Repression And Resistance:On Power Relations In Empire Falls

Empire Fallse(2001)is the masterpiece of Richard Russo,a well-famed modern American novelist.This novel earned Richard Russo the Pulitzer Prize in 2002.Weaving together the interlacing stories of several families,the novel dramatizes the intricate play of power relations amidst a period of rapid social transition and power situation in Empire Falls,a traditional manufacturing town,during the late two decades of the twentieth century.Characters in this novel are highly vivid,and their relations and psychology are deftly portrayed.Starting from Mrs.Whiting’s motto of power and control,there goes the weighing and fighting between different figures.Based on Michel Foucault’s power theory,the paper analyzes the power mechanism and the power operation among main characters,the deep theme that is represented in Empire Falls after thorough study of Richard Russo’s representative works and relevant materials in and out of China as well as by close reading of Foucault’s masterpieces about power.The paper analyzes the concrete working mechanism from the perspective of suppressive power,subversive power and mediating power.The oppressive power is mainly manifested in the suppression of body,sexuality and madness.Mrs.Whiting exercises her power on Grace and Miles through control over body;Walt Comeau oppresses Janine in sexuality and town’^people suppress Father Mark through discourse of sexuality.By means of knowledge of reason,Mr.Whiting is deprived of the irrational individual Cindy,and town’s people exclude John Voss and Father Tom.Against oppression,different individuals adopt different ways of resistance and their gains are varied.Some choose external partial straggle even though encountering even more violent suppression;others resort to covert revolt that gradually earn their voice;and still others opt for ethical aesthetics that ultimately lead to freedom.By analyzing the shifting modes of discourse among characters,the paper explores the implied social discourse of the lower-class groups and to reveal the play of power of American lower class and the hidden social problems of America.The paper offers a new perspective for readers to further understand the novel;furthermore,its analysis of the deep theme about Empire Falls is much helpful and significant for them to further explore Richard Russo’s implied sense of social responsibility and even his national awareness.