An Analysis Of Americanization In Peter Carey’s Three Novels

Peter Carey (1943—) is one of Australia’s most celebrated writers, who won theBooker Prize for twice. He has been persistently focusing on Australian cultural identity.In his works, the influence of the Empires (both British and American Empire) on shapingAustralian national identity has been frequently tackled. This thesis explores the theme ofAmericanization in Peter Carey’s three novels—Bliss (1981), Theft: A Love Story (2006)and Parrot and Olivier in America (2009).This thesis mainly employs the concept of Americanization and cultural hegemonyunder the context of postcolonial theory to expose the huge influence of American cultureon Australian national psyche. It consists of five chapters. Chapter One briefly introducesthe works and life of Peter Carey, makes a summary on the characteristics of Carey’scritical reception and puts forwards the purpose of this thesis. The body part of this thesisis carried out basically following the chronological order of the setting in the three fictionsand the degree of Americanization. Chapter Two takes a look at the novel Parrot andOlivier in America, which analyzes how an Australian expatriate named Parrot is graduallyAmericanized and transformed in United States due to his homelessness in Australia andintensive identification with the American Dream. Chapter Three offers a reading of thenovel Bliss and points out how the influence of American culture filters into Australia andleaves the engraved impact on Australian individuals, family relationships and thecommune. Chapter Four discusses the central characters in Theft: A Love Story—Hugh andMichael Boone, and throws lights on their torture of making a definite choice on thecultural identity when they meet the impact of Australian indigenous culture and Americanculture. Chapter Five is the conclusion and it is contended that Americanization plays anegative role in shaping independent national identity, during the process of whichAustralians’ cultural cringe constitutes one of the immediate factors.