A Study Of The Myth-Archetype And Ethnic Identity In Louise Erdrich's Fiction

As a representative of the second wave of the Native American Renaissance,the application of myth-archetype and the construction of ethnic identity in Louise Erdrich's novels are important references to her attitude toward ethnic identity.It's also a distinctive feature of her creation.Although scholars at home and abroad have done in-depth research on the mythical elements and identity issue in Erdrich's novels,few scholars analyzed her novels combining the myth-archetype and the construction of ethnic identity.According to the theory of archetypal criticism,myth is the source of literary creation and the prototypes,the replacement of the myth-archetype in Erdrich's novels reflects her inheritance of traditional Indian culture,and euphemistically expresses her demands for the construction of multi-ethnic identity.This dissertation discusses the role of myth-archetype in the construction of ethnic identity in Erdrich's fiction by using Frye and Jung's myth-archetype theory and the identity theory of Smith,Hall and other scholars.The dissertation aims at discussing the characters and images,structure and motif of Erdrich's novels.In the first place,it discusses the intrinsic connection between characters,symbols,images and traditional Indian culture.In the second place,this dissertation analyzes the relationship between narrative archetypes and ethnic identity construction from three aspects of oral narrative,circular narrative and autobiographical narrative.In the end,the dissertation discusses how Erdrich presents hybrid identity through the theme of hero.The main body of this dissertation consists of three chapters.The first chapter examines the mythological characters or archetypal images in the novels of Erdrich,and their connection to traditional culture.The recurring images of the Manitous such as the Great Man,the trickster and the Great Mother,as well as the archetypal images of ritual and cultural symbols,make sure the continuity of the ancient Indian culture.In Love Medicine,mythological figures such as the trickster and the Great Mother are replaced by ordinary people like Lipsha and Marie who try to protect their homes and maintain the health of the ethnic group.In The Painted Drum,the mysterious symbols of ethnic culture such as the painted drum,totems,and ceremony call up their people who are away from the reservation to begin their trip home,showing the powerful influence of culture and ritual on constructing ethnic identity.In Shadow Tag,the shadow is endowed with profound meaning.It symbolizes the traditional Indian culture,which becomes the source of ethnic strength and the obstacles to personal development as well.How to deal with the relationship between self development and the shadow reflects Erdrich's breakthrough strategy for traditional culture.The second chapter focuses on narrative prototype and discusses Erdrich's development to traditional Indian oral narrative,circular narrative and autobiographical narrative,and their construction to ethnic identity.In Indian culture,the activity of storytelling serves not only recreational functions,but also the functions of transmitting culture,educating future generations,healing the soul and consolidating tribal cohesion.Nanapush is the main character in the novel Tracks;the prototype of this character is based on the trickster and cultural hero Nanabozhu in Indian tales.In Tracks,Nanapush resolves the misunderstanding between his people through storytelling,and plays a role in consolidating ethnic unity.Erdrich has maintained the tribal traditions by wielding the power of Indian mythologies and explored the influence of traditional culture on the values and worldviews of contemporary Native American.In Tales of Burning Love,her utilization of the traditional Indian four elements water,fire,earth and air,opens up a conversation with Indian's view of nature in circular narrative mode.The protagonist Jack comes to realize the significance of earth in Indian culture eventually learns to respect it and returns to the earth mother's embrace.In The Antelope Wife,Erdrich connects the history and reality of Chippewa Indian with myth and tales,and describes natives' life footprint of leaving the reservation and returning to it,displaying the search for individual and ethnic identity by urban Indians who are far from the reservation and the integration of the white with native people living on reservation.The third chapter focuses on the theme of hero and analyzes the hybrid identity presented by the heroic characters in Erdrich's novels.In The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse,father Damien has written the miracle of Little No Horse with his legendary life.From female to male,from a maiden to a priest,he has experienced several important passages in life:birth,growth,victory,suffering and death.She/he eventually integrates into the life on the reservation,and witnesses the magic and charm of traditional Indian culture.In Indian mythology,the images of the warriors are common.Similar images are often seen in the novels of Erdrich.The teenager warrior in The Round House transforms himself into an evil wendigo in order to protect his family members and fight against evil spirits;he is eventually redeemed under the influence of two cultures and sets his life goal to strive for the justice for his people.The Beet Queen and The Master Butcher's Singing Club illustrate the legendary experience of German and Polish immigrants on the reservation.A variety of characters in the fiction have created a new spark in the collision of different cultures,and the hybrid identity is finally formed in the carnivalized multi-cultural integration.The novels convey the message below:in this shared land,people of different professions and ethnicities gather together,and they are today's heroes to maintain the harmony and equality.In short,the myth-archetype is an important factor to construct ethnic identity in Erdrich's novels.On the one hand,Erdrich was inspired by the precious cultural heritage;her ethnic identity and her contribution to the revival of native culture are one of the reasons for her success.On the other hand,under the circumstance of coexistence of multi-ethnicity and multi-cultural today,hybrid identity is inevitable.Pluralism does not mean to give up one's ethnic tradition,the unified identity construction of all Americans are less likely to be damaged.Only by letting more people know about Indian's traditional values and world outlook can Indian culture be revitalized.