"Made-Up Remains It Oneself"-Representation Of The Others And Self-Reflection Through Body And Mask In The Novel Die Legend Von Der Weiβen Schlange Of Michael Roes

The author of the novel Die Legende von der Weiβen Schlange Michael Roes weaves the Chinese history and presents with the portrait of a teenage in Nanjing.With the "masked writing" as a Chinese Kun-opera actor Jian,the author creates not only a profound insider’s view of the others,but also another possibility of self-reflection.Attempting to clarify the interactional relationship between the other and the self in this novel,this thesis discusses the following questions:How is modern China demonstrated from the view of a Chinese boy,How did the writer recognize and reflect himself in this "immersion game" in the otherness?To support the analysis of above questions,the cultural theme of intercultural German studies"the other,the self ’ and the two textual motifs in the novel "body" and "mask" will be paid special attention.As the theoretical backup,the concept of "otherness" of Alois Wierlacher,the construction of the body disciplining of Michel Foucault and the persona as a mask of the collective psyche by C.G.Jung are firstly presented in the theoretical part.Based on the theoretical basis mentioned above,the main part of the work focuses on the investigation of the identity aspiration by the protagonist.The analysis of the text motif "body"shows that Jian tends to his natural individuality.However,his true identity gets lost gradually through the impact of disciplining and technology development on his body.On the other hand,the text motif "mask" is aimed as a form of body covering,which implies the entry into an art world as well as into an artificial world.The use of masks is not for the authentic self-expression,rather for the achieved image,that can be recognized and thus protected in the community.The explicit distinction and separation between body and mask gradually turned to be problematic in the aspiration for self-determination.Bodies and masks are simultaneously against each other and with one another at the same time.The identity is also visible through the masks.In a secular society,the individual can never live alone without masks,the question is just whether he/she is masked as socially expected and awaited.With an extension of analytical significance,the text motifs "body" and "mask" can also be applied to the analysis of the cityscape and Chinese culture.At the result,not only the young people,but also the cities and the culture of China are all struggling for self-determination.After all,this novel,instead of the analysis of China,gains a wider potential that can be applied universally.This whole story can be attributed as "masked writing" by the I-narrator consciously masked as the Chinese boy.Under the symbolic mask of Jian and China are not only the author and the German culture,but also all mankind.The questioning of identity and self-determination are also posed for all mankind,especially in a transitional period,where all social and moral values can be subordinated to the modern and future technological feasibility.