试论《中国佬》中的中国劳工形象

The Image of Chinese Coolies in Chinago

在美国著名作家杰克·伦敦的短篇小说《中国佬》(Chinago)中,中国劳工被描写为一种受歧视、胆小怕事、麻木不仁、逆来顺受、任人宰割的奴隶形象。杰克.伦敦用黑色幽默的手法从人物的语言、性格特征和心理活动方面来表现歧视,而这种歧视则源于他对中国文化的认知不足和对中国人的偏见。主人公阿秋的性格特征代表了20世纪初西方主流社会和西方文化对中国形象的认知,作品向世人展现了一幅有偏见和歧视的画面,而要改变西方文化看待中国人的主流意识,中国就必须强大,只有强大才能使歧视华人的政客文人放弃对中国人的偏见。

Unknown to Chinese people, Chinago is one of very important short novels by Jack London. The image of Chinese coolies in Chinago is characteristic of distorted cowards and numb slaves. The discrimination revealed in the image of Chinese coolies can be illustrated from the respects of verbal features and such writing techniques as dark humor in use. The severely discriminated image results from the author＇s ignorance and prejudice to Chinese people. Prejudiced and discriminated, the characteristics of Acho, the protagonist, represents the Chinese image recognized by western mainstream and culture in the 20th century. It reminds our Chinese people that only by building a more powerful country will the western politicians and writers stop to discriminate Chinese.