Toward A Hybrid Identity:A Postcolonist Study Of The Jewish Immigrants' Cultural Identity In The Assistant

The Assistant reveals cultural identity dilemmas confronted by the Jewish Immigrants in materialistic America.Some of them adhere to Jewishness despite the harsh life,while others blindly pursue the American Dream at the cost of their senses of morality and responsibility.Based on the postcolonial theory of cultural hybridity,this thesis explores the cultural identity dilemmas of the Jewish immigrants in American society and analyzes the process the Jewish immigrants to construct hybrid identities when facing cultural identity dilemmas as well as its significance.This thesis consists of three parts.The introduction part provides a brief account of Bernard Malamud and The Assistant,the literature review and theoretical framework.The main body of the thesis contains three chapters.Chapter One focuses on Jewish Immigrants' adherence to their native culture.Although they hope to fulfill their American dream,they still choose to adhere to the Jewish cultural identity when their dream against Jewish values.It is also this commitment that makes them exiled and marginalized in American society.Chapter Two explores the Jewish Immigrants' integration with the American culture.There is such kind of Jewish immigrants,who totally cast away the Jewish morality and responsibility to integrate into the American culture.However,although they are materially rich,they feel spiritual desolated in the end.Chapter Three discusses how a new generation of the American Jews construct a hybrid identity when facing cultural identity dilemmas.While adhere to the Jewish values as their parents,this kind of individuals are bold to pursue their American dreams.Because of their brave and flexible choice,they get out of the cultural identity dilemmas and live a bright life in America.The conclusion summarizes the main idea of the thesis and indicates the significance of constructing a hybrid cultural identity for the minorities living in a multicultural society.