新移民文学中的小人物书写——以李翊云《千年敬祈》为例

The Writing of Small Characters in New Immigrant Literature——A Case Study of A Thousand Years of Good Prayers by LI Yiyun

新移民文学在继承上世纪末较受关注的“身份和文化焦虑”主题的同时,将视角转向对“中国故事”的书写,通过叙述小人物,展开对人性的书写,以此突出小人物的挣扎。华裔作家李翊云的《千年敬祈》不失为书写小人物困境的一部佳作。作者以身处世纪之交的中国社会小人物为书写对象,表现时代背景下小人物面临的物质和精神双重困境,以及复杂抉择和情感挣扎。其体现出的小人物身体和心灵的双重离散是新移民文学的重要内容和发展趋势。

While inheriting the theme of “identity and cultural anxiety” that was a major concern at the end of the last century, New Immigrant Literature has shifted its perspective to the writing of “Chinese stories”. Through the narratives of small characters, it has developed a humanistic approach to writing about the struggles of small characters. Chinese-American writer LI Yiyun’s debut novel, A Thousand Years of Good Prayer, is a fantastic example of writing about the plight of the small characters.The author takes the small characters in Chinese society at the turn of the century as the subject of her book, showing the material and spiritual plight of the small characters in the context of the times, and their extremely complicated choices and emotional struggles. This process reflects the physical and spiritual disassociation of the small characters, which is an important content and development trend of New Immigrant Literature.