he works.
When he reaches home, his mother warmly welcomes him. Although she is happy to see him, she cannot hide her sadness because the family is preparing to leave their ancestral house forever. They discuss selling the remaining furniture and shifting to their new home. During the conversation, his mother tells him that Jun-tu, his childhood friend, has been asking about him and may visit soon. This brings back many happy memories of his childhood.
The narrator remembers meeting Jun-tu for the first time during an ancestral festival. Jun-tu was the son of a part-time labourer employed by the narrator's family. Though they belonged to different social classes, they soon became close friends. Jun-tu fascinated the narrator with stories about bird-catching, collecting colourful seashells, protecting watermelon fields from the mysterious zha, and many other exciting experiences of village life. To the narrator, Jun-tu's knowledge of nature and the outside world seemed wonderful and magical. They spent a happy month together before Jun-tu returned home. Though they exchanged gifts afterwards, they never met again.
The narrator's memories are interrupted by the arrival of Mrs. Yang, a former neighbour once known as "Beancurd Beauty." Time has changed her greatly. She is now quarrelsome, greedy, and suspicious. Pretending to be friendly, she asks for the narrator's old furniture free of cost and even secretly takes away his mother's gloves. Her selfish behaviour highlights the moral decline caused by poverty and hardship.
A few days later, Jun-tu finally visits the narrator. However, the narrator is shocked by how much his old friend has changed. The cheerful, energetic boy has become a tired, poor, and worn-out middle-aged farmer. His face is wrinkled, his hands are rough, and poverty has taken away his youthful spirit. Instead of calling the narrator "Brother Hsun" as he did in childhood, Jun-tu respectfully addresses him as "Master." This single word makes the narrator realise that a thick wall of social class now separates them. Their warm childhood friendship has disappeared under the burden of poverty and inequality.
Jun-tu speaks about his miserable life. Poor harvests, heavy taxes, large family responsibilities, corrupt officials, and insecurity have made life extremely difficult. He struggles to feed his family and has little hope for the future. The narrator feels deeply sorry for him. Before leaving, he allows Jun-tu to take several old household items and even the ashes from the stove, which can be used as fertilizer. Their conversation reveals the harsh realities faced by poor farmers in society.
Finally, the narrator and his family leave their old home by boat. As the village slowly disappears from view, he feels that an invisible wall has separated him not only from Jun-tu but also from his own past. Yet he does not lose hope. Watching his nephew Hung-er and Jun-tu's son Shui-sheng, he wishes that they may become friends without allowing social barriers to divide them. He dreams of a future where children can live freely without the suffering experienced by earlier generations.
The story ends with one of Lu Hsun's most famous reflections on hope. The narrator says that hope is like a road across the earth. At first, there is no road, but when many people walk the same path, a road is created. In the same way, hope becomes real only when people work together to create a better future. This optimistic message gives the story a powerful and inspiring conclusion.>
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