A Study Of China Men From The Perspective Of Ethical Literary Criticism

Maxine Hong Kingston(1940-)is one of the most prominent Chinese American women writers in American literature in the 1970 s.Published in 1980,China Men is her second masterpiece,which helps her win the National Book Award and the National Book Review Award in 1981,and get a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.Since its publication,a large number of academic papers have appeared to study the novel from such perspectives as neo-historicism,post-modernism and mythological prototype.However,the ethical connotation in the work is rarely involved.In view of rich ethical and moral factors in Kingston's work,this thesis intends to analyze China Men from the perspective of ethical literary criticism.Meanwhile,this thesis adopts the theoretical framework proposed by Li Dingqing: the writer's ethics can be revealed through four types of relationship,namely man-nature relationship,man-society relationship,man-other relationship,and man-self relationship.Based on the ethical literary criticism,this thesis starts from these four ethical relationships and illustrates the ethical and moral phenomena displayed in the work through close reading.It explores the ethical ideas and moral principles of Kingston,hoping to enlighten the modern society.In terms of the relationship between man and nature,China Men presents Kingston's ethical ideas of pursuing harmony and the denial of anthropocentrism.The background of China Men is the American West before the Industrial Revolution.Grandfather's experience in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is a mirror of man's constant exploration of nature.The construction of the railway undermines the ethical order between man and nature,which is bound to be punished and retaliated by nature;With regard to the relationship between man and society,the novel reflects Kingston's ethical idea of pursuing peace.Kingston describes what she sees and hears from a child's perspective,and reveals that the war which lost ethics and moral restraint is so inhuman and irrational to deprive human's right to exist;As for the relationship between man and others,the novel shows Kingston's ethical idea of pursuing a relationship full of love.The descriptions of Chinese American men can't enjoy the happiness in family relationships and the mother broke silence to shout reflect Kingston's desire for love;On the level of the relationship between man and self,the novel demonstrates Kingston's ethical claims that she advocates self-identity.Kingston describes the Chinese male full of “American Dreams” lose their ethical status in the United States due to changes in the ethical environment and suffer from the destruction of the mainstream society.Besides,Kingston reveals that Chinese American men have strong ethical awareness and are actively looking for opportunities to change their destinies.Based on the achievements of the previous scholars,this thesis makes further exploration and has made some breakthroughs and innovations,which are mainly reflected in the following aspects:(1)By applying ethical literary criticism,especially the analysis of four types of ethical relationships,this thesis provides a new angle for the study of China Men;(2)This thesis explores the ethical ideas and moral principles of Kingston,and analyzes the ethical reasons of Kingston's misunderstanding of traditional Chinese culture in China Men;(3)It enriches the application of ethical literary criticism in practice,and provides a reference for the analysis of literary works in the future.Finally,this thesis draws following conclusions: Concerning and describing the problems existing in Chinese and American mainstream society under the special social background and the various relations between Chinese Americans,Kingston comprehensively and concretely explains her moral beliefs and ethical pursuit: harmony,peace,equality,love,self-identity and self-improvement.All of the above are derived from Kingston's faith and pursuit of harmony.Thus,Kingston's value and contribution to the construction of humanistic spirit is self-evident.