A Study Of The "Marginal Man" In Alice Munro's Short Stories

Alice Munro's leading position in the development of Canadian literature is indisputable.Her description of "marginal man" contributes a lot to the success of her short stories.The "marginal man" is an important way to exclude individual identity and Canadian national identity.Marginalization and garrison mentality are the cultural foundation of Canadian civilization,and the image of "marginal man" not only reflects the social status quo of Canadian,but also points out the creative philosophy of Canadian literature: the philosophical implication of the coexistence of conflict and correspondence,that is,the difference and blending of identities among individuals,nations and countries.By exploring "marginal man" images in Alice Munro's short stories,with the psychological analysis of identity,the "marginal man" in Munro's works are divided into three categories: the image of "marginal man" in the gray area,the image of "marginal man" who is passively marginalized and the image of "marginal man" who is actively marginalized.The first group of "marginal man" in the gray area exists in the process of collision and integration of two different cultures,which refers to urban culture and rural culture.The second category of passively marginalized "marginal man" is that who is excluded and ignored by the mainstream culture and society,and gradually marginalized by the same culture or society.And the third kind of "marginal man" who actively marginalizes themselves is that who exiles themselves in subjective consciousness.Such people are far away from social groups,looking for the realization of their self-worth and the satisfaction of their spiritual fields.It can be seen that Munro inquires about the identity of "marginal man" and thinks seriously about their spiritual field by explaining the living state of three categories of "marginal man".They not only point out the lost and pursuit,regression and rebirth of the "marginal man" image in Canadian society,at the same time point out its marginalization phenomenon of individuals and cultural identity in globalization.