A Study Of Ethnic Identity In The Context Of Multiculturalism In Gish Jen's Fictions

The 1990s has witnessed unprecedented development of Chinese American literature.This literary wave benefits to a large degree from the flourish of multiculturalism,and in return contributes to the development of multiculturalism.As one of the leading figures of contemporary Chinese American writers,Gish Jen has made her unique exploration and contribution to the thriving of Chinese American literature.Contriving to locate her immigrant writings in the whole multiethnic and multicultural America,this thesis attempts to point out the development of and new possibilities for Chinese Americans' claiming ethnic identity.Meanwhile,by analyzing the interaction of ethnicity and multiculturalism in Jen's writings,this thesis tries to demonstrate that her writings participate in constructing American national identity and in redefining Americanness.This thesis is an overall study of ethnic identity in Gish Jen's first four fictions written since the 1990s,including Typical American,Mona in the Promised Land,Who's Irish?and The Love Wife.Beginning with the pursuit of American dream of first-generation Chinese immigrants,Jen explores their identity dilemma of being stuck in between Chinese and American.While performing the Americn national narrative of self-making and interacting with American society,first-generation immigrants gradually come to embrace American spirits and values,which qualifies their claiming Americanness.Instead of focalizing Chinese American families and communities,Jen continues discussing ethnic identity by depicting the multiethnic and multicultural America,where ethnic identity is flexible and fluid,rather than being inherited.This fluidity is embodied not only in the free play of ethnic identity of second-generation immigrants,but also in first-generation immigrants' getting rid of prejudice and realizing mutual understanding with other ethnic groups.Through the description of the interaction and harmony of different ethnic groups,Jen emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in shaping ethnic identity and American national unity.Moreover,Jen explores a new American family pattern based on interracial marriage and biracial children.By adding issues of transnational and transracial adoption in this multiethnic American family,she complicates the issue of ethnic identity and enriches the connotation of American identity.By negotiating this new family pattern,Jen casts light on her new exploration of the multiethnic and multicultural America.Through analyzing ethnic identity and multiculturalism in Jen's fictions,this thesis argues that multiculturalism provides a more favorable social environment for the fulfillment of ethnic minorities and the development of ethnic literature in a world increasingly typified by globalization,immigration,and transnational flows of culture and capital.Meanwhile,multiculturalism offers new possibilities for the interpretation of identity.While we talk about ethnic identity in the context of multiculturalism,we are actually attempting to redefine the meaning of being American and the essence of Americanness.