On The Theme Of Initiation In Louise Erdrich's The Round House

Louise Erdrich,as a contemporary Native American tribal storyteller,has already enjoyed high popularity in American literature.The Round House that won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2012 is an influential Modernist initiation story,which explores the American Indian adolescents' living dilemma in the process of growing up.The novel reveals the maturation of its protagonist by narrating a series of events that lead to his confrontation with judicial injustice and cultural confusion,triggering the thinking of ethnic identity.And then through a variety of quest,the protagonist ingrains the firm belief-be a member of American Indian community.Erdrich points out the common and unique dilemma of ethnic minorities with an eye on its initiation theme,providing them with a path to head for,containing her feelings for genuine Indian spiritual heritage and expectation.By depicting the sense of fairness and justice,which is expressed by the protagonist Joe in an arduous way vividly,the writer also enlightens the readers to relook in selves by acute self-location and orientation constantly to gain maturity and development.This thesis investigates the procedures that the protagonist as an ethnic minority recognizes his cultural identity mainly from the perspective of initiation theme.With an analysis of the initiation inclemency and the initiation mode of the protagonist to disclose the building up selfhood or growing identification,the study explores how the growing-up minority adolescents perceive selves,how they recognize ethnic identity and how they balance themselves in cultural conflicts.This thesis mainly consists of the following sections:Chapter One Literature Review introduces the main critical responses to Erdrich's previous novels and The Round House at home and abroad,and then lay out the research purpose and theoretical basis of the thesis.Chapter Two analyzes The Rond House as a Modernist Bildungsroman.By combing the definition,connotation and development of initiation stories,the Modernist Bildungsromans have the characteristics that are different from the traditional Bildungsromans.Chapter Three examines the initiation inclemency or social background for the protagonist's growing-up.The confusion of cultural conflicts,racial discrimination,and the conflict of federal law and tribal law become the main troubles that the ethnic minority adolescents must confront on their way toward maturity in The Round House.Chapter Four focuses on the initiation mode of the protagonist to construct his ethnic identity,responding to how the growing-up adolescent minorities perceive selves,how they recognize ethnic identity and how they balance themselves in cultural conflicts.Conclusion part reiterates the significance of the thesis.Growth means that the person's ability to give meaning to life,and transform it into something of value.