从《喜福会》的母女关系解读中美文化的冲突与融合_英语论文

Observation on Collision and Integration Between Chinese and American Culture from Mother-daughter Relationship in The Joy Luck Club

摘要

《喜福会》是杰出的美国华裔女作家谭恩美于1989年创作的。在小说中，谭恩美展现了中国移民母亲和他们在美国生长的女儿之间从误会、隔阂到冲破隔阂、相互理解的过程。随着全球化的日益发展，文化交流和冲突更加频繁，中国的传统文化也面临的严峻的挑战。本文旨在从母女关系的角度分析中美文化的冲突与融合。同时，本文意图探寻小说中的文化内涵：中国移民母亲们和他们在美国生长的女儿们之间的隔阂与交融实际上蕴含的是中美文化的冲突与融合。它揭示了一种必然趋势：中美文化将最终实现和谐兼容。在全球化的时代背景下，世界各国在进行文化交流时应当采取正确的态度，相互尊重，求同存异，促进人类文化的繁荣发展。

关键词：《喜福会》；母女关系；中美文化；文化冲突；文化融合

Abstract

The Joy Luck Club was written by Amy Tan in 1989, a distinguished Chinese American writer. In the novel, Amy Tan presents the process of misunderstanding, estrangement and mutual understanding between the Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-raised daughters. With the rapid development of globalization, cultural exchange and conflicts become more frequent and Chinese traditional culture is facing stern challenges. The paper intends to analyze the conflicts and integration between mothers and daughters from the perspective of their relationship and to interpret the cultural implications: the conflicts and the reconciliation between the mothers and daughters reflect the conflicts and the reconciliation between Chinese culture and American culture. It reveals an inexorable trend that Chinese and American culture will finally achieve harmonious co-existance. Under the globalization age, every country ought to take right attitudes when fostering cultural exchanges. Only by respecting other cultures and seeking common points while reserving differences, can we ensure the prosperity and advancement of human civilization.

Keywords: The Joy Luck Club; mother-daughter relationship; Chinese and American culture; cultural clash; cultural integration

Contents

1. Introduction1

2. Literature Review2

3. Sino-US cultural differences in The Joy Luck Club.3

3.1 China’s high-context culture and American low-context culture.3

3.2 “Three cardinal guides and five constant virtues” in China and “freedom and equality” in America 4

3.3 Chinese collectivism and American individualism.5

3.4 Chinese-style modesty and American-style straightforward7

4. The Reasons of Sino-US Cultural Integration in The Joy Luck Club.7

4.1 Daughters’ understanding and respect of their mothers8

4.2 Mothers’ acceptance of American culture.8

5. Exploring the Methods of the Harmonious Coexistance of Sino-US Culture in The Joy Luck Club9

5.1 Understanding and respect of foreign culture.9

5.2 Seeking common points while reserving difference.10

5.3 Enhancing Sino-US cultural integration while promoting political and commercial exchanges.10

6. Conclusion.11

Works Cited.12