Amputated Limbs in the Gaze: The Power and Desire Mechanism of Disabled Performance in Yan Lianke's novel Lenin's Kisses

Abstract

In Yan Lianke's novel, "Lenin's Kisses," the portrayal of disabled individuals through performance holds significant importance. This disabled performance can be interpreted as a form of intense observation where the production of desire and exercise of power intertwine among three key forces: the audience, the disabled actor, and the motivation behind it. Within this power dynamic, amputated limbs are strategically manipulated and presented to capture the attention of able-bodied spectators, resulting in a reciprocal exchange of gazes.