An Interpretation Of A Mercy From The Perspective Of Black Feminism

Toni Morrison, as the first American black woman writer, who has won the Nobel Prizefor Literature, is one of the most influential women writers in the world. The double identitiesof black woman make her focus on these problems, such as black women’s self-identity, theirsearch for self-identity and independence under the double oppressions of racism andpatriarchy, and the influence of the sisterhood between black women. Massive academicstudies have been done to her novels, among literary critical circles from differentperspectives at home and abroad. The studies of her latest novel A Mercy are either on racialresistance, feminism or narrative aesthetics. But they seldom analyze it from the perspectiveof the black feminist. So this thesis intends to make such attempt to analyze the self-identityof black women of A Mercy from the perspective of the black feminist.Black feminist theory is an important branch of feminism which arises in the1970s inthe United States. It mainly studies double oppressions of racism and patriarchy imposed onblack women in the American society, revealing the sufferings of black women caused by thedouble oppressions, their different reactions，attitudes and provides methods to help blackwomen.This essay consists of three parts: introduction, main part and conclusion. Introductionbriefly introduces the life story and masterpieces of Toni Morrison, and then it talks about thecurrent situation about the critics for A Mercy at home and abroad. After that it indicates theblack feminist theory needed in the essay.Chapter one expounds the double expressions of black women by the system of slavery.They are the victims of racism and patriarchy, as well as suffering from tremendously traumafrom both body and spirit. The miserable experiences impel a slave mother abandons her owndaughter because she wants to protect her.Chapter two analyzes the awareness of black women’s self-identity. Under theinspiration of maternal love; the guidance of community and the enlightenment of differentexperiences on their journey, black women are struggling to realize their self-value. The third chapter reveals Morrison’s ways to black women’s liberation-empoweringoneself, enduring the differences to unite each other, and being equal to establish sisterhood.In the conclusion the essay shows black women’s striving progress to search for theirself-identity and points the direction of the rise of the black women. It also illustrates theimportance of tolerance and acceptance among black women and women from different races,ethnicities and backgrounds.We can get a deeper understanding about the great female writer-Toni Morrison and herworks by combining the black feminism with one of Toni Morrison’s works-A Mercy.