Xu Dishan

The essay "Fallen Peanuts" is a work by Xu Dishan, a modern Chinese writer. This is a narrative essay, which revolves around "planting peanuts - harvesting peanuts - eating peanuts - discussing peanuts", and truly records a family activity and the education the author received when he was a child. The essay describes the scene of a family harvesting peanuts. By talking about the benefits of peanuts, the essay uses objects to illustrate people, revealing the character of peanuts that do not seek fame and silently dedicate themselves. It shows that people should be useful people, not people who only care about decency but do not benefit others. It expresses the author's ideal of life and values ​​of not seeking fame and fortune, but only seeking to benefit society. 落花生 ◎许地山 我们屋后有半亩隙地。母亲说：“让它荒芜着怪可惜，既然你们那么爱吃花生，就辟来做花生园罢 〔1〕  。”我们几姊弟 〔2〕  和几个小丫头都很喜欢——买种的买种，动土的动土，灌园的灌园；过不了几个月，居然收获了！ 妈妈说：“今晚我们可以做一个收获节 〔3〕  ，也请你们爹爹来尝尝我们的新花生，如何？”我们都答应了。母亲把花生做成好几样的食品 〔4〕  ，还吩咐这节期要在园里的茅亭举行。 那晚上的天色不大好 〔5〕  ，可是爹爹也来到，实在很难得！爹爹说：“你们爱吃花生么？” 我们都争着答应：“爱！” “谁能把花生的好处说出来？” 姊姊说：“花生的气味很美。” 哥哥说：“花生可以制油。” 我说：“无论何等人都可以用贱价买它来吃；都喜欢吃它。这就是它的好处。” 爹爹说：“花生的用处固然很多；但有一样是很可贵的。这小小的豆 〔6〕  不像那好看的苹果、桃子、石榴，把它们的果实悬在枝上，鲜红嫩绿 〔7〕  的颜色，令人一望而发生羡慕的心。它只把果子埋在地底，等到成熟，才容人把它挖出来。你们偶然看见一棵花生瑟缩 〔8〕  地长在地上，不能立刻辨出它有没有果实，非得等到你接触它才能知道。” 我们都说：“是的。”母亲也点点头。爹爹接下去说：“所以你们要像花生 〔9〕  ，因为它是有用的，不是伟大、好看的东西。”我说：“那么，人要做有用的人，不要做伟大、体面的人了。”爹爹说：“这是我对于你们的希望。” 我们谈到深夜才散。花生做的食品都吃完了，父亲的话却深深地印在我的心上。 Peanuts ◎ Xu Dishan Behind our house there lay half a mou of vacant land. Mother said, "It's a pity to let it lie waste. Since you all like to eat peanuts so very much, why not plant some here?" That exhilarated us children and our servant girls as well, and soon we started buying seeds, ploughing the…