从“典型的中国人”到“典型的美国人”——小说《典型的美国人》的文化解读(英文)

From Typical Chinese to Typical American——A Cultural Analysis on Typical American

《典型的美国人》(Typical American)是任碧莲的第一部长篇小说,讲述的是三个从中国去美国读书的年轻人在美国的学习、爱情、生活的故事。通过中西方文化的差异和移民文化身份认同的角度解读这部作品,通过张家从"典型的中国人"到"典型的美国人"的演变分析出由于语境等社会环境的变化使得华裔家庭在价值观,生活方式和思想方式上的巨大改变,批判了美国传统的"大熔炉"模式,积极提倡美国"色拉碗"式的多元文化,主张华人移民在建构文化身份的过程中,应该对东西文化进行有鉴别的吸收并保留宗主国的文化属性。

Typical American, Gish Jen＇s first novel, is an excellent attempt to describe the experiences of three young Chinese immigrants Ralph, Theresa and Helen, who moved to America for a better life. This paper intends to explore the novel with the views of cultural identity. Through the evolution of the Changs to be the typical American, I criticize the mode of ＂Melting Pot＂, model of assimilation and its concomitant definition of the ＂typical American＂. The article voices strong support for American multicuhuralism symbolized by ＂American salad bowl＂. Consequently, Chinese immigrants should try to develop their cultural identity by blending the best of Eastern and Western cultures, which will offer us some fresh insight into the broader issues of globalization and multiculturalism.