The Silent, Frustrated Fathers

Chinese American literature is blooming form 1960s. But the history of it is as long as the history of Chinese immigrants in American. The first high tide times of Chinese American literature is form 1970s to 1980s. Form 1990s, Chinese American literature and other ethnic literature become a hot topic in the world literature, reaches the second climax as well. And then, with the new rising force's participating, Chinese American literature is to continue forward, showing a trend of diversification.The contemporary Chinese American literature is the scope of this paper. The main aim is the father image of the first generation of Chinese immigrants, which be represented widely in these works. In Chinese American literature, family narrative, which in the form of autobiography, is a relatively universal, special phenomenon, especially in the case of women writers have sprung up everywhere. In these family narratives, as an indispensable element, the father image often demonstrates some common characteristics. For example, firstly, they are ordinary workers, usually born in China. After immigrated to the USA, they were living in Chinatown or other slums. Secondly, with hard life in general, they depend on low wages, to work long hours to earn a living, such as washing Square, the restaurant industry, sewing and so on. Thirdly, compared to the previous tradition, they gradually retreated to a secondary status in the family, especially when theirs children have grown up. Finally, in the family concepts, despite a general parallel to the status of mother and father, even more than the father's, the scope of the family also maintains a formal respect for the fathers customarily. Although the father's values have infiltrated some elements of the American culture, it still clings tenaciously to the Chinese traditional culture. Meanwhile, it has some influence on the family and the child's growth process to a certain extent. These common characteristics in one way reflect the situation in the history of Chinese immigrants in the United States. Analysis on these images and their historical background can help us understand the background and motivation about Chinese American biographical literature, so as better to interpret Chinese American literary's creation. Based on this, we can find out the ethnic literature's racialist and cultural background, which bring them lots of spirit of burden as well. The studies all above can inspire or encourage people to face racism, maintain communication, have mutual understanding and trust each other, also to express the respect for others and win a better living space for themselves. Under the globalization background, these studies are meaningful for different cultural, ethnic immigrant groups to promote the harmonious coexistence and mutually beneficial situation.In this paper, the specific contents is about the father image of the first generation of Chinese immigrants, which be represented in the family narrative literature, particularly in bone. The methods are form part to the whole, and combination of longitudinal and traverse perspective, finally, return to the family narrative. On the father image, in the past, scholars are mainly concentrated on the conscious building of male image and the recognition of the cultural identity. On bone, they are mainly concentrated on the female image and the cultural identity crisis of each character. It is unfamiliar with the way of combining them together to analyze father image. The methodology is based on the theory of realism and sociology, including political, historical and cultural and so on. As the same time, this paper assimilating the previous research achievements of experts and scholars to analyze the literary texts. Focus on a specific text analysis, along with the literary history, to get a more comprehensive understanding of the father image. In the end, go further to discuss the extension and complement of the father image, which is the ideal "lover" image in the Female Writers'works.The introduction of the thesis is about a brief presentation on the history and present situation of Chinese American literature, the writer and the content of bone, the present study situation of Chinese American literature and the methodology of this paper. Chapter one is about the father image in the family. Form the family narrative perspective of the Chinese American women writers, the perspective on father-daughter and male-female relationship to analyze the text content of the father image. Chapter two is about the father image on American social background. From the hard lifetime in Chinatown, Paper Son's identity and the American dream to analyze the causes of the father image, which root in history, society and culture and so on. Chapter three is about beyond the traditional father image. From a conscious effort to build the male image in Chinese American literature history and the new male image in the female writers'works to expound the theories of paternity construction and the extension of the father image in the history of Chinese American literature. The end is Conclusion.