An Analysis Of Cultural Identrities In Jade Snow Wong's Fifth Chinese Daughter

The exploration of the issue of cultural identity is a central theme in Chinese American Literature.With a vision of Chinese America proposed by Professor Ling-chi Wang,and through the application of Edward W.Said's model of Orientalism and Homi K.Bhabha's identity theory,the concepts of mimicry and hybridity in particular,this thesis takes Chinese American pioneer writer Jade Snow Wong's autobiographical novel Fifth Chinese Daughter as a target text and manages to examine the protagonist Jade Snow's cultural identity in its fullest socio-historical context.Jade Snow Wong was the first American-born Chinese writer who achieved international reputation.She successfully portrayed a second generation Chinese American girl,Jade Snow,who fulfilled her American Dream through her relentless effort from a humble beginning.Yet Jade Snow Wong's Fifth Chinese Daughter has been a controversial work.Scholars and critics harshly criticize Wong for distorting Chinese culture,for her total assimilation into the dominant society,and for forming model minority stereotypes.Departing from the above views,this thesis holds the view that in Fifth Chinese Daughter Jade Snow Wong deconstructs the American Orientalism,promotes the image of Chinese Americans,and reconstructs a Chinese American identity.The thesis is split into five sections.In the introduction,it introduces Professor Ling-Chi Wang's methodological presuppositions of the vision of Chinese America,the related socio-historical background of the text,the author and the text.Chapter One introduces the research background of Fifth Chinese Daughter at home and abroad,and the postcolonialism,Edward W.Said's model of Orientalism and Homi K.Bhabha's identity theory in particular.Through the application of Edward W.Said's model of Orientalism and with a close reading of the text in its fullest socio-historical context,Chapter Two analyzes Jade Snow Wong's effort of deconstructing ofAmerican Orientalism and her achievement of promoting the image of early Chinese Americans.Through the application of Homi K.Bhabha's identity theory,the concept of colonial mimicry and hybridity in particular,and with a close reading of the text in its fullest socio-historical context,Chapter Three explores Jade Snow Wong's effort of reconstructing a Chinese American Identity for her protagonist.This thesis holds the view that the protagonist Jade Snow's identity can neither be constructed by simply combining one half Chinese with one half America nor be constructed through the assimilation.It is an identity rooted in the experience of Chinese America.It is shifting,ambivalent,and resistant.The conclusion sets forth the significance of this thesis.