Searching For True Self In The Name Of Love

Queer theory is a theory about gender studies that began to emerge in the west in the 1990 s.The subversive theory is a symbol of de-centralization and anti-definition,a construction of sexual culture with openness,fluidity and diversity,as well as a deconstruction of traditional binary oppositions such as male/female,heterosexual/homosexual,with the aim to eliminate gender identity discrimination,pursue freedom and equality under the call of love and peace.Released worldwide in 2018,Call Me by Your Name is a queer film on the theme of “love and self”.Under the guidance of the forbidden homo-love,Elio and Oliver search for their true selves step by step.In the course of seeking the self,they go through the stages of self-constraint,struggling in a dilemma,self-identification,and further attempts to gain social acceptance,which reflects the process of exploring the gender identity from self-doubt to self-release of the marginalized group by mainstream culture.Therefore,the thesis intends to interpret the film from the perspective of queer theory.By applying the theoretical views of queer theorists such as Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and Judith Butler,and taking homosexual identity as the breakthrough point,the thesis makes a specific analysis on the process of searching for the true self of the gay protagonists in the name of love.The thesis is divided into four chapters.The first chapter is the introduction part,including the overview of the social background about the status quo of homosexuals,the literature review,the research significance,and a brief description to the theoretical basis.As the first part of the main body,the second chapter mainly introduces the whole process of the homosexual protagonists’ search for their true selves under the call of love.This chapter consists of three sections,corresponding to the ambiguous self,the struggling self and the confirmed self.As the second but the last part of the body,the main content of the third chapter is about the homosexual self in the face of the social identity from the heterosexual hegemony dominance.The two heroes make different life choices with the same purpose of preserving their true selves.And then it further discusses the external and internal insurmountable chasms prevent them from coming out of the closet to live free and love free.And the fourth chapter is the conclusion part,which summarizes the research value of the film text,the reasons for the position of indifference of queer theory in China,and finally,sublimates the theme and expresses a timeless truth: love itself is neither right nor wrong,nor should it be restricted by any rules.And a true love can lead human beings to find their most authentic self.