美国华裔文学中的文化冲突与身份认同-以《无声告白》为例_英语论文

An Analysis of Cultural Conflict and Identity in Everything I Never Told You

摘要

近二十年内,华裔文学在美国崛起，一大批华裔作家及其作品进入了美国主流文学圈,这标志着当代美国华裔文学进入了一个新的历史时期。文学所负载的文化身份,不仅是美国华裔生存的内在密码,也是解读当代美国华裔文学的钥匙。美国华裔在异质文化圈内,通过反思和书写中国文化,与异文化相互冲突磨合,努力追寻建构起自己的文化身份,并以此争取主流的认同,从而成为主流的一部分。《无声告白》是80后华裔女作家吴绮诗的处女作，作者凭借该作品一举荣获了2014年美国亚马逊年度最佳图书奖第一名。小说讲述了一个跨种族家庭的悲剧，父母的掌上明珠莉迪亚被发现溺死在河中。悲剧产生的原因远不止父母厚重的爱和期望转变为子女难以承受之重那么简单。作者运用巧妙的叙事手法将异质文化差异与冲突、种族隔阂、身份认同危机等一系列宏观议题纳入微观家庭，道出了文化边缘族群的苦境，并通过结合自身实际，通过小说来重建华裔美国人的身份认同。本论文拟用文化冲突理论和身份认同理论，以小说文本为基础，通过从种族、性别和伦理角度来揭示隐藏在这个家庭悲剧背后的深层原因，探讨边缘族群在主流文化主导的冲突中如何构建自我身份认同，如何获得心理自由。 

关键词：美国华裔文学；文化冲突；身份认同；《无声告白》

Abstract

In the past 20 years, a large number of Chinese American writers and their works have joined mainstream American literature. This initiates the point where contemporary Chinese American literature has entered a new period. The cultural identity underlying the literature not only represents the inner code concerning various aspects of Chinese Americans’ struggles and survival, but is also the key to comprehending contemporary Chinese American literature. In a heterogeneous culture, Chinese Americans encounter many challenges related to frictions and conflicts among different cultures, yet they attempt to construct their own cultural identity and strive to receive the recognition from the mainstream. Everything I Never Told You is the debut novel of the Chinese American female writer, Celeste Ng, which topped Amazon's Best Books of the Year list for 2014. It narrates a tragedy of a mixed-race Chinese-American family whose middle daughter, Lydia, is discovered drowned in a lake. The truth, revealed at the end of the novel is beyond heartbreaking. Her parents’ profound love and expectations placed overwhelming pressure on Lydia; however, the facts were more than met the eye. Celeste Ng skillfully weaves cultural differences and conflicts, racial discrimination, identity crises, and a series of severe issues into a family of five, which reveal the state of marginalized groups oppressed by mainstream culture. This essay aims at interpreting this novel on the basis of the cultural conflict theory and identity theory, from the perspectives of race, gender, and ethics so as to reveal the hidden reasons behind the tragedy that befell the family. Furthermore, it will reflect how marginalized groups build their self-identity and attain a sense of intellectual and spiritual freedom under the oppression of mainstream culture.

Key Words: Chinese American literature; cultural conflict; identity; Everything I Never Told You

Contents

Acknowledgments 

Abstract (Chinese) i 

Abstract (English)ii 

Ⅰ. Introduction1

A． Research background1

B． Literature review.3

II. Theoretical framework4

A. Cultural conflict4

   B. Identity.5 

III. Cultural conflict and identity problems in Everything I Never Told You7

A. James: an Asian in a Western society7

B. Marilyn: a feminist in a patriarchal society8

C. Jack: a homosexual in a heterosexual society10

D. Nathan and Hannah: identity construction difficulty for children from interracial families10

E. Lydia: identity construction failure and her death11

IV.Conclusion.12

Bibliography15