A Study On The Ethnic Identity Of Chinese Canadian Children In The Jade Peony

Wayson Choy is a Chinese Canadian writer who has been popular in the Canadian literary field since the 21 st century.His first novel The Jade Peony is set in Vancouver’s Chinatown in the 1930 s and 1940 s,tells a moving story of Chinese Canadian children and their family.It is noteworthy that Wayson Choy uniquely places the children under the spotlight of the narration,presenting a panoramic view of the survival of the descendants of Chinese immigrants.The novel reveals that although the Chinese Canadian children live in a heterogeneous and multifaceted cultural structure,they are still attached to China subconsciously and maintain their identity with Chinese culture.Based on Jean.S.Phinney’s ethnic identity theory,this thesis analyzes the identity of Chinese children in The Jade Peony and examines the identity transformation of Chinese children amid the mainstream culture to reveal the author’s profound understanding and serious consideration of ethnic identity in the diasporic background.This thesis consists of three parts: introduction,body,and conclusion.The introduction first outlines Wayson Choy’s life experiences,his literary achievements,and the plot of The Jade Peony.Furthermore,it summarizes the current research on the novel by scholars at home and abroad while constructing the theoretical framework of ethnic identity.The main part of the thesis is divided into three chapters.The first chapter focuses on the identity crisis of the three Chinese Canadian children under the gaze of the mainstream society in family space,social space,and mental space.The second chapter focuses on the identity exploration of the three Chinese children.The identity crisis motivates the three protagonists to negotiate with Chinese culture.The help of their family and the Chinese community in Chinatown provides a favorable opportunity for the resolution of their identity crisis.The third chapter focuses on the identity reconstruction of the children.Inspired and nourished by Chinese culture,they embark on a journey of identity exploration and finally succeed in solving the crucial question of“who am I?” The conclusion presents Wayson Choy’s in-depth reflection on Chinese identity in The Jade Peony,which implies the fact that his worries about and hopes for the development of Canadian society.This research is conducive to further exploring and reflecting on the fate of the Chinese community in contemporary society and has certain practical significance in promoting cross-cultural communications.