An Analysis Of David Henry Hwang's Family Devotions From The Perspective Of Diaspora Criticism

Family Devotions is the last work of David Henry Hwang's Trilogy of Chinese America. However, Critics'works on the study of this play are less than those on the previous two works, and it is widely agreed that this work is not as of good quality as the other two plays of this trilogy. Family Devotions appears to regard Christianity as its target. However, this work inherits the same theme from other works in the trilogy, representing the identification of Chinese ancestors. Secondly, as for the technique of the play, Family Devotions does not feature such Chinese elements as the Chinese Opera. Instead, it just uses common stage properties to emphasize the theme of Chinese identity, and this is also a technical breakthrough of Hwang's writing. Thirdly, as far as characters are concerned, not only does the number of characters reach the climax, but also these characters are classified into three generations. On the one hand, there are clear differences among three generations on their ideas. On the other hand, the subtle differences among members of the same generation are also elaborated delicately. In a word, Family Devotions provides a perfect ending with this trilogy.Though the term"Diaspora"has a long history, diaspora theory was not fully established until 1990s. With the effort of such scholars as Stuart Hall and Gabriel Sheffer, the framework of diasporism, including the definition of diaspora and the main strategy of diasporas on the issue of identity, has been enriched, paving the way for the application of this theory on literary study. By applying diasporism on literary works, we can grasp the characteristics of the characters, and make an exploration on their ideas and values according to their different attitudes toward the issue of identity.From the perspective of diaspora criticism, Family Devotions is set as the object in this essay. From the analysis of the symbolism in it, we can see that Christianity is not the real target, but it is a symbol for American culture. In addition, with the help of different strategies and tactics that diasporas adopt on the issue of identity, this essay provides a map on the changing values of identification in three eras, and offers a prediction on the future of this issue, which will pave the way for both the development of diaspora theory itself and the application of this theory on literary study.