Study On The Initiation Theme In Everything I Never Told You

Celeste Ng(1980-)is a rising contemporary Chinese American writer.This thesis takes Celeste's first novel Everything I Never Told You(2014)as the research object to analyze the initiation process of the protagonist,Lydia.As a Chinese American hybrid girl,Lydia' s construction of her cultural identity and gender identity are the focus of her growing up.This thesis attempts to explore the initiation theme of this novel from the following five parts:Chapter one introduces the main contents of Everything I Never Told You.Then it comes to the literature review at home and abroad.Most of the scholars study this novel from the perspectives of identity,ethnicity,feminism,family education and relationship,which provides great inspiration for this thesis.The third part of this chapter is about the origin,definition and development of initiation novel,the similarities and differences between classical initiation novel and Chinese American initiation novel.Everything I Never Told You reaches the characteristics of initiation novel,simultaneously it has its own peculiar initiation theme.Chapter two analyzes the initiation theme from the perspective of initiation guides and initiation companions.This chapter concerns several crucial figures in Lydia' s initiation process.There are two types of initiation guides,positive and negative.Lydia' s father,James Lee,and mother,Marilyn Lee are negative guides in her growing-up.The positive guide is Lydia' s neighbor and alumni,Jack.He is the same age with Lydia and gives much psychological comfort and encouragement when Lydia is in despair.Her elder brother Nath and little sister Hannah have been accompanying Lydia,they lead a significant role in the awakening of Lydia's subjective identity consciousness.Chapter three analyzes the initiation theme from the construction of Lydia' s culture identity and gender identity in her growing-up process.Lydia' s identity as a hybrid has always put her in the dilemma of achieving psychological maturity.The pursuing and construction of her culture and gender identity embodies the peculiarities of initiation theme.She practices identity performance,thinks in practice,and realizes that ethnic identity is mobile and constructs her own subject identity at the life critical moment.She realizes that she is an American with Chinese origin.The Chinese and western cultures are not contradictory,and modern women should be given the opportunity to shout out their own voices.Chapter four analyzes the initiation theme from the perspective of epiphany,open ending and plot mode of Everything I Never Told You.All of these important elements are part of the initiation novel.Lydia realizes her epiphany at the cost of her life and achieves her psychological maturity.Her tragic death gives this Chinese American hybrid family a new understanding of family relations and identity,which is also the peculiarity of the initiation theme of this novel.In addition,the open ending provides readers with wider space to think and image.Chapter five is the conclusion of the whole thesis.Lydia has grown up into an independent individuality with women consciousness.Based on the study of the initiation theme in Everything I Never Told You,readers are able to have a better understanding about the arduous pursuit and construction of cultural identity and gender identity of Chinese American hybrid girls in their journey of growing up in the multicultural society.In addition,it arouses people's reflection and attention on the initiation of contemporary Chinese American youth.