“凝视”机制下的身体和身份消费——谭恩美《惊奇山谷》商品化问题再思考

The Consumption of Body and Identity in “Gaze”: Pondering over the Issue of “Commodification” in Amy Tan’s The Valley of Amazement

国内对于华裔美国文学的研究已经较为成熟,对于华裔美国文学作品中体现的文化身份多从族裔内涵的角度展开。采用与权力相关的福柯式"凝视"观点观照谭恩美的新作《惊奇山谷》,着眼于作品中的商品化特征,旨在分析女主人公紫罗兰的身体和身份如何在男性"凝视"的社会机制下成为可欲和所欲的对象,沦为被剥削、被宰制的客体。文章认为紫罗兰身体和身份在"被看"中物化为满足他人需求的商品是资本的逻辑与父权制共谋下的结果。通过该主题的表达,暗示了女性欲冲破父权制的牢笼,就要表现自身的主体性而非"他者"的存在,从而重新定义自我。

The domestic studies of Chinese American literature are quite mature and the studies of the cultural identity reflected in the Chinese American literature works are usually connected with ethnicity.This essay focuses on the issue of commodification in Amy Tan’s latest novel The Valley of Amazement from Foucault’s viewpoint of“gaze”,trying to analyze how the protagonist’s body and ethnic identity involved in the process of consumption.In conclusion,it clarifies that the commodification of Violet’s body and ethnic identity in“Gaze”is the result of collusion of capital and patriarchy.The writer implied that women,in order to break the cage prison of patriarchy,have to present their subjectivity,not the existence of“the other”,and redefine themselves.