Decoding the Crocodile from a Semiotic Perspective: Stage Narrative, Cultural Implications and Artistic Symbolisms

Shutong Fan

GBP Proceedings Series, 2025, vol. 12, 37-46

Abstract: This paper employs semiotic theory to analyze Mo Yan's play Crocodile. By interpreting symbolic meanings in its narrative structure and choreography, it explores the artistic and cultural connotations of the work. The study finds that the "crocodile growth"-the core symbolic chain in the play (evolving from a 30cm cub to a 4m beast)-constructs a symbolic allegory of "desire-power" through dynamic representations of mechanical devices and symbolic deconstruction of ritual scenes, alongside the visual metaphor of projection technology. Artistically, the fusion of open-form dramaturgy and 3D projection creates an aesthetic of "energy-intensive theatre". Culturally, the symbolic mirroring of female characters (Wu Qiaoling's identity anxiety, Shouma's physical alienation) reflects conflicts between traditional gender order and consumerism. Through semiotics, the drama not only offers a new approach of "allegorical critique" for anti-corruption themes but also invites the audience to reflect on the symbolic interplay of power, capital, and gender within the tension between technological spectacle and real-life metaphors.

Keywords: semiotics; the crocodile; narrative structure; stage art (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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