The relationship between social class and social identity is that, on one hand, social identity is linked to social class and class distinction plays the most important role in determining social identity; and on the ...The relationship between social class and social identity is that, on one hand, social identity is linked to social class and class distinction plays the most important role in determining social identity; and on the other hand, social identity stresses the individual's subjective feelings and it refers to the perception of the individual. What is important is the effect of the psychological essence of social identity. In Oates's The Tattooed Girl (2004), an individual's perception of social identity has an impact on his or her behavior that causes conflicts between the characters. This paper will analyze the issue of social identity in The Tattooed Girl from the following aspects: How the lower class with a subordinate social identity experiences the personal struggles; How the middle class with a privileged social identity undergoes spiritual suffering due to the traumatic memory; And how the less advantaged attempts to break the social identity boundary, and how such efforts lead to tragedy.展开更多
文摘The relationship between social class and social identity is that, on one hand, social identity is linked to social class and class distinction plays the most important role in determining social identity; and on the other hand, social identity stresses the individual's subjective feelings and it refers to the perception of the individual. What is important is the effect of the psychological essence of social identity. In Oates's The Tattooed Girl (2004), an individual's perception of social identity has an impact on his or her behavior that causes conflicts between the characters. This paper will analyze the issue of social identity in The Tattooed Girl from the following aspects: How the lower class with a subordinate social identity experiences the personal struggles; How the middle class with a privileged social identity undergoes spiritual suffering due to the traumatic memory; And how the less advantaged attempts to break the social identity boundary, and how such efforts lead to tragedy.