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【Abstract】Denise Chong’s The Concubine’s Children is regarded as an autobiography.As a member of the third generation of Chinese-Canadian,Denise Chong manages to sing a family saga for her immigrant family.Chinese traditions,such as patriarchal domination,Confucianism,and other traditions could be sensed throughout the autobiography.This can not only been reflected by the main characters Chan Sam(Chong’s grandpa),May-ying(Chong’s grandma),but also by some other depictions throughout the work.The thesis is to discuss those Chinese traditions in detail.
【Keywords】The Concubine’s Children; Chinese traditions; patriarchal domination; Confucianism
The Concubine’s Children is regarded as an autobiography.Chan Sam,“my” grandfather,is the protagonist,and May-ying,grandmother,another main character.My grandfather has moved to Canada in his early time,and he has strove for prosperity; when he felt the threat of loneliness and heritage(to add a son to the family),he decided to buy a concubine,and that is where May-ying changed her fate from a typical Chinese country girl to a Chinese-Canadian immigrant,and where the whole family story begins.In this long family saga,Denise Chong is able to restore the cross-cultural heritage vividly.
1.Patriarchal domination
“Within a little more than a year,a second child was on the way.May-ying hoped it was a boy.She beseeched the temple of gods to bestow such good fortune on her.A son would confirm usefulness to the family in the eyes of Chan Sam and the at-home wife.”
From the words above,we can see how much a son values to a traditional Chinese family.Sons are endowed with their patriarchal privilege of establishing filial relation.Compared to girls,boys are endowed with certain superiority,and this sort of superiority is widely admitted,or rather,thoroughly worshiped by Chan Sam,May-ying and their fellow countrymen.As an omniscient narrator,Denise Chong reconstructs the Chinese traditional social bias in witness.
In The Concubines’Children,Chan Sam possesses the absolute power to make any decisions.In the old Chinese values,women are supposed to be docile,considerate,and obedient.Education and too much intelligence are unnecessary for them.The most important and valuable duty for women is to pregnant a son,instead of a daughter,and more often then not,her position in the family depends on it.This can be sensed throughout The Concubine’s Children.
2.Confucianism
Confucianism is another time-honored values hold by Chinese,which also has some clues in The Concubine’s Children.According to Confucianism,harmonious relations between individuals are highly valued.Orders and rules are necessary,by which the world will not turn into chaos and keep running as usual.“Chong writes,‘something made us revisit the past.I believe it was Mother’s doing.A mother’s stories to her daughter ultimately stirred a feeling in me that the life we lead begins before,and continues after,our time’ (265-66).This sense of continuity between generations and of an individual who is more than a singular and isolated self is very much part of the traditional sense of identity in Confucianism.” It is reasonable to conclude that Denise Chong herself has been influenced by the Confucianism.
In addition to the patriarchal domination and Confucianism,there are some other typical Chinese traditions,too.Denise Chong has successfully restore a typical but special immigrant family history-- a Chinese-Canadian one.Traditional Chinese customs,traditional Chinese medicines,the beliefs on the temples of gods,some dialects,etc.are all presented in their original state.
3.Conclusion
Denise Chong’s The Concubine’s Children has managed to restore such Chinese traditions as patriarchal domination,Confucianism and traditional Chinese medicine,etc.No matter for the individual experience or for social events,Chinese traditions could be easily captured throughout the autobiography.In the process of revealing Chinese traditions,the omniscient narrator has become a not beautiful but convenient bridge which makes the reader and the author reach a certain agreement.
References:
[1]Denise Chong, The Concubine’s Children: portrait of a family divided, Viking, Penguin Books Canada Limited,1994, P36.
[2]Quigley, E., Unveiling the Ghost: Denise Chong’s Feminist Negotiations of Confucian Autobiography in The Concubine’s Children,Canada, ESSAYS ON CANADIAN WRITING, 1998.
作者简介:
闻博华(1991.10-),女,内蒙古大学外国语学院,英语语言文学专业,2013级硕士研究生。
【Keywords】The Concubine’s Children; Chinese traditions; patriarchal domination; Confucianism
The Concubine’s Children is regarded as an autobiography.Chan Sam,“my” grandfather,is the protagonist,and May-ying,grandmother,another main character.My grandfather has moved to Canada in his early time,and he has strove for prosperity; when he felt the threat of loneliness and heritage(to add a son to the family),he decided to buy a concubine,and that is where May-ying changed her fate from a typical Chinese country girl to a Chinese-Canadian immigrant,and where the whole family story begins.In this long family saga,Denise Chong is able to restore the cross-cultural heritage vividly.
1.Patriarchal domination
“Within a little more than a year,a second child was on the way.May-ying hoped it was a boy.She beseeched the temple of gods to bestow such good fortune on her.A son would confirm usefulness to the family in the eyes of Chan Sam and the at-home wife.”
From the words above,we can see how much a son values to a traditional Chinese family.Sons are endowed with their patriarchal privilege of establishing filial relation.Compared to girls,boys are endowed with certain superiority,and this sort of superiority is widely admitted,or rather,thoroughly worshiped by Chan Sam,May-ying and their fellow countrymen.As an omniscient narrator,Denise Chong reconstructs the Chinese traditional social bias in witness.
In The Concubines’Children,Chan Sam possesses the absolute power to make any decisions.In the old Chinese values,women are supposed to be docile,considerate,and obedient.Education and too much intelligence are unnecessary for them.The most important and valuable duty for women is to pregnant a son,instead of a daughter,and more often then not,her position in the family depends on it.This can be sensed throughout The Concubine’s Children.
2.Confucianism
Confucianism is another time-honored values hold by Chinese,which also has some clues in The Concubine’s Children.According to Confucianism,harmonious relations between individuals are highly valued.Orders and rules are necessary,by which the world will not turn into chaos and keep running as usual.“Chong writes,‘something made us revisit the past.I believe it was Mother’s doing.A mother’s stories to her daughter ultimately stirred a feeling in me that the life we lead begins before,and continues after,our time’ (265-66).This sense of continuity between generations and of an individual who is more than a singular and isolated self is very much part of the traditional sense of identity in Confucianism.” It is reasonable to conclude that Denise Chong herself has been influenced by the Confucianism.
In addition to the patriarchal domination and Confucianism,there are some other typical Chinese traditions,too.Denise Chong has successfully restore a typical but special immigrant family history-- a Chinese-Canadian one.Traditional Chinese customs,traditional Chinese medicines,the beliefs on the temples of gods,some dialects,etc.are all presented in their original state.
3.Conclusion
Denise Chong’s The Concubine’s Children has managed to restore such Chinese traditions as patriarchal domination,Confucianism and traditional Chinese medicine,etc.No matter for the individual experience or for social events,Chinese traditions could be easily captured throughout the autobiography.In the process of revealing Chinese traditions,the omniscient narrator has become a not beautiful but convenient bridge which makes the reader and the author reach a certain agreement.
References:
[1]Denise Chong, The Concubine’s Children: portrait of a family divided, Viking, Penguin Books Canada Limited,1994, P36.
[2]Quigley, E., Unveiling the Ghost: Denise Chong’s Feminist Negotiations of Confucian Autobiography in The Concubine’s Children,Canada, ESSAYS ON CANADIAN WRITING, 1998.
作者简介:
闻博华(1991.10-),女,内蒙古大学外国语学院,英语语言文学专业,2013级硕士研究生。