LONELINESS AND THE JOURNEY TO FIND LIFE’S MEANING IN THE MODERN SOCIETY: A VIEWPOINT FROM THE MAGICIAN ON THE FOOTBRIDGE BY WU MING-YI

Abstract

In the context of rapid modernization, people increasingly face profound loneliness and an
unending journey in search of meaning in life. The Magician on the Footbridge by Taiwanese author Wu
Ming-Yi provides a unique literary lens through which to explore these issues. Through ten short stories
set in the Chinese market in 1970s Taipei, the work recreates the childhood memories of girls and boys - a
place where magic becomes a tool to combat isolation and meaninglessness. This article analyzes how Wu
Ming-Yi portrays loneliness as a consequence of urbanization and the loss of tradition, while exploring
the journey to find meaning through a return to childhood imagination.