Mobility In Colum McCann’s TransAtlantic

TransAtlantic(2013),written by the Irish American writer Colum McCann,was nominated for the Booker Prize and the Dublin International Literature Award.The novel relies on mobility writing to tell seven stories spanning three centuries and across both sides of the Atlantic,showing the characters’pursuit of freedom and peace.Based on close reading of the novel from the perspective mobility discourse,this thesis analyzes the specific expression and writing purpose of mobility from the following three aspects:mobility media,mobility politics and McCann’s desire to return home expressed through mobility.This thesis consists of three parts:introduction,main body and conclusion.The introduction part briefly introduces Colum McCann and his TransAtlantic,and summarizes the research status of mobility discourses and TransAtlantic in China and abroad.The body part is divided into four chapters.Chapter One frames two basic dimensions of literary mobility research and states the connection between TransAtlantic and mobility.Chapter Two analyzes three mobile media,namely,airplane,automobile and one mobile letter in the novel,which link the characters in the novel and realize the spatial mobility and inter-ethnic communication.Chapter Three examines the mobility politics,which reflects inequality and imbalance of different genders and races.These inequality and imbalance of mobility affect the characters’ opportunities to participate in spatial choices and decisions.Chapter Four illustrates McCann’s longing for returning home through mobility.McCann makes use of mobility narrative not only to reflect his concerning theme of "peace",but also to represent his unforgettable cultural identity of Ireland.Therefore,the conclusion part restates the idea that through the embodiment of mobility media,mobility politics and homeward longing,McCann aims to show his concern for the general fate of people on both sides of the Atlantic,and particularly homesick awareness for Ireland.Under the process of globalization,the literary representations of mobility is of great importance and also inspire readers to further consider the significance of mobility research in literature.