The Cultural Identity Of Male Ethnic Minorities:a Comparative Study Of Song Of Solomon And Tripmaster Monkey:His Fake Book

Toni Morrison(1931-)and Maxine Hong Kingston(1940-)are both contemporary American ethnic minority writers.Rich in their oeuvre are their concerns about ethnicity and the entire human race at large.Through their unique female humanistic perspectives,Morrison's Song of Solomon and Kingston's Tripmaster Monkey: His Fake Book reveal male ethnic minority's cultural identity crises and rethink of constructing ethnicity.In this way,they also help female ethnic minorities to enunciate their needs.Besides,they hope the construction of male ethnic minorities' identity can bring about harmony between genders and across minorities.Homi Bhabha's “Third Space” provides a feasible way for male ethnic minorities' identity construction.It is a space where negotiations among different cultural symbols take place.New cultural identity will emerge from the ongoing negotiations.The erosion of mainstream culture,their incomplete recognition of racism and their gender anxieties are contributing factors to their cultural identity crises.During their quest for cultural identity,they gradually realize that cultural identity crises lead to their inability to identify with their friends,families,and communities.Manly female spiritual mentors provide enormous help during their quest.Their affinity with traditional culture instills in them a sense of belonging and pride.Through negotiations among different identity claims,they finally succeed in constructing a hybrid “Third Space” to position their cultural identity.However,due to different personal experiences,they treat the same cultural symbols differently in the “Third Space”.Milkman's “Third Space” emphasizes the returning to the traditional culture while Ah Sing's “Third Space” underscores being accepted by the mainstream.The thesis finds out that androgynous females and traditional culture are enormous reservoirs of strength for male ethnic minorities to tap into during their cultural identity construction.Male ethnic minorities should guard against the erosion of mainstream culture,keep in mind their ethnicity and endeavor to construct a responsible ethical gender identity.Negotiations among different cultural symbols should be conducted and personal needs are to be considered to construct a suitable“Third Space” in which they can deconstruct the hegemonic discourse and construct their cultural identity.