"The Diary of a Madman" is the first Chinese story written in the style of Western literature, in which the crazy hero of the story criticizes the legacy of Confucianism, which made society a monster that preys on individuals, and attacks the Chinese family system and ancient customs that oppress people and restrict their freedoms. Lushun wrote it in colloquial language and in a precise style in which he relied on a single narrator, in contrast to the tradition of Chinese narratives, which adopt multiple narrators. This innovation contributed to promoting the new story form.