Ethnic Alienations And Ethnic Identities-Thesis About Afro-American Female Characters In Toni Morrison’s Novels

Toni Morrison(1931-), who is one of the most significant Afro-American writers, has gained the Nobel Price for Literature in 1993, and she is the only Afro-American woman writer who gained this price. In her works, she concerns not only the living situations of the Afro-Americans, but also the deep worry about the inheritance and the development of their ethnic cultural identity. “She doesn’t accuse like other African-American writers, what she focus is how to get the spiritual survival within the Afro-Americans.” The “spiritual survival” undoubtedly is based on the continuity of the Afro-Americans’ ethnic culture. In other words, Morrison’s works concern more about how to go back and rebuild the spirit of the entire race which uses the culture tradition as the support after the long suffering history of the Afro-Americans.This thesis classifies the women characters in Morrison’s early novels by their attitudes toward their ethnic cultural identities, tries to analyze the practical problems that they have to face to, and the causes of existence. More, the thesis aims to combine the cultural position of Toni Morrison her own to get her vision for the future of the Afro-American ethnic culture. This article consists six parts.The introduction presents a brief outline of the research project, introduces the reasons and gist for the topic.Chapter one analyzes the women characters who betray their ethnic cultural identities. These women lost their subjective self-consciousness as they are incapable of resisting the racialism and gender. Obviously, they harm the Afro-American’s cultural continuity and its progress as well.Chapter two analyzes the women characters that defend their ethnic cultural identities. These women inherit the traditions of African, know their identity clearly, and have strong willing to carry forward their cultural traditions. But they resist any kind of other cultures, which has already bounded the progress of their culture.Chapter three analyzes the women characters who try to break through the borders of their cultural identities. These women have realized the limits of their identities for being just an American or a lady of black skin. Their double consciousnesses are quite strong, and have the desire to break the limit. However, their struggles are unquestioning and inconclusive, which couldn’t help them to succeed.Chapter four is based on the three chapters previously; aim to tell the significances of Afro-American women’s attitudes about their ethnic cultural identities. Combine Toni Morrison’s educational background with the women characters classified by their cultural identities, which is not tough to see Morrison’s wish about the progress for the culture of Afro-American.The end of this thesis concludes the whole paper; indicates that Morrison’s point of view for the Afro-American women: neither abandon their ethnic cultural identities nor stand still and refuse to make progress. Being the container and mediator of the Afro-American culture, Afro-American women should try to find the possibilities to mix the two cultures, which could develop their culture to adapt the new era.