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An Analysis of the Cultural Identity of Chinese Immigrants in Typical American

Author: LiuYang
Tutor: JiangLei
School: Liaoning University
Course: English Language and Literature
Keywords: Typical American cultural identity multiculturalism Americanization
CLC:
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2010
Downloads: 322
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Abstract

Gish Jen is one of the famous contemporary Chinese American writers. With Amy Tan, Gus Lee and David Wong Louie, Jen is labeled of "the Gang of Four" in the Chinese American literary circle. Following the success of the novels by Maxine Hong Kingston and Amy Tan, Typical American, Gish Jen’s virgin work is one of the masterworks drawing the American reader’s attention to the Chinese immigrants. It is a New York Times notable book and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award.Typical American tells an American story. The hero Ralph Chang goes to study engineering in the US. Due to the expiration of visa, Ralph has suffered many setbacks and difficulties as illegal immigrant. Later he is rescued by his sister Theresa, and then he marries her friend Helen to begin a new life together with Theresa. Despised by the Americans around, the Changs bear prejudice against their supposed "typical American" and adhere firmly to their Chinese cultural identity. However, after they make a friend with Grover, a Chinese totally Americanized, they begin to be influenced and corroded by some corrupt American values such as materialism and individualism:during their irrational integration into American society mainstream, Ralph discards his career as professor and begins to make money illegally, while later his business is bankrupt due to Grover’s deception. Meanwhile, his family gets separated:his wife Helen and Grover have an affair; his sister Theresa has been driven out of the family because of her disagreement on Grover’s money-oriented principle. After this family tragedy Theresa comes back home to help Ralph go through the hardship, and Ralph is reconciled with Helen. Till then the Changs are still together. Finally, they have really understood the essence of the American and succeeded in becoming the " typical American "This thesis analyzes Typical American from the perspective of Chinese immigrants’ cultural identity. It discusses the evolution of the Changs in the US:from their adherence to Chinese cultural identity at first to the complete Americanization later, then to their rebuilding of cultural identity after suffering difficulties at last. In this analysis their changes in values, mode of thinking and lifestyle along with the changing environment can be found. The thesis points out the disadvantage of the "Melting Pot" cultural assimilation mode and supports American multiculturalism symbolized by "Salad Bowl". It suggests that in building cultural identity Chinese immigrants should not blindly adhere to their Chinese culture, nor should they be Americanized completely. That is to say, the Chinese immigrants should not resort to one single culture but blend the best of Chinese and American cultures in the issue of building cultural identity.This thesis consists of an introduction, the main body and a conclusion:Introduction presents an overview of the current research on Typical American and the innovative point of this thesis, that is, to analyze this novel from the perspective of cultural identity. Then the concept of cultural identity is explained for the analysis in the thesis. Finally, the value and the meaning of this thesis in the study are presented.The main body is made up of three chapters:Chapter One analyses the Changs’early sojourners’mentalities after entering the US. Since they come to America, the discrimination and unfairness they have suffered compel them to look for a certain identity as a sense of belonging to resist the attacks from outside. Therefore, the Changs adhere to their Chinese cultural identity and reject the American culture blindly.Chapter Two expounds how the Changs have been assimilated completely by the American culture with their Chinese cultural identity discarded. The Changs have been assimilated gradually by the materialism and individualism of American culture, which results in the Americanization in their values and behavior. Besides, in their pursuit of American Dream they have completely abandoned the Chinese traditional values.Chapter Three discusses their rebuilding of the cultural identity after the failure due to the complete Americanization. After the disillusionment of American Dream the Changs introspect in desperation and confusion. Gradually they understand the essence of "typical American"; they have learned how to deal with the Chinese and American cultures as diasporas; and they have succeeded in rebuilding their cultural identity.Conclusion summarizes the whole thesis. It makes the conclusion in the issues of building Chinese immigrants’cultural identity and dealing with the cultural conflict. Eventually the gist of this thesis is presented:to be a "typical American" is to have double cultural identities and to blend the best of Chinese and American cultures, that is, "to select the essence of American culture and discard the dross of the Chinese culture".

An Analysis of the Cultural Identity of Chinese Immigrants in Typical American

Abstract

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